Las Piedras Amazon Center (LPAC) is getting ready for a busy summer as a new wave of visitors make their way to the Peruvian Amazon.  Several volunteer groups and researchers are heading down to this special part of the world to learn, relax, and provide some volunteer services.

A team of conservation researchers will be looking at primate populations, specifically the endangered Peruvian black spider monkey (Ateles chamek), to see how they are being affected by deforestation and forest degradation (human impacts) in the Las Piedras watershed.

Monkey in Trees at ARCC.Scullion

Students and faculty from Virginia Tech University will spend time learning about the complexities specific to the Las Piedras watershed, such as: deforestation, unsustainable agriculture, ecotourism, brazil nut harvesting, sustainable forest products and cacao.

Volunteer services that they may partake in include assisting with forest ranger patrols and providing service work around LPAC and with the local community.

Other noted LPAC work lined up for this summer:

  • Creative for Conservation” Intern to photograph wildlife in LPAC
  • Various projects on green living, sustainability, and construction by researchers and eco-adventurers alike
  • Experiments with drones and acoustic nodes for solving ecosystem challenges along the Las Piedras watershed
  • And so much more to come!

“Having this land holds great opportunities and I look forward to seeing it grow into an established camp where more diverse groups of people can come and experience the rainforest and become an ambassador to help protect it. The passion behind it is great, everyone there was a world of knowledge with something to contribute. With the experience, I clarified I want to pursue a career in biology and conservation and am excited to get back to university! I still miss falling asleep to the sounds of cicaters and frogs and waking up to birds and howler monkeys…”-LPAC volunteer

LPAC kitchen