Location
  • Puerto Rico
General grants/scholarships
Health & Safety

Program Details

Language
Spanish
Timeframe
Year Round
Housing
Guesthouse
Groups
Small Group (1-15) Medium Group (16-30) Large Group (31+)
Travel Type
Budget Family Older Travelers Solo Women

Pricing

Starting Price
1090
Price Details
What's Included:
Full accommodation for the duration of your stay
3 meals a day*
Daily onsite transportation
Airport pick up and drop off at San Juan airport
Pre-Departure & On-site orientation & training:
24/7 on-site staff support and training
Medical/Accident insurance
Personal assistance from a Greenheart Travel program manager
Certificate of Completion upon request for successful completion of the program
Greenheart Travel also donates a portion of your fee to offset the carbon footprint of your travels.
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Airport Transfers Meals Travel Insurance
What's Not Included
Airfare
Aug 12, 2019
Jan 31, 2020
2 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Located in the southern mountains of Puerto Rico’s rainforest, Greenheart Travel's volunteer project gives you the opportunity to take part in a pioneering project on sustainable forestry research, enrichment and reforestation. This is an opportunity to learn more about environmental sustainability projects, while also giving back to a community still recovering from Hurricane Maria in September 2018.

Hurricane Maria devastated the rainforest and surrounding area of our sustainable forestry project in Puerto Rico. Given the destruction, we’re working to clean the overgrowth, fallen trees and debris from the forest to allow our endangered tree species to thrive so we can continue our tropical research and education. Additionally, many bridges, structures, and roads on the project are still unsuitable for use and will need to be rebuilt.

This program is currently not being promoted on Go Overseas by its provider. Check with Greenheart for the most up-to-date information regarding the status of this program.

Video and Photos

Diversity & Inclusion 💙

We appreciate that everyone has a unique worldview and value everyone regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender or gender identity, ability, military status, religion, sexual orientation or political view. We are committed to building relationships and ensuring everyone we encounter feels welcomed, respected, and accepted. Greenheart is committed to helping anyone find the best program fit and will go the extra mile to make sure our participants feel safe and supported wherever they end up.
Greenheart Travel welcomes travelers identifying as LGTBQ+, and is committed to helping you find the best program for you. We can provide information on the cultural norms of our destination countries and are prepared to advise you on the best programs based on your needs and interests.
While most of our programs could be a good fit, we also know that certain cultures and countries are more accepting of and prepared to host LGBTQ+ people than others. We are committed to working with LGBTQ+ people to determine which experiences may be the right fit for them. Please reach out if you want to discuss which of our programs might fit you best ahead of applying or set up a phone call with us.
Greenheart works with partners who have varying levels of what is considered "good mental health". While we cannot change their eligibility conditions, we will work with participants to the best of our abilities in order to get them the program placement they want. We encourage you to discuss your specific situation with us directly, before securing these documents.
Greenheart Travel welcomes students of varying ability to explore their study abroad options! While resources and support differ from country to country, Greenheart Travel staff work with individual students as needed to find program options that will set students up for success.

Impact 🌎

We believe in supporting our travelers to make a positive impact in their communities. The Greenheart Club provides Greenheart Grant funding to alumni projects all over the world.
As the leading eco-friendly exchange organization, we are passionate about helping travelers explore the globe while respecting the environment and cultural heritage of the destinations they explore.
Greenheart Travel is a branch of Greenheart International, a Chicago-based organization that connects people and planet to create global leaders through personal development, volunteer service, environmentalism, fair trade, and cultural exchange. We provide resources, grants, and experiences to those who want to immerse themselves in another culture and leave it better than when they arrived. Through volunteering, creating relationships and more.

Program Highlights

  • Opportunity to learn about environmental issues
  • Give back to a community still re-developing following Hurricane Maria
  • Short-term volunteers are needed, go for as little as 3-4 days!

Program Reviews

5.00 Rating
based on 2 reviews
  • 5 rating 100%
  • 4 rating 0%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 5
  • Support 5
  • Fun 5
  • Value 4.5
  • Safety 5
Showing 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Selfie
Jovany
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

What's like to Volunteer abroad in a Forestry, Environmental Sustainability Project in Puerto-Rico ?

i'm Sculable Jovany , i won a scholarship from Greenheart Travel to volunteer abroad as a First Time Traveler in the Tropic Ventures & Sustainable Forestry in Puerto-Rico !
Travel as a first time traveler to discover a new culture,a new place you never been before is exciting, you'll feel this when you landed.
arriving in Puerto-Rico, my homestay was in the southeast of the island in the mountains, 1 hour from San Juan. i was received by Thrity Vakil and Andrés Rúa, both the director of the Tropic Ventures,
My Bedroom and surrounded a mountains and near to a river i spend seven days in this paradise !
After hurricane Maria 'Las Casas De La Selva" wich is the home of the Tropic ventures has suffered a lot of majors damages to its infrastructure and the forest lost 99% of his trees ,since then many volunteers come to this place to bring their help in a way or another to the sustainable forestry !
During my days i accomplished my volunteers tasks like clearing and pruning the overgrowth in the Waste Water , keeping the house clean and help my host family with the dinner.
By afternoon my host family takes me out to discover the cities around, while there i have learn how to dance salsa, i have appreciate a lot my host family!
my experience in one word was amazing ! for sure i'll be back,
I recommend this program for everybody who open-minded, love exploring nature and have ability to work in in team ! you'll have such a great experience there!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
the most surprising thing that i see during my stay in Puerto-Rico, was while i visited he Old San Juan , i saw a photographer who putting multiple parrots on a boy, on his head, on his shoulders and then taking a picture, all that within a minute without the parrots flying away !
32 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Teleja
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My time at Las Casas de la Selva

I absolutely enjoyed my time with 3T and Las Casa de la Selva. It was a safe, enriching and spiritually rewarding place to be and quickly felt like my home. I would strongly recommend this program to all looking to spend time in a paradise with welcoming and vibrant people doing meaningful work. 3T, the director is basically one of my newest deities, and I adore her as such, and Andres was excellent company and blessed with so many skills! Together they were the perfect family to welcome me in and to work with and for. I could not have asked for a better situation. I did a variety of green work related tasks, very much what I was looking for,. I got to plant trees and learn more about trees and the ecology of the tropics (also very much what I was looking for). Lastly I got a fair amount of experience facilitating the younger volunteers, which was of help to both 3T and myslef. An overall outstanding experience.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Be wary of the Mold! This is not a comment on cleanliness but rather on climate! Upon packing to leave this beautiful place I realized my pack had started to mold, so luckily I noticed this a few days before leaving to I could wash and dry it in the sun.
33 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers