Amazon Biostation & Biolodge General Volunteer

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The volunteer program at Manu Biological Station is centred around three key focus areas: climate change and biodiversity monitoring, reforestation, and regenerative agriculture. Here’s an overview of just some of the activities that you’ll be involved in...

Climate Change & Biodiversity Monitoring

Manu Biological Station is surrounded by the rugged, snowy peaks of the Andes to the west, and the dense, sprawling jungles of the Amazon to the east. This 'altitudinal gradient’ constitutes one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet, and Manu is right in the middle of it. Manu Biological Station is monitoring wildlife populations in a variety of ways, and tracking those which are moving up the altitudinal gradient in search of cooler temperatures on a warming planet.

You’ll be involved in a wide variety of activities, including...

• Collection and analysis of camera traps and acoustic recorders for monitoring of mammals, birds and amphibians.
• Assisting with field work on altitudinal transects along the Manu Road, between Manu Biological Station (500masl) and Wayqecha Biological Station (3000masl).
• Collection and processing of malaise traps for monitoring of insect populations, with possibility of training in advanced tree-climbing for long-term volunteers.
• Point counts of birds, reptiles and amphibians, including recording on citizen science apps such as iNaturalist and eBird.
• Ultraviolet light-trapping for monitoring of butterfly and moth populations.
• Curation of entomological collections, including pinning of insects.

Manu Biological Station has its origins as a coca-growing region for the Inca Empire, before becoming an agricultural operation over the course of the 20th century. Amongst huge areas of relatively healthy forest, there are a number of old plantations, and even a disused airstrip. Rewilding the patches of old agricultural land at the station, our goal with the Reforestation program is to better understand the process by which bamboo takes over a forest, and learn how to reverse it.

You’ll work alongside our resident team and be involved in the following activities:

• Assisting in the construction of a greenhouse where the seed bank will be developed.
• Cultivation of a variety of native plant saplings in preparation for reforestation.
• Surveying of the property and identification of key target areas for bamboo management and reforestation.
• Active control, removal and monitoring of bamboo patches.
• Packing and planting of trees.
• Ongoing care and maintenance of reforested areas.

Our Regenerative Agriculture program is designed to secure food access and progressively improve agricultural ecosystems by cultivating fertile and healthy soils, diversifying cropping systems, and collaborating with local and Indigenous communities in the region.

This is currently being achieved through a combination of agroforestry systems, including aquaculture (native Paco fish farming), permaculture using Peruvian native crops, composting, meliponiculture (native bee farming), and a medicinal garden.

You may be involved in the following activities:

• Cultivation and harvesting of plantains, yuca, cacao, uncucha (native potatoes), sweet potatoes, beans, pineapples, watermelons, eggplant, tomatoes and more.
• Assistance in fortnightly harvesting of native Paco fish from the station’s aquaculture system.
• Maintenance of colonies and collection of honey from the hives of native Meliponini stingless bees.
• Activities associated with caring for the station’s chickens.
• Composting and soil regeneration projects in conjunction with the Reforestation program.
• General maintenance of the station’s gardens and crops.
• Assistance with the development of forthcoming expansions to the station’s agroforestry systems.