VOLUNTEER
Work in the cloud forest — not just for it.
Deepen your connection by becoming a core pillar of our forest nursery and field operations. You will immerse yourself in the local culture, staying with local families in the Quijos Valley while learning the science behind ecosystem restoration.
OPEN POSITIONS
What we are searching for.
Forest Nursery Assistant
Every single tree in our ecological corridor begins its life right here. As a Nursery Assistant, you will be the guardian of biodiversity, helping us propagate rare, native, and threatened cloud forest species that will shape the future landscape of the Quijos Valley.
Forest Nursery Assistant
Every single tree in our ecological corridor begins its life right here. As a Nursery Assistant, you will be the guardian of biodiversity, helping us propagate rare, native, and threatened cloud forest species that will shape the future landscape of the Quijos Valley.
Prerequisites
- Stay: Minimum 2 weeks, maximum 2 months
- Languages: Basic Spanish is helpful but not mandatory
- Minimum age: 18+
- Skills & physicality: Moderate physical stamina (ability to lift soil bags, bend down, and work under variable weather conditions like rain or humidity). No prior experience required.
The Work
Hours: 20 hours per week (5 days a week, 4 hours per day, with 2 consecutive days off)
- Preparing Substrate: Mixing organic soils and preparing growth bags for new saplings.
- Seed Management: Collecting, processing, and germination-tracking of native seeds.
- Tree Nursery Care: Weeding, watering, bagging, labeling, and organizing species by structural layers.
- Infrastructure Support: Helping maintain nursery nets, irrigation, and composting zones.
GIS Data & Forest Monitoring Assistant
Reforestation without data is just a wish. In this role, you bridge the gap between nature and technology. You will step into the field to track the growth and survival rates of our trees, feeding the TreeCloud database with the precise metrics that our global allies, universities, and donors rely on.
GIS Data & Forest Monitoring Assistant
Reforestation without data is just a wish. In this role, you bridge the gap between nature and technology. You will step into the field to track the growth and survival rates of our trees, feeding the TreeCloud database with the precise metrics that our global allies, universities, and donors rely on.
Prerequisites
- Stay: Minimum 4 weeks (due to technical training), maximum 3 months
- Languages: Intermediate English or Spanish
- Minimum age: 18+
- Skills & physicality: High physical stamina (hiking on uneven terrain, muddy slopes, and rain-soaked trails). Basic knowledge of GIS, data entry, photography, or tracking apps is highly valued.
The Work
Hours: 25 hours per week (approx. 3 field days and 2 data/office days, with 2 days off)
- Field Data Collection: Hiking to partner farms to measure tree height, trunk diameter, and general health parameters.
- TreeCloud Logging: Georeferencing new planting zones and updating survival codes via our mobile tracking software.
- Visual Documentation: Taking status photos of growing trees for donor transparency.
- Nursery Audits: Counting and inventorying ready-to-plant stocks to sync field needs with nursery production.
Volunteers are responsible for taking care of the smartphones or rugged equipment provided during fieldwork.
Environmental Education & Community Mobilizer
Lasting conservation lives in the hearts of the next generation. As an educator, you will bring the cloud forest to life for local children and youth, designing engaging experiences, workshops, and outdoor field trips that connect local schools directly to our reforestation mission.
Environmental Education & Community Mobilizer
Lasting conservation lives in the hearts of the next generation. As an educator, you will bring the cloud forest to life for local children and youth, designing engaging experiences, workshops, and outdoor field trips that connect local schools directly to our reforestation mission.
Prerequisites
- Stay: Minimum 4 weeks (to ensure continuity with students), maximum 3 months
- Languages: Intermediate to advanced Spanish is mandatory (to lead classes and interact smoothly with kids, teachers, and parents)
- Minimum age: 21+ preferred
- Skills & physicality: Excellent communication skills, creativity, and patience. Background in education, biology, art, or youth leadership is a massive plus.
The Work
Hours: 20 to 25 hours per week (aligned with school calendars, Monday to Friday, weekends off)
- Workshop Design: Developing interactive educational modules focused on endemic birds, unique amphibians, water cycles, and ecological corridors.
- School Integration: Leading dynamic classroom sessions at partner local schools (such as the Unidad Educativa Juan Bautista Montini).
- Field Guiding: Organizing and co-leading educational field trips (salidas de campo) into nature zones to teach field observation and tree appreciation.
- Community Events: Supporting the logistics and coordination of community planting days ("Sembratones") involving students and parents.
Positions are subject to local school terms and vacation cycles. A mandatory international background check is required (standard policy when working with minors).
Remote & Hybrid Professional Positions
If you want to contribute from afar or apply specialized technical skills, you can join our core team as a professional remote volunteer. This is ideal for experts looking to back a real-world conservation project with their portfolio.
