KIDS SAVING THE RAINFOREST – a registered 501(c3) non-profit organization
INFORMATION ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS
Kids Saving the Rainforest has different projects on biodiversity conservation and research,
and we have created a training/volunteer program that allows any animal or forest lover to join
us, learn with us and work with us. We believe that we are all capable of changing our attitude
towards nature.
Kids Saving the Rainforest has had a wildlife rehabilitation center since 2005. In 2010, we
opened a Wildlife Sanctuary to keep those animals that cannot be released back into the wild.
Some of the animals were pets and are used to humans and others are too injured to survive in
the wild. The volunteers will learn the basics of zoo keeping in a tropical environment with
tropically native species. This may include maintenance of facilities (cleaning, repairing,
building and enriching cages, trails, etc.), diet preparation and enrichment, behavioral
observations, health monitoring, and training. Also the volunteers will learn about tropical
biodiversity and the natural history of some tropical animals.
PARTICIPATION OPTIONS
Kids Saving the Rainforest offers three different types of volunteer placements:
Day Volunteers: Mon., Wed, and Fri (space is limited)
(Minimum age requirement is 18years old (alone) and 8yrs-17yrs old with PARENTAL
SUPERVISION.)
Seasonal Volunteers: Duration of the stay can be 14 days or more depending on your
availability and participate in all aspects of the work. Applicants from any background are
accepted and full training is provided. Volunteers should expect to work up to 40 hours per
week.
(Minimum age requirement is 18years old)
Interns: Duration of the stay is 3 months. Applicants from any background are accepted,
however this placement is more suitable for gap-year students, undergraduates or recent
graduates who wish to gain more experience in wildlife management and conservation. Interns
will work with KSTR staff, but will be expected to be independent and proactive and might
receive extra training for specific tasks or research projects taking place. All Interns must go
through an interview process.
(Minimum age requirement is 18years old)
Intern Positions Available:
Wildlife Education Intern
Wildlife Rehabilitation Intern
Wildlife Zookeeper Intern
If you are interested in one of the Intern Positions, please let us know and we will send you a
description of each job, all of the requirements and cost.
Participant’s General Duties (Seasonal Volunteers)
All participants will work under the supervision of the Wildlife Sanctuary Manager , KSTR
Biologist and the Volunteer Coordinator while working alongside KSTR. Daily duties include
preparing food for animals, feeding animals twice a day, recording animal behavior and health
and cleaning cages.
Requirements
All participants are expected to fulfill certain requirements in order to participate in our projects.
Work is demanding, repetitive, and can also vary from day to day. Participants must know that
they will be working with wild animals that are not pets and should behave accordingly. These
requirements are to ensure that volunteers bring the right expectations and enjoy their experience
with KSTR.
-Need to enjoy working outdoors and be motivated
-Able to converse, receive and understand instructions in English and/or Spanish
-Travel and international medical insurance
-Flexibility to adapt to changing schedules and weather
CONTRIBUTION FEES TOWARDS PARTICIPATION
Kids Saving the Rainforest is a Non-Profit Organization and we rely on donations to function, as
do many other NGOs in developing countries. Most of our budget is spent at our rescue center,
which receives a great quantity of animals per year and has no means of making money.
Therefore we rely on volunteers to contribute towards their participation costs. These fees cover
3 daily meals, accommodation (shared rooms and bathrooms), Internet (WiFi), laundry and in
country support.
Kids Saving the Rainforest
Volunteers Rates 2014/2015
Seasonal
Volunteers
Registration
Fee
Volunteers Fee
Per Person/Per
Night
Total
14+ days
$100
$880
$70
$980
21+ days
$150
$1215
$65
$1365
30+ days
$200
$1600
$60
$1800
60+ days
$250
$4700
$55
$4950
90 + days
$100
$2400
$28
$2500
Seasonal
Volunteers
Registration
Fee
Volunteers Fee
Per Person/Per
Night
Total
14+ days
$100
$1720
$130
$1820
21+ days
$150
$2370
$120
$2520
30+ days
$200
$3100
$110
$3300
60+ days
$250
$8750
$100
$9000
90+ days
$100
$6,200
$70
$6,300
(Bunk Rooms)
(Cottages)
100% of the proceeds go to support KSTR projects.
Rates include the following:
* Bunk bed, sheets and towels, access to laundry, all meals and days off. (Bunk Room)
*King, Queen and Double beds (depending on the cottage) sheets and towels, access to laundry,
all meals and days off . (Cottages)
*If you need to cancel for some reason, only the volunteer fee will be refunded and
not the registration fee.
*Registration fee is non-refundable and must be paid once you submit your
application. All other fees may be paid via PayPal one month before arrival.
