I.C.E. Internships
Rainforest Conservation
Working in collaboration with a major conservation / education group
based in the verdant cloud forest of Monteverde I.C.E. offers interns a
chance for hands on rainforest protection. Located on a 32 acre reserve
and adjoining the Bosque Eterno S.A., the reserve includes primary and
secondary growth cloud forest with trails throughout, and is available
for research and recreational use. Areas of focus include several areas
of focus that reflect the complex issues faced by the Monteverde zone
and around the world. All of our programs, whether they are a study
abroad program, an applied research project, or community forum, reflect
these areas:
1) Water
2) Ecotourism
3) Conservation biology
4) Community Health
5) Land use and sustainable development
6) Spanish language and culture
Your work at the site will include trail maintenance, assisting research
scientists in the monitoring of native plant species, birdlife, and
native mammals on the preserve. Additional duties may include assisting
office staff with marketing materials and online searches, repairing
facility infrastructure and providing tours for visitors.
Your host is a not-for-profit association dedicated to education,
applied research, and community engagement. Founded in 1986, they have
facilitated place-based, experiential learning in education, grounded in
the environmental, social, economic and cultural realities of Monteverde
communities, while at the same time promoting research and community
development activities relevant to Monteverde. Through the participation
of international students, faculty, researchers, and the local
community, their programs and projects have evolved to be both locally
focused and globally relevant – a unique interplay between a world
community and a particular locale.
"Education for a Sustainable Future" is the core theme of all the
programs on site. The philosophy is that sustainability requires
consideration of environmental, social, cultural, economic, and
technical factors equally. The complex and multifaceted issues faced in
Monteverde and around the world call for multidisciplinary and
interdisciplinary study and professional practice. The cornerstone of
their approach is its synergism between international study, applied
research, and community engagement.
