Join a research expedition to the rainforests of Ecuador

10 Jan 2012

Open to University staff and students from any academic background with an interest in biodiversity and/or conservation.

Take a trip to some of the most biodiverse parts of the planet: a tropical cloud forest; a transition rainforest at the base of the Andes; and a tropical rainforest in the Amazonian basin. You will work alongside researchers from the University's Faculty of Life Sciences collecting valuable data that will be used by indigenous communities and Ecuadorian national parks.

This 17-day trip begins with two days of short hikes on the steep slopes of Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve to survey the biodiversity of plants, amphibians and insects. The birds are well recorded for this area but it is still a delight to see the wide variety of species. We then travel down to the oil town of Coca where the Andes meet the Amazon.

A few hours by canoe brings us to the community of San Jose de Payamino next to Sumaco National Park. Here we will spend five days staying in a remote research station and carry out general biodiversity surveys (including birds and primates).

We then travel further down the Napo river to the community of Bello Horizonte, well into the Amazon basin. Here we will spend two days carrying out more surveys and, if we are lucky, see pink river dolphins!

Fees: £2500

Dates: 26 March-11 April 2012

Please email the expedition leader to reserve a place: Richard.Preziosi@manchester.ac.uk

Registration will open on 23 January and a £500 deposit will be required by 31 January.

The trip will only go ahead if a minimum number of participants register for it. If the minuimum number of participants is not met, the trip will be cancelled and all deposits will be refunded.