Remote & Hybrid Professional Positions
If you want to contribute from afar or apply specialized technical skills, you can join our core team as a professional remote volunteer. This is ideal for experts looking to back a real-world conservation project with their portfolio.
Open Tracks
Software & Data Wizards (Tech Team)
- What you will do: Help optimize the TreeCloud mapping application, refine our database architecture, and improve data visualization infrastructure.
- Who we look for: Full-stack or backend developers, GIS data specialists, and UI/UX designers. You will collaborate closely with our core engineering team.
Fundraising & Grant Writing
- What you will do: Connect our raw field data, biological corridor metrics, and community achievements with global resources. You will search, draft, and apply for international grants and eco-foundation funding.
- Who we look for: Professionals with experience in NGO writing, environmental grant scouting, or international cooperation.
Marketing & Digital Strategy
- What you will do: Optimize our digital footprint, design communication strategies, and help us curate high-quality campaigns to connect TreeCloud with a global audience.
- Who we look for: Community managers, digital strategists, and copywriters passionate about climate justice.
WHAT YOU GET
What we offer.
All on-site volunteer positions include a comprehensive exchange package designed to support your stay and maximize your impact.
THE EXCHANGE PACKAGE
Everything included in your stay.
Accommodation & Food Support
A comfortable room in a welcoming local family home, alongside three nutritious, local meals a day. See our Community Contribution note below.
Language Boost
2 to 3 hours of practical, conversational Spanish classes or specialized environmental vocabulary training per week.
The Birding Paradise
Daily immersion and access to a world-record neotropical birding hotspot.
Certification
An official TreeCloud Conservation Certificate and academic/professional letters of recommendation upon completion.
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
Good to plan ahead for.
Community Contribution Fee
The daily/weekly food and accommodation subsidy paid directly to your host family.
Flights & Transport
Visa, International airfare to Ecuador, domestic flights, and personal transportation outside of official project activities.
Travel Insurance (mandatory)
Comprehensive international travel health and accident insurance. Proof of active coverage is required before your start date.
Personal Expenses
Independent weekend trips, specialized tourism excursions, souvenirs, and personal snacks or soft drinks.
Personal Field Gear
Your own specialized outdoor clothing, rugged hiking/rubber boots, rain gear, and personal toiletries.
COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION POLICY
A fair exchange, by design.
TreeCloud operates on a model of strict climate justice and community support. The local families who open their homes to our volunteers are small-scale farmers (campesinos) whose economies cannot absorb the extra cost of a guest's daily meals, utilities, and space.
To ensure your presence directly supports the local economy instead of straining it, we implement a Mandatory Community Contribution: volunteers contribute 105 USD per week. 100% of this money goes directly to your host family to cover the raw costs of your ingredients, high-quality local meals, and home utilities — TreeCloud does not keep any percentage of this fee.
This allows our local farmers to participate in conservation while receiving fair compensation for their incredible hospitality and work.
CODE OF CONDUCT
What we ask of you in return.
Community Respect
Empathy toward local community customs, traditions, and the peaceful rural lifestyle of the Quijos Valley.
Eco-Friendly Operations
Strict adherence to zero-waste practices, mandatory separation of recycling/organic waste, and conscious consumption of water and electricity.
Substance-Free Zone
A strict zero-tolerance policy for the use, possession, or distribution of drugs, smoking (including e-cigarettes/vaping), and alcohol on all project grounds, nursery areas, and host family properties.
Safety & Teamwork
A cooperative attitude, willingness to follow safety protocols provided by field leaders, and deep respect for fellow international volunteers.
APPLY
Ready to get started?
Tell us a little about yourself and when you'd like to come. We'll be in touch within a few days.
FAQ
Common questions.
How to Reach Us?
Quijos Valley, Napo Province. Base: Baeza. Accessible via a scenic 2-to-3-hour bus ride from Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) in Quito. Detailed instructions will be sent upon acceptance.
Duration
From 2 weeks to 2 month.
What to pack?
Rain gear: A high-quality waterproof jacket (the cloud forest lives up to its name!).
Footwear: Comfortable trail shoes (we provide heavy rubber boots for nursery work if needed, or specify sizes available).
Field essentials: A reusable water bottle, eco-friendly/biodegradable sunblock, insect repellent, and a headlamp.
Tech/Gear: Binoculars (a must for this birding hotspot!) and a laptop if you are supporting data/marketing.
How does a Day in the Life of a Volunteer looks like?
07:30 AM - Traditional breakfast with your host family
08:30 AM - Head to the nursery or field hike
01:30 PM - Lunch and rest during the warmest hours
04:00 PM - Spanish lesson or free time to spot birds
07:00 PM - Dinner and sharing stories.