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Description:
It is estimated that the mangrove wetlands of the Guatemalan Pacific coast have been reduced by 50% in the last 50 years primarily by the advance of the agricultural frontier, the construction of shrimp farms, salt works and tourist and industrial infrastructure. The ecosystems of the mangrove forests that remain are in continuous threat by the unsustainable logging of wood, unregulated hunting and unsustainable fishing techniques.
ARCAS is working with the Guatemalan government’s National Council of Protected Areas to establish a 3500 hectare protected area centered on the mangrove lakes and wetlands of the area.
Volunteers are required in Hawaii to aid: sea turtle conservation construction of turtle hatcheries and volunteer and research facilities environmental education programme mangrove reforestation project community projects caiman and iguana breeding project. Volunteers are required in Peten to support the rescue centre: duties include cleaning cages and feeding animals.
Some of the achievements of Arcas in 2001 were: the reforestation of 16,000+ mangrove seedlings in the Hawaii area, the rescue of 419 endangered species at the Rescue Center in Peten, the collection of 14,244 sea turtle eggs at the Hawaii Project. 8000 Guatemalan students from 52 different schools in Guatemala City, Hawaii and Peten benefited from ARCAS environmental education activities.
To strive for the conservation, preservation, protection and research of wildlife; To rescue, rehabilitate and reintroduce into their natural habitat wild animals seized from illegal traffickers; To promote and assist in the creation and management of protected habitat areas for wild animals; To support tropical wild animal veterinary medicine and research; To reproduce and re-introduce endangered wildlife; To raise awareness among Guatemalans about the need to conserve natural resources through a program of education and information dessemination; To develop and promote economic alternatives in rural communities to the unsustainable consumption of natural resources.
Minimum stay in Hawaii is one week. Volunteers are asked to pay $50/ week to cover lodging and other expenses. Volunteers are responsible for their own food. They can either prepare it for themselves in the kitchen or eat with local families at roughly Q10 ($1.30) per meal. Please note a 50 GBP deposit will be made to the Earth Restoration Service Account when securing a place for this programme. For reference on this programme you can contact two old volunteers, Scott Handy and Francesca Barker. Their e-mails are: cescaontour@yahoo.co.uk, scottboxx@yahoo.co.uk
(502)2478-4096(tel/fax) 2480-7270, 5704-2563 (cell)