Notes to Rates:
*Repeat Seasonal Volunteers will not be charged for the Volunteer Fee
* Special rate for 3 month volunteers/interns
Project Site
Costa Rica has long been renowned for the friendliness of its people, high standard of education,
enlightened environmental policies and for its peaceful democratic government. Most of all,
Costa Rica is famous for its stunning natural beauty and the density and diversity of its exotic
flora and fauna.
The Central Pacific area of the country hosts a wide variety of ecosystems because it is where the
dry forest of the north and the very humid forest of the south overlap. Some estimates of the
biodiversity of the region are 109 species of mammals and 184 species of birds.
The Volunteer Center, Wildlife Sanctuary and Rescue Center are located in the quiet surrounding
area of the Blue Banyan Inn (www.bluebanyaninn.com), 7 Km (4 miles) from the nearest town
of Quepos and Manuel Antonio. The property is surrounded by forest of different ages, palm,
beech, and teak wood plantations.
The volunteer center has shared rooms and bathrooms, a mini-lounge where you can share the
day’s activities with fellow volunteers. This area includes a refrigerator, sitting area, sink and
cabinet space.
There are mountains nearby and a network of dirt roads to explore the area. The town of Quepos
and Manuel Antonio National Park are a few kilometers away and volunteers can explore these
areas during free time.
Not available to stay for a long period of time? Less than a 2 week stay volunteers are
considered Day Volunteers – see below for rates.
Day Volunteers
KSTR does not provide rooms or transportation. Activities for day volunteers will vary
depending on what is needed at the time but we will always try to include at least help with
one of the animal feedings.
Volunteer Individuals FULL DAY 8am-4pm (M,W,F)
 (2 to 8 people)
$125 per Adult
$100 per Child (8-12yrs)
PRICE INCLUDES:
* Long term Volunteer Leader
*Supplies needed for project
*Tour
*Mid-morning Snack
*Typical Costa Rican Meal (please specify any food issues)
*Volunteer Project
TRANSPORTATION NOT INCLUDED
Volunteering for a FULL Day (Groups) 8am -4pm (M,W, F)
(8 or more people)
$100 per Adult
$75 per Child (8-12yrs)
Includes one CPL
PRICE INCLUDES:
*Professional Guide
*Supplies needed for project
*Tour
*Mid-morning Snack
*Typical Costa Rican Meal (please specify any food issues)
*Volunteer Project
TRANSPORTATION NOT INCLUDED
Notes to Rates:
*All Costa Rican Nationals will receive a 30% discount. (Proof required)
Wish List Donation:
KSTR is solely run on donations and whenever it’s possibly we would love if you
could bring items from our “Wish List” that could fit into your baggage.
Please go to Smile.Amazon.com for the Kids Saving the Rainforest “Wish List”
Thank you
KSTR Team
TESTIMONIALS FROM PAST VOLUNTEERS
My experience at Kids Saving the Rainforest was awesome! I expected to fall in love with
some animals, to get my hands dirty and my muscles sore, but what I didn't predict was
how wonderful the people would be. The dedication and passion of all the people behind
Kids Saving the Rainforest blew me away. I'm so grateful to have gotten to know them and
taken part in the important work they are doing. I'll never forget them and the beautiful
animals they care for. I hope to return very soon! – France Wetherall Jul-Aug 2014
My husband, sons, and I have visited and volunteered at the KSTR Sanctuary five times
over the last four years, and we enjoy it for a few different reasons. We started coming
because KSTR is doing life-saving work for the animals, and helping to restore the rain
forest, and we wanted to be part of that work. Over time, we saw, too, that they provide
excellent care for the animals; we respect how they take care of them, and this is a top
priority for us. Our trips are also rich in learning about the animals and the environment,
and ways we can all help; we appreciate that educational piece. Furthermore, the owners
and staff engage our sons and get them involved in the work when they are there, which is
empowering them to become advocates for the protection and care of all animals, which is
important to us as parents. Finally, the owners and staff are so warm, friendly, caring, and
professional, volunteering there is a very satisfying, meaningful experience for us. We are
proud to be part of this organization and look forward to continuing to be involved and
support it.- Elizabeth Eastman
For the past three summers, I've spent a few weeks volunteering with Kids Saving the
Rainforest. This organization, grown from the dreams of two young girls, amazes me every
time I visit. Whether responding to a middle of the night call to pick up an injured animal or
coordinating an educational service experience for a group of college students, the
individuals who work with KSTR do so with passion, dedication, and ingenuity.
