YanaYacu Biological Station

The YanaYaco Biological Station and Center for the Creative Studies is a nonprofit organization and research facility located in the cloud forests of Ecuador.
The station concentrates on local environmental conservation projects and offers opportunities to engage in your own research or help a scientist with theirs. Visitors can plant trees and build trails in the surrounding area, which gets about 118 inches (3 meters) of rain per year. The land around the station is comprised of 80 percent primary forest with trails to explore and plants and animals to discover.
Much of the research focuses on indigenous wildlife, including insects and birds, of which there are more than 320 species of in the area. Efforts to document the natural history of the Ecuadorian rain forest are also ongoing. 

Practical Info

The YanaYacu Biological Station welcomes volunteers and visitors year-round. There are housing, kitchen, library and office facilities on site. YanaYacu is located in the province of Napo, outside of the capital city Tena, three miles (5 km) directly west of the small town of Cosanga, and 12.4 miles (20 km) south of Baeza. It is best to arrive via car, though indirect bus routes from Quito exist.