Wildlife & Sustainability Volunteering in Costa Rica

My name is Rasmus and I spent 7 active months with another volunteer (until Mai 2017) in the “Los Guardianes Program” on Planet One World (Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica).

After weeks of internet research I luckily encountered the German environment protection organization “Tropica Verde e.V.” which collaborated with the project.
The main comparative advantage to the other projects in Costa Rica is that its affordable, unique and you are actually useful.

The projects aim is to protect a huge terrain of rainforest in an especially endangered zone in the the costarican south.
Mainly I participated in rainforest patrols&monitoring, sustainable farm work and ecotourism.
We used camera tramps to photograph hunters and wild animals and built camps in the rainforest.
On the farm we learned about sustainable farming concepts and helped keep everything running.
We introduced interested research workers and ecotourists to the project and took care of them.
We further helped to promote the project via internet and reported our activities to Tropica Verde.

The arrival was easy, I got picked up at the bus station and was welcomed warmly.
I lived with Ken (the owner), his native indigenous family and co-worker and the other volunteer.
After the security introduction about farm and forest work we were immediately 100% involved into all activities.
They put a lot of trust in their volunteers and literately have an open ear for you 24/7.

The work is both physically and mentally demanding because its hard work and you get a lot of responsibilities.
This is rewarded by superclose contact to nature, personal Spanish and Muay Thai training, trips to the beach/indigenous reserve/Eco communities, relaxing weekends in backpacker town Puerto Viejo…it’s impossible to sum it up here.

Reviewing my time there it strongly formed my personality and consciousness, I would always do it again.

Here is a clip we took during our time below.

Three years ago I took a study break and decided to take part at this volunteer program. It was my first time in Costa Rica and I was not really sure what to expect, as there hadn't been any reviews about this program. So now I am happy to share my experiences with you - because my time at the farm was definitively one of the best in my entire life!

The mission is as simple as it is important: We tried to do our bests to protect the Los Guardianes - a tropical rainforest and one of the most beautiful places you'll ever see. For me it was my first time in a jungle and i fell in love immediately! Every morning there was a meeting where we discussed our daily tasks. Tasks were various so it never got boring and it is kind of difficult to sum it up. Of course you should not have any problems with manual work, because sometimes it can be exhausting. But when you see your work at the end of the day and you know that you are helping to preserve one of the most beautiful places on earth, you know that it was worth it. We also had contact with the BriBri, indigenous people that are living in the jungle, which was very interesting for me as well!

All in all, I totally can recommend this program to everyone who is looking for an incredible and unforgetable time amid the tropical rainforest of Costa Rica!

What drives people to volunteer in a programm abroad? This was a question I asked myself a few years ago. I’m from Newcastle upon Tyne in Northern England and I had just gratuated from school. My best friend, Ben, and I were sick of the noisy city life and as many others we wanted to see more of the world before starting work life or studying and somehow we wanted tomake a change. I was so pleased that we chose going to Costa Rica. Never ever have I experienced such genuine hospitality, care and lust of passing on knowledge. Participating in this volunteer project has probably changed my life. It was beautiful to learn about other cultures, especially the cooking sessions were great. Also, Ben and I had no clue of Spanish language. But Ken and his family had patience and now I‘m a Spanish-pro =D. I guess seeing nature in its purest form, the smell, the colours, the noises, the people(s)! – basically the total contrary of our life in England, has somewhat opened my eyes and made clear how important it is to preserve, restore and promote nature. And Ken, his family and Planet One World are doing their best of fullfilling these aims! It is totally worth a trip. Thank you Planet One World, thank you Costa Rica!
P.s.: The food is just delicious ;)

I have been there for half a year in 2013 and my time there had a major impact on my life decisions. I still feels like a part of my family now is in Costa Rica and I know that I will always be welcome if I come back (What I already did and will do again in the future). It is not always easy to live on a farm far away in the jungle. Work can be hard and when it comes to nature conservation, back throws are normal and you need a long breath. Now that I am in a master program for international nature conservation, I can tell you: That is normal. Compared to the founds, the impact of the work at finca one world cannot be overestimated. The private nature reserves that we established in 2013 is an important stepping stone for wildlife between the Manzanillo National Park in the south and the Indigenous Reserve Talamanca in the north. Without the commitment of Ken, his family and neighbors and all the volunteers over the last years, this reserve would not have been able to survive as a whole. Economic interests are growing and illegal logging and hunting are still common. I think my work there really had an impact. Moreover, if you decide to go there please keep in mind: It’s also one of the most beautiful places on the planet direct in the heart of the Caribbean!

It was awesome to be a part of such an impactful project. Ken, his family, Adolfo and Hortensio are such sweet persons. They teach you everything they know about farming the animals and the plant on the farm and in the refuge. I saw so many animals I even didn’t know they exist. The farm work was always quite fun with the other volunteers and a joking Ken. You have to image it more as practical lessons. You will do all the stuff on the farm and Ken or Adolfo is explaining everything to you. I was so impressed by the tequnices on the farm. Imagen creating electricity out of pig shit 😉. Beside the farm and refuge work Ken really wants to educate about the environment. We went to a school and did a workshop there or went to the BriBri community to help them with some projects. There we met Don Lizandro the shaman of the BriBri’s with whom we celebrated a BriBri ceremony. It was so exciting. And of course the tours and activities we did were just fun and we really saw a lot of the beautiful nature. On the weekends we stayed down near Puerto Viejo at a little house of One World. I really loved the rasta-hippie culture on the beach and it was the perfect alternation. I can recommend it from the bottom of my heart.

We had a great time in the rainforest. We have been there in October 2017. When we got there, we directly got a private tour from Ken. He showed us his property. He has shown us his property and how he cares for himself and his family. That’s really impressive. The next day,early in the morning, we did a rainforest tour. We saw many animals, like monkeys and frogs. It is totally wort it, to visit one world Costa Rica.

During my time with fabi and fin I learned a lot about the beautiful nature and wildlife of puerto viejo talamanca. During our trips to the jungel or national parks or just kayaking at the local river they explained me so much and had a great knowledge about the animals and especially reptiles of this beautiful country. I warmly reccomand to go and check out how working for RARG can enrich your life and enlarge your knowledge. Thanks again for this amazing experience.

You will have a great time and ample opportunity to help further pursue the vision of Planet One World. Ken and his family try to protect a huge area by planting endangered species and other plants to create a safe habitat for all animals around. One World felt like home for me. I will definitely come back to see how everything has developed – quite curious about it 😊. The program was just perfect. We did so many activities inside and outside the farm, it didn’t feel like work. Ken’s friend Don Lizandro, the shaman,was a unique encounter for me. I really connected with the BriBri culture and I am so happy to see that my support in the community really helped. I highly recommend the program to anyone who wants to really experience something they can no where else. I even extended my stay.