Volunteering Costa Rican Eco-Lodge and Farm

It's 5:25 am and the alarm is beeping loudly.  The sun is out after a rainy night, birds are chirping, and the monkeys are howling in the distance.  But no time to waste as I change into damp, smelly and sweat stained clothes, grab my backpack, machete, and an empty pail and head for my daily activities.  This morning I'm watering and clearing banana fields. 

No, it's not a movie but how I spent part of my time volunteering at the Selva Bananito Eco Lodge in Costa Rica. Home - Selva Bananito The lodge Is listed as a top five eco lodge in all of Costa Rica.  Located in the southeast part of the country, about 1 hour south of Limon close to the Caribbean coast.  

Selva Bananito has an interesting history.  It was sold to a German family who migrated to Colombia after World War 1. The original plan was to clear the land and sell the lumber. However, when the land was inherited by the oldest son, he built cabins and hired local Costa Ricans to manage what today is an eco-lodge.  Guests can partake in nature hikes into the primary forest, horseback riding, water repelling and micro plane flyover.  Gyrocopter - Selva Bananito

The work is hard in intense heat and humidity. Sweat covers my entire body as I swing the machete to clear the underbrush. Watching out for the evil looking spiders that make their homes in the leaves.  Or the small poisonous but colorful dart frogs. The bright reds, oranges and green stripes signalling danger.  Yesterday I planted coconut trees with another volunteer to help reforest the land that was originally cleared.  

We are back in time for lunch and the afternoons are spent relaxing during the midday heat.  Sunset is quick in the forest as we are swallowed by complete darkness at 5:50 pm.  Some days I attend the presentation on the conservation work the lodge is doing. Other days it's straight to dinner at 7 pm and back in my cabin, showered and changed into PJ's by 8.

Farm life is not easy for the indigenous Costa Ricans.  It's back breaking work with minimal pay.  While I only spent two weeks here in the rainforest, it's easy to appreciate the working conditions they face each and every day.  

At the end of week 1, I met Sofia one of the owners of the lodge.  She is a multi-faceted woman wearing many hats.  She runs the foundation that I volunteer for as well as maintaining a school and greenhouse. I partner with her on clearing, weeding and replanting the greenhouse.  The herbs planted used for the foods we eat at the lodge.  The school is used for both the local communities in the biosphere with hopes to reach the young generation to reuse, recycle and preserve the ecosystem and outside schools for environmental education.

It's the last morning on the reserve.  All packed and ready for my transfer, I take a 20 minute gyro plane ride to see the biosphere from up above.  Cleared areas are prominent where farms reside.  Alas, there is also illegal logging that persists in the jungle.  Dump trucks filled with mahogany to be sold to overseas investors.  Climate change is very evident.  Rivers are drying up at a rapid pace.  One of the two waterfalls no longer flows.  But each tree planted, every child reeducated is a step forward for humanity.

I leave with a sense of purpose.  To continue my work in environmental and animal conservation one tree one animal at a time.