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Volunteering: Monitoring in-situ Biodiverity in Serra da Bodoquena National Park
Serra da Bodoquena National Park is located in the state of Brazil, Mato Grosso do Sul, it borders with Paraguay to the South and Bolivia on the North West. This National Park protects the biggest continuous fragment of deciduous forests in Brazil.
The park sits on an extensive area of limestone mountains, which differ greatly from surrounding areas, providing home to rich and unique flora and fauna. The high solubility of these rocks in an area of high annual precipitations, has made possible the formation of an intricate system of caves as well as underground rivers and lakes, adding peculiar features to this magnificent landscape.
The Biodiversiry monitoring work in Serra da Bodoquena is done as part of the regular monitoring programmes of the national park that has been taking place since the early 2000s.
The monitoring takes place on set dates every year, only three times a year and it is done during circa 10 days expedition into the natural park where you stay in a farm house to be close to the monitoring area.
There are two expeditions in in March and April undertaken to monitor butterflies and one expedition if August to monitor mammals.
You will be inserted to work within the National Park authority. This conservation unit pioneered the collection of climatic data and biodiversity monitoring systems within the Brazilian protetced areas. Therefore this work is part of the well-established annual monitoring routine of the National Park.
You will working as a team with specialists and volunteers recording species seen along a transect in the forest. The team is normally divided in two and you do the recording every other day.
At the end of the field expedition you can spend a few days entering the data into the database at the National Park’s office.
The accommodation during the field expedition takes place in a farm house outside town, you can camp in the garden if preferred, or use their basic facility.
- You require to bring adequate clothing and footwear to work in the forest: long sleeves shirt and trousers, made of light materials that would dry easily, should you get wet.
- Binoculars can be very handy, although they are not essential.
- Light bedding (or light sleeping bag) towels and toiletries are recommended.
- A torch is also recommended, as well as mosquito repellent and sun cream.
- This project provides the unique opportunity of becoming a field researcher for the duration of the expedition and develop field research and data collection skills.
- Opportunity to undertake data entry using the database employed to record data from field research.
- Opportunity to learn how to use GPS to collect field data, if required.
- Receive the necessary training to understand and put theory into practice of the complete circle of biodiversity monitoring: moniotring and survey methods, data collection in the field and data entry in the database, with explanation of how the data is used to inform natural resources management in protected areas.
- Improve employability and future career prospect.
- Obtain work reference and or credits for current degree
This project has two options:
- Monitoring Butterflies (March-April)
- Monitoring Vertebrates (July-August) Prices from
2 weeks 3 weeks 4 weeks 5 weeks 6 weeks
£450 £670 £ 885 £1110 £1329
During the field work in this project you may be required to stay in the field in tents or in basic accommodation. During your stay in town and office work you have a choice of accommodation (subject to availability) self catering or B&B. The food during the field expeditions is provided by the park Authority, which also provides the transport during the field work.
Your project fee covers the direct costs of your project. Please see this page for break down.
The booking fee covers the cost of coordination of your land trip and security. For your peace of mind we also provide 24/7 support line on mobile/ whatassp, so you can get in touch with us to deal with any issues you may encounter while you are away.
My Trip to Serra da Bodoquena with Green Planet Ventures was brilliant. I took this trip because i wanted to gain real field research experience. I recommend this trip for anyone that wants to get an independent experience. Learning some Portuguese will definitely id you decide to do this. See my blog here
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For enquiry
If you have any questions or prefer to talk through any issues, please contact us by clicking on the button below or feel free to give us a ring at 44 1276 503 402. we are happy to help.
