1. Fill out the Registration Form with your vital information and e-mail it to the Puerto Maldonado office of Rainforest Expeditions PEM@rainforest.com.pe. Rainforest Expeditions is the company that runs Tambopata Research Center. In your mail identify yourself as a macaw project assistant.

2. GET YOUR PERMIT LETTERS

Jerico Solis:e-mail = torakan60"at"yahoo.com (the word "at" is instead of @ so the spammers don't find the address)

Garcia Calderon 154
Urbanizacion San Jose
Bellavista
Callao, 02 Peru

3. Confirm your approximate dates of arrival so I can organize the arrivals of other assistants.
4. Make your international flight arrangements. As soon as you book your international flight let me know the details and copy them to Jerico and the office in Puerto Maldonado. You should fly in to Lima.
5. Get a flight from Lima to Puerto Maldonado. This can be arranged by the office in Puerto Maldonado. You will have to pay for this ticket, you may also have to pay to have it delivered to you unless you have time to go to the office during office hours and pick it up. You can also try to contact Lan Peru directly and book your flight yourself.
6. If you feel you need it, Rainforest Expeditions or Jerico can find you a room in Lima and for an extra fee have someone pick you up in the airport. You can ask Jerico about this as well.

1. Rainforest Expeditions will have people to pick you up at the airport in Puerto Maldonado, as long as you remind the office in Puerto Maldonado before you come. Look for someone wearing a Rainforest Expeditions T-shirt and or carrying a sign that says Posada Amazonas or Refugio Amazonas.
2. Accompany these people to the Rainforest office. Here you will meet Yohana or the office manager Maria.
3. Get three copies of your permits from Yohana. You will need to show these on your way up to TRC (you will leave one copy at each check point). You should carry the thrid copy of the project permits with you every time you go up or down from TRC to avoid problems.
4. Ask the people at the office when you will be traveling up river and if you will be stopping at Posada Amazonas or going directly to TRC.
5. If you have to sleep in Puerto Maldonado ask if you can sleep in the office (they have a few bedrooms).
6. If you have problems you can call the Puerto Maldonado office of Rainforest Expeditions: (82) 572575. The 82 is the area code, use it if calling from Lima, but do not use it if you are calling from Maldonado. You can also call the Lima office of Rainforest if you get no answer in Puerto Maldonado: (1) 221 4182.
7. If all else fails, you can go to the Rainforest Office in Puerto Maldonado, it is VERY close to the airport. Its address is Av. La Joya 0.5 km, Puerto Maldonado. To get there you go out the airport entrance, the road curves right then left. Go right on the first large 2 lane dirt road. Go down the hill (there is a large pond back in on the left). The office is the second entrance to the right. There is a large sign over the entrance gate that says Rainforest Expeditions. A mototaxi should take you there for < 5 soles.
   
   

Format for Letter of Presentation

This should be from your university or a Zoo, the Fish and Wildlife service, Forest Service, State Game agency etc. that you are working for. Any of these is ok. It should not be from the University Registrar, but from your professor (or any professor or administrator) or boss. Try and get two original copies of this letter. Keep one letter with you and send the other one to Aimy Caceres(see address above).

________________________________________________________________

*Put on University or organization Letterhead*

*DATE*

Sr. Jefe del Instituto Nacional de Recursos Naturales (INRENA):

Los Petirrojos 355

Urbanización El Palomar

Lima 27, Perú

El que suscribe, *name of person writing letter*, en calidad de: *Title of person writing letter *, me dirijo  respuetuosamente ante usted para presentar y certificar que *Name of volunteer going to Peru, your passport number * es un *choose one, student (alumno), graduate (licenciado)  or  employee (empleado) * de * Name of university or organization writing the letter * y tiene deseos de participar como Asistente Voluntario en el desarrolllo de los proyectos de investigacion dirigidos por el Dr. Donald Brightsmith sobre guacamayos y loros en el Departamento de Madre de Dios, Perú; por lo cual agradeceremos a usted se sirva acceder a su solicitud de ingreso a la Reserva Nacional de Tambopata.

Así mismo queremos manifestar que *volunteer’s first name * está respaldado por nuestra institución y se acogerá a todas las normas y disposiciones dictadas por las autoridades peruanas, así como a los compromisos asumidos como parte de los permisos otorgados al Director del Proyecto Guacamayos, Dr. Donald Brightsmith.

Agradeciendo de antemano las facilidades que puedieran brindar y su fina antención a la presente, quedo de usted.

Muy atentamente,

Signature

* Name of person writing letter *

Title and position

I, *name of person writing letter*, *Title of person writing letter *, am writing to you to present and certify that *Name of volunteer going to Peru, and volunteer's passport number * is a *choose one, student (alumno), graduate (licenciado) or employee (empleado) * of * Name of university or organization writing the letter * and wishes to participate as a volunteer in the projects directed by Dr. Donald Brightsmith in the Department of Madre de Dios, Peru; for which we request that you provide her permission to enter the Tambopata National Reserve.

