New for the 2025/26 session is our Selva-Mar Project where we are combining what was once our sea turtle project and our rainforest project into one project that brings together the best of both. Our Selva-Mar project is located on the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica which is known for its abundant wildlife and natural beauty, both above and below the water, and is a perfect place to gain valuable environmental conservation experience while making a tangible difference in communities and with a non-profit organization that needs our help. Please see below for a description of our project and for more information contact us here .
To apply for acceptance into our program please go here. We accept applications each year from August 1st until our teams are full, typically by October (max 10 students per project).
VIRTUAL INFORMATIONAL MEETING: Link to recorded video can be found on our home page.
All international projects are approximately two-weeks in duration, including travel.
All 2024/25 projects are FULL – please fill out an application starting August 1st, 2025, for the 2025/26 session.
Selva-Mar Project ~ Aprox departure date from Denver July 12th, 2026
Our Selva-Mar Project, which translates into “Rainforest Sea” in Spanish, is located at a biological research station on the Osa Peninsula in a mature rainforest on the Pacific Ocean. The Osa Peninsula and surrounding marine environment is one of the most biological diverse places on earth and is under increasing pressure from proposed national transportation and hydroelectric infrastructure projects, industrial agriculture, illegal resource extraction, human encroachment, climate change, pollution, and deforestation. Huge strides have been made to help protect this important ecological corridor and students will work alongside and learn from researchers and scientists as they continue that progress.
This is a unique project where there is a heavy focus on learning from and interacting with the bio-stations scientists and researchers in addition to volunteering. Students will be helping with and learning about all aspects of the station including scientific data collection, rare and endemic plant research, rainforest restoration, sea turtle conservation, restorative farming, wildlife monitoring with camera traps, ecology, beach clean-ups and participate in a marine expedition with a marine biologist on the Golfo Dulce. This program is a perfect mix of a terrestrial and marine focus and is an excellent program for anyone with a curiosity of what it would be like to work in the science field or who loves to be surrounded by biodiversity.
Students will also be participating in several educational modules taught by the bio-station’s scientists and researchers. These modules start off in an open-air classroom and then move to the field where students put their knowledge into practice. The topics for modules range from sea turtle conservation, wildlife monitoring, ornithology, ecology, and more and are college-level lectures and field work. Topics will be chosen based on availability.
During down time students can read, relax, go on guided nature hikes, play games, cool off in the nearby river, or simply enjoy the natural beauty of the rainforest.
By participating in this project students will gain a better understanding and experience in rainforest and marine ecosystems and conservation, deforestation, restoration, biology, ocean and sea turtle conservation, wildlife research, regenerative farming, rare and endemic trees, and more.
This project start date will be approximately in mid-July, exact dates will be determined once airfare is purchased for the group, typically in January or early February.
Accommodation
Students will be staying in dormitory style cabins at the biological research station located near the Pacific Ocean which back’s up to mature rainforest. Each cabin has three rooms, each with two bunk beds and two shared bathrooms with modern western toilets. The research station has an open-air dining hall where organic and locally sourced meals are served three times per day. The research center is run 100% on solar power and has unlimited clean, cold running water from a spring. The mature rainforest offers many wildlife viewing opportunities.
Visit us on our social media accounts to see more pictures and videos of our projects, links via the icons at the top right of the page