One of my most memorable experiences was with an anteater named Al. Each day, I'd
bring him to a different tree and watch him while he ate ants. When we started, he was
timid and only climbed a few feet high….but soon enough he became bolder…until he
decided to climb eighty feet high in a cecropia tree…and take a nap. A four hour long
nap! I was so worried…but he eventually came down. Many months later, Al was released
to the wild and I felt like a proud momma!
I'm an educator from California and would have had no clue how to begin rehab with an
anteater without the leadership and support of the KSTR staff. The diversity of animals who
reside at KSTR staggers me and I commend the staff and volunteers for taking the time to
research the specific dietary, environmental, social, and behavioral needs of each. With
minimal resources, the staff provides excellent medical care and nurtures sick, injured, and
orphaned animals back to health.
I don't want to think about how many animals would be lost if not for KSTR.
That said, KSTR's impact stretches beyond the immediate benefit to the creatures of Costa
Rica. Children and adults from around the world have embraced the stories of KSTR's
miracle orphans and, as a result, developed a respect for the rainforest and appreciation for
its critical importance. –Kerstin Johnson
KIDS SAVING THE RAINFOREST – a registered 501(c3) non-profit organization
INFORMATION ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS
Kids Saving the Rainforest has different projects on biodiversity conservation and research, and
we have created a training/volunteer program that allows any animal or forest lover to join us,
learn with us and work with us. We believe that we are all capable of changing our attitude
towards nature. We believe that through hands-on training we can achieve it and live sustainably.
Our current projects:
Tropical Wildlife Zoo Keeping: Kids Saving the Rainforest has had a wildlife rehabilitation
center since 2005. In 2010 we opened a Wildlife Sanctuary and Zoo to keep those animals that
cannot be released back into the wild. Some of the animals were pets and are used to humans,
some were circus and research animals, and others are too injured to survive in the wild. The
volunteers will learn the basics of zoo keeping in a tropical environment with tropically native
species. This may include maintenance of facilities (cleaning, repairing, building and enriching
cages, trails, etc.), diet preparation and enrichment, behavioral observations, health monitoring,
and training. Also the volunteers will learn about tropical biodiversity and the natural history of
some tropical animals.
Sustainability: In KSTR we believe that sustainable development and living are very important,
and we are constantly researching the best ways to adapt and adopt sustainable practices in all we
do. We have chosen permaculture as a way of restoring degraded land with two purposes.
One will be to restore and preserve the original forest of the area, while producing most of the
food for volunteers, visitors, and animals in the sanctuary in our organic gardens. The volunteers
will help us maintain and expand these gardens, as well as help with composting, planting trees
and maintaining a nursery, among other tasks. We strive to implement the principles of
sustainability by using permaculture in all we do.
Monkey Bridges: One of the long-term projects of KSTR is to provide safe connections between
patches of forest to tree-dwelling wildlife, also called bio corridors. By providing these ‘bridges’
we reduce the monkeys’ use of electrical lines and human infrastructure. This reduces
electrocutions, which is one of the most common injuries seen in animals we receive at the
rescue center.
Kids Camp: KSTR offers local kids a fun alternative for Saturday morning learning about
biodiversity, conservation and sustainability for a better world. Volunteers can help set up
everything concerning the Kids Camp, from the lesson plans to detailed logistics, which include
announcements for the camp. Kids Camp volunteers may also spend some working hours at the
KSTR store at Mono Azul Hotel in Manuel Antonio, where we sell products, tours, adoptions,
and teach the public about KSTR. All the profits in the store go to our projects.
Basic Research: We believe that a successful project of any nature should be backed up by
science, and that is why we try to include basic science projects in all our activities. We are also
open to new research and activity project ideas, from volunteers who would like to design their
own project. We can also help you design a project that you can submit as an independent study
and get credits for.
PARTICIPATION OPTIONS
Kids Saving the Rainforest offers two different types of volunteer placements, which differ
mainly in the duration of the volunteer stay, and the amount of responsibility: conservation
volunteer (up to three months) or intern (three months or more).
Conservation Volunteers should stay a minimum of one month and participate in all aspects of
the work. Applicants from any background are accepted and training is provided.
Interns should stay at least three months and may stay from three up to several months if they
wish. Applicants from any background are accepted, however this placement is more suitable for
gap-year students, undergraduates or recent-graduates who wish to gain more experience in
wildlife management and conservation. Interns will work with KSTR staff, but will be expected
to be independent and proactive, and might receive extra training for specific tasks or research
projects taking place.
Also, we accept internship students who wish to undertake research projects for their
dissertation, thesis, independent study, capstone study, etc. These students can benefit from the
support and supervision or KSTR’s team on biology and wildlife veterinary medicine. Selfgenerated projects are welcomed, or alternatively, students may inquire with KSTR about our
current research interests.
