Para la Naturaleza Volunteer Opportunities in Puerto Rico Review

Summary

Para la Naturaleza is one of the strongest Puerto Rican non-profits for volunteers hoping to work in wildlife and environmental conservation. Given the numerous activities and events the organization sponsors, volunteers may find themselves working on different projects each day. Para la Naturaleza also makes it easy for volunteers to get involved, thanks to its easy-to-navigate and highly informative website. The organization provides volunteer opportunities all over the island.

Type of Volunteer Work

Para la Naturaleza's volunteer opportunities are almost all focused on ecological conservation. The non-profit does this through its events, activities, workshop, and talks. These serve to nurture and protect Puerto Rico's ecosystems while informing citizens about the threats they face. Nearly all of Para la Naturaleza's volunteer opportunities consist of a single day of work, and many are carried out several times throughout the year. Examples of the organization's volunteer work include carrying out wildlife censuses, tree nursery maintenance, and cleaning up beaches. Anyone can volunteer with Para la Naturaleza; special skills or previous experience are not necessary.

Volunteer events are all free, but other activities, such as tours and workshops, are not. The organization makes it clear what is required for each event in terms of clothing to wear, whether to bring snacks, sunscreen, or other items, etc. Volunteers are provided with two maps: one of the location where the activity will take place and another of the location where the group will meet. Event descriptions include a minimum age as well as the difficulty level of the event. Level 1 (Easy) events, such as tree nursery maintenance, are generally recommended for participants of all ages. On the other hand, level 4 (Extreme) events, like archaeological digs, require participants to be in excellent physical conditions and children are typically not allowed.

Area and Scope of Operation

Para la Naturaleza provides volunteer work island-wide, currently managing four visitor centers in Puerto Rico, one in each of its work regions. Hacienda La Esperanza in Manatí serves the northwest. Casa Ramon Power y Giralt in San Juan manages the north central part of the island. Hacienda Buena Vista in Ponce covers the southeast, and Cabezas de San Juan in Fajardo handles the southwest. Para la Naturaleza also manages more than 50 protected green areas across the island where they carry out some of their conservation efforts, tours, and scientific activities. When applying, volunteers are asked to specify their preferred work regions.

Volunteer Support

Because Para la Naturaleza offers its volunteering opportunities as single-day work events, participants will typically not receive support in the way of transportation, accommodations, or meals. The organization does provide very comprehensive and detailed rundowns of their activities online, though. Additionally, Para la Naturaleza normally host its events with large groups of up to 20 people in mind. Groups larger than that can call or email the non-profit for arrangements to be made.

Reputation

Para la Naturaleza has existed as a unit of the Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico since 2013. The Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico is a private non-profit whose mission is to secure functional and healthy ecosystems in Puerto Rico. The Trust is accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Committee (LTAC), which recognizes organizations that meet rigorous quality standards. These standards take into consideration fiscal accountability, strong organizational leadership, sound transactions, and lasting stewardship of the lands they conserve. Para la Naturaleza is also very active on social media, where guest and volunteer feedback is largely positive.