Volunteer positions with the Alliance for Research and Conservation in the Amazon (ARCAmazon) are open this summer between May and September 2018 for researching fungal diversity and edible mushrooms in the Las Piedras watershed in the Madre de Dios region of Peru. Opportunities at ARCAmazon are ideal for university students and recent graduates looking for field experience, or professionals searching for unique and meaningful travel experiences. Volunteers will learn a variety of field skills as well as contribute from their own abilities and knowledge to a vital cause. The Alliance for Research and Conservation in the Amazon (ARCAmazon) is a Peruvian non-profit that supports research and conservation initiatives in collaboration with other non-profits in the region and with local communities on the Las Piedras River. Our field site, Las Piedras Amazon Center (LPAC), in a 4,460-hectare rainforest concession, acts as a hub that channels the energy and resources of volunteering and ecotourism to halt illegal logging, hunting and mining, improve our understanding of Amazonian wildlife, and develop sustainable solutions for the needs of local people making a living in the area. Mycology research at Las Piedras Amazon Center is at the frontier of tropical fungi science and seeks to understand the place mushrooms have in the complex ecosystems of the Amazon Rainforest and the human communities surrounding it. Volunteers will experience the incredible variety of mushrooms found at LPAC and help fill the gaps in scientific knowledge about this important part of the tree of life in the tropics. Mushrooms also present unique solutions to current problems in the region and our research delves into their potential uses in sustainable initiatives. ARCAmazon seeks volunteers with a passion for conservation, scientific research and experiencing living in the jungle. Volunteers at LPAC stay at our remote off-grid camp/ecotourist lodge. Comfortable accommodations and authentic Peruvian meals are provided. Living at LPAC also gives access to beautiful trails, swimming areas and frequent wildlife sightings. Fees for accommodations vary by length and nature of the stay. Please refer to our website for more details on the fungi team and accommodation fees, or for information about other programs: http://bit.ly/2p8gfNX For any further inquiries, email [email protected] . To apply to volunteer for the fungi team, please visit our website and fill in an application form.