I also wish to state that *volunteer's first name * is supported by our institution and that she will accept all the rules and regulations of the Peruvian authorities outlined in the research permits issued to the Director of the Macaw Project, Dr. Donald Brightsmith.

Thank you in advance for your kind attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Signature
* Name of person writing letter *
Title and position

Format for letter of interest

(AKA why I want to work on the project)

This letter will also go to the Peruvian Government and be used to help you get your permits.

*DATE*

Sr. Jefe del Instituto Nacional de Recursos Naturales (INRENA):

Los Petirrojos 355

Urbanización El Palomar

Lima 27, Perú

I * your name, passport #, and permanent home address* have been invited by Dr. Donald Brightsmith to come and work as an assistant on his macaw, parrot, and clay lick research projects in Peru.

I am a (biologist, anthropologists, journalist, lawyer, etc. ) with a degree in *** from ***. Or I am studying to be a ***** at *****. Or I plan to study **** in the future.

This opportunity to work on Dr. Brightsmith’s research will be of great help to me by *******

Here write something how this experience will help you in your professional life or help you with your education.

Thank you very much for your kind attention in this matter.

Sincerely,

Your signature

Your address, phone and e-mail

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Duties and Responsibilities

Important duties

All year:

Clay lick observation: One of your primary responsibilities is to monitor the large clay lick along the Tambopata River. Assistants watch the lick from about 5 AM until about 7 AM every day. On 10 or more days per week observers watch the lick from 5 AM until 5 PM. These observations are divided in to two 6-hour shifts. During these observations we count the number of birds on the lick. As a volunteer assistant you will spend a large amount of your time working at the lick.

Afternoon parrot censuses: These are our way of determining how many birds are in the forests surrounding the lick. There are about 20 points scattered throughout the trail system. Each is censused 4 - 5 times per month for 10 minutes during which assistants write down every parrot seen or HEARD. For this you must learn the parrot calls. On a typical afternoon assistants will be asked to census 3 - 4 of these points. This usually takes about 2 hours.

Record arrivals of "chicos": The hand-raised macaws or chicos frequently return to the lodge at TRC. While in the lodge you will be asked to record each time a chico comes in to the lodge.

Parrot foraging and processing food samples: Walking trails looking for parrots and macaws eating, then collecting samples and processing them.

Gear maintenance: Clean telescopes, climbing gear, change the desiccant in the gear etc.

Collect and process macaw food samples.

Data entry: Assistants may be asked to enter data.

Read: There is a large amount of parrot related literature at the lodge. You are expected to read especially on rainy days. This will put you in a good position to answer questions by the guests who often ask you about your work.

Talks: Project assistants may be asked to give a short (15-20 min) talk to the guests about the clay lick research. For this reason it is vital that you read the available literature.

October - March (includes all above duties plus the following)

Checking macaw nests: Assistants will climb to nests using ropes and ascenders (15 - 30 m high) to check their contents. When chicks are present the chicks will be lowered and measured and photographed.

For all activities assistants are expected to prepare their gear and record their data on the appropriate data sheets upon completion.

Logistics

Attitude: You are all working at a tourism lodge and it is the company Rainforest Expeditions that is paying for your food and lodging. The company is very interested in the research we are doing and know that it is important for them to know the information you are collecting. You must always treat the guests and other staff members with respect and courtesy. Bad attitude, interpersonal problems and badmouthing the company can lead to the dismissal of volunteers. By the same token you should be treated with respect see logistical problems below if you feel you are being treated unfairly.

Drugs and Alcohol: Consumption of all illegal drugs is prohibited at the reserach site. Violators will be dismissed. Consumption of excessive alcohol is also prohibited. While at the lodges, only alcohol purchased from the bar may be consumed. This is done to limit the quantities of alcohol consumed.

Luggage: Upon arrival at Posada Amazonas and TRC, please carry your own baggage.

Posada Amazonas: Upon arrival stay on the boat after the tourists depart and go with the staff to the back entrance, it is much shorter that way and easier to carry your own bags. When you get up to the lodge, find the person in charge and introduce yourself as a macaw project assistant. Ask where you can sleep and where you should eat (either with the staff or guests). Also make sure to reconfirm the details about the boat departure.

Sleeping arrangements: You will in all likelihood be sleeping in the research area, sharing a room with one or two other research assistants.

Cleanliness: You must maintain a certain standard of hygiene. You must shower and put on clean cloths before eating out with the guests. For meals when you are eating in the kitchen the needs for cleanliness are less. I suggest that you keep some of your nicer cloths as "lodge clothes" and have some designated field clothes that you can reuse.

Meals: If you are a vegetarian or have similar diet restrictions you must inform the lodge manager upon arrival. On occasion you may be asked to eat out in the dining area with the tourists. The point of this is to encourage interaction between researchers and guests.

Laundry: All wash is done by hand. At TRC you must wash your own clothes. Detergent and a scrub brush for this are provided.

Communications: The company communicates every evening at about 8 AM and 6 PM by radio between Puerto Maldonado, Posada