Participant’s General Duties
All participants will work under the supervision of the Volunteer Coordinator, vet tech, and/or an
Intern, working alongside KSTR staff and local and/or international volunteers. Daily duties
include preparing food for animals, feeding animals twice a day, recording animal behavior and
health, cleaning cages, Volunteers should expect to work up to 40 hours per week.
Requirements
All participants are expected to fulfill certain requirements in order to participate in our projects.
Work is demanding, repetitive, and can also vary from day to day. Participants must know that
they will be working with wild animals that are not pets and should behave accordingly. These
requirements are to ensure that volunteers bring the right expectations and enjoy their experience
with KSTR.
Need to enjoy working outdoors and be motivated
Able to converse, receive and understand instructions in English and/or Spanish
Minimum age of 18 (minors accepted with parental approval on an individual basis).
Travel and international medical insurance
Flexibility to adapt to changing schedules and weather
Available for a minimum of one month*
*If you don’t have a full month to participate, talk to us, we can tailor a program for you.
Project Site
Costa Rica has long been renowned for the friendliness of its people, high standard of education,
enlightened environmental policies, and for its peaceful, democratic government. Most of all,
Costa Rica is famous for its stunning natural beauty and the density and diversity of its exotic
flora and fauna.
The Central Pacific area of the country hosts a wide variety of ecosystems because it is where the
dry forest of the north and the very humid forest of the south overlap. Some estimates of the
biodiversity of the region are 109 species of mammals and 184 species of birds.
One of the iconic places in this area that you will be able to explore is Manuel Antonio National
Park, chosen by Forbes as one of the most beautiful national parks in the world.
The volunteer center, the wildlife sanctuary and the permaculture site are located in the quiet
surrounding area of the Blue Banyan Inn (www.bluebanyaninn.com), 7 Km (~4 miles) from the
nearest town of Quepos and Manuel Antonio. The property is surrounded by forest of different
ages, palm, beech, and teak wood plantations.
The volunteer center has shared rooms and bathrooms in a building with a mini-lounge where
you can share the day’s activities with fellow volunteers. This area includes a refrigerator, couch,
sink, cabinet space. There is a TV that can only be used for watching DVD’s. We only have
DVD’s that go with the TV, there are over 2000 in the restaurant.
There are mountains nearby and a network of dirt roads to explore the area. The town of Quepos
and Manuel Antonio National Park are a few kilometers away and volunteers will have time to
explore these places.
CONTRIBUTION FEES TOWARDS PARTICIPATION
Kids Saving the Rainforest is a Non-Profit Organization and we rely on donations to function, as
do many other NGOs in developing countries. Nevertheless we are working hard on being
sustainable and self-sufficient. Most of our budget is spent at our rescue center, which receives a
great quantity of animals per year (116 in 2010) and has no means of making money.
Therefore we rely on volunteers to contribute towards their participation costs. These fees cover
3 daily meals, drinking water, accommodation (shared rooms and bathrooms), Internet (WiFi),
satellite TV, one load of laundry per week, travel to project site, onsite and in country support.
VOLUNTEERS: Registration fee* of US $200 and US $1300 for the first month.
Please ask us about fees after the first month.
INTERNS: Registration fee* of US $300 and US $3000 for the first three months. Please ask us
about fees after the third month.
*Registration fee is non-refundable and must be paid once you submit your application. All other
fees may be paid via PayPal one month before arrival. Please inquire about our refund policy.
We hope to welcome you to our team!
To Find Out More About Becoming a KSTR Volunteer, Please contact
volunteer@kstr.org, or you can email KSTR’s President, Jennifer Rice, at
jennifer@kstr.org
Please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information. We hope to see you
soon!
Kids Saving the Rainforest
Volunteers/Intern Rates 2013
Registration
Fee
Volunteers
1 Week
$50
Volunteers
Fee
Rate Per
Day
Total
$450
$71
$500
2 weeks
$100
$850
$68
$950
3 weeks
$150
$1.100
$60
$1.250
1 Month
$200
$1.300
$50
$1.500
Intern
Registration
Fee
$300
Intern Fee
Rate Per
Day
$36
Total
3 Months
4 & More
months
$3.000
$ 3.300
$1,000
(per extra
month)
100% of the proceeds go to support KSTR projects.
Rates include the following:
 5 working days and 2 days off per week. (If you’re here longer than one
week.)One day off if you are here for just one week.
 Bunk bed at Kstr Volunteers Center.
 3 meals per day.
 Laundry one load per week.
 Payment for volunteer fee must be paid 4 weeks before arrival date.
 If you need to cancel for some reason only the volunteer fee will be
refunded and not the registration fee.