Brazil - Conservation and Environmental Research Programme

This programme is set in a unique and spectacular Brazilian ecosystem: The Pantanal’s surrounding Cerrado Highlands. As a volunteer you will be staying at a research station in the quaint village of Taboco, in the Mato Grosso do Sul state. The aim of the programme is to involve the volunteers in scientific research, to enhance the acquisition of new skills, knowledge, and commitment to a sustainable environment. 

This project will help understand how peccaries, tapirs, agoutis, and other frugivores, such as macaws, certain fish, and numerous insects, affect tropical forest dynamics. The work at the plateau region of the Pantanal will attempt to discover which species of fruiting plants and frugivores are key to the survival of the entire forest ecosystem.

Volunteers will have the opportunity to work on various projects during their stay. The multi-disciplinary nature of theproject makes it ideal to engage the volunteers on conservation issues Brazil’s critically endangered Cerrado ecosystem. These projects include: monitoring the wildlife of the local area, botanical studies, herpetology projects, community outreach, and sustainable cattle ranching project. In addition, there may be a number of opportunities to experience spectacular caves, waterfalls, orchids, and a diversity of native fruits and birds. 

  
There will be lots of opportunity to interact with the local community, play soccer, and experience regional country festivities depending on the time of year you are visiting.

Your Role

Projects volunteers may expect to be involved with:

Landscape Species Study: White-lipped peccaries were selected as one of five “landscape species” for the Pantanal and surrounding area. Conservation efforts are targeting landscape species to help maintain regional biodiversity and ecological integrity, because they use large, diverse areas, have significant impacts on ecosystem structure and function, and are vulnerable to human-related environmental threats. Volunteer’s tasks on this project may include, tracking peccary movement, collecting data on signs and behaviour and capture.

Native pasture and forest understory dynamics in the Pantanal: Cattle management systems that optimize the efficient use and sustainability of native pasturelands in the Pantanal will increase profitability for ranchers and protect biodiversity. Due to market changes, property divisions among heirs and subsequent reductions in areas available for grazing, as well as degraded pasture quality, ranches in the Pantanal have become financially less viable. These problems have contributed to the current trend of deforestation and conversion of native habitats to exotic pasture. 

To evaluate the level of cattle impact on native pasture and forest understory plant communities, we conducted cattle exclusion experiments using 25 m2 fenced exclusion plots paired with open (unfenced) 25 m2 control plots. Plant species composition, cover, and dead and live standing biomass were monitored in the pasture plots for one year and are currently being analysed. The slow-growing forest plots were set up for long-term monitoring of plant species composition, seedling counts, and seedling growth. 

Monitoring aquatic communities: Freshwater surveys on a partner ranch detected hydrologic and community alterations of vazante wetlands (seasonal rainwater drainages that form shallow wetlands with slow flows) related to deforestation and water diversions on neighbouring (non-partner) ranches. 

The seasonal drying of one vazante was accelerated by more than one month, altering aquatic succession cycles and reducing the availability of water and pasture for native grazers (and cattle) during the peak of the dry season. Based on these results, restoration of vazante flows is a principal conservation priority for the partner ranch. More recently, we compared aquatic plant communities in wetlands exposed to continuous cattle grazing with those exposed to the rotational grazing system. 

Preliminary results showed dramatic differences in the composition of near-shore emergent plant zones. Wetlands exposed to continuous cattle grazing showed areas of exposed sediments from trampling, and the aquatic rushes (Cyperaceae) that dominated emergent plant zones in the rotational system were nearly absent in the continuously grazed wetlands. It appeared that the rotational system allowed aquatic shore vegetation to recover during grazing rest periods.

Herpetology: Amphibians and reptiles play an essential role in natural ecosystems as secondary consumers in many food webs. Because of their importance in the ecosystem, population declines or local extinctions will have substantial impacts on other groups of organisms. Habitat destruction is the principal cause of herpetofaunal population declines and species losses. A professor from the University of Dom Bosco conducts a reptile survey in the Cerrado highlands. 

Paula Helena Santa Rita runs the snake terrarium at the University in Campo Grande. Paula and her team have made major contributions with snake venom research, and the venom extracted from her lab has contributed to medical research all over the world. In the field, her students will be conducting reptile surveys in the highlands using pit fall traps to determine species richness and relative abundance of amphibians and reptiles in the region.

Paula and her team conduct a state wide snake education program to reduce human-snake conflicts in the rural communities of Mato Grosso do Sul. Volunteers may get the chance to assist Paula with these studies and be part of the on-going research.

Typical day

You will be working with participating ranchers to complete an evaluation of the current state of the ranches.

• Implementing management actions and conservation measures to reduce pressure on natural resources, habitat conversion, and the decline of populations of key species.
• Monitoring financial and socio-economic baselines, as well as landscape features, environmental characteristics, and taxa that are the most effective indicators of change when studying cattle management practices.

A typical day will include up to 5 - 7 hours in the field. You should be prepared to walk 5-10 km/day. Tasks may include mammal and fruit data collection, exploring and mapping new areas, GPS registration of mammal tracks, capturing peccaries (wild, pig-like creatures), diet analysis, data entry, setting up camera traps, and participating in other projects in the area.

Accommodation

The centre is set on a small private with a beautiful clear river through the reserve perfect for cooling down and exploring. Volunteer accommodation is rustic but very comfortable. There are a number of hut style rooms which is shared accommodation. The lodge has electricity, refrigerator, hot showers, toilets conventional beds / tents, tables and chairs and a TV room.

Meals will be prepared by a local cook, or sometimes by the volunteers. The food is excellent, with traditional Brazilian dishes, including rice and beans, meat, chicken and vegetarian meals will be possible. Good mineral water is provided. The breakfast consists of coffee, fresh fruit and vegetables, juices, bread, cheese and sweets.

The main dish will be served at lunch, the traditional Brazilian style and can include meat, fish, vegetables, salads, rice, beans and pasta.

Requirements

• Volunteers must be 18 years of age
• Have a reasonable level of fitness
• Some basic knowledge of the Portuguese language is a bonus
• Able to work in sometimes testing conditions
• Not too scared of insects!!
• Comprehensive travel insurance
  
  

Additional Information

Arrivals and Travel Information: Volunteers must fly to Campo Grande airport in Brazil, where they will be met by on the team. At the end of the stay, volunteers will be dropped off at the same airport.

Included:

• Accommodation
• Food
• Transfers from Campo Grande Airport
• Training

Excluded:

• International and domestic flights
• Visas
• Personal items
• Alcohol
• Travel insurance
• Volunteer activities outside of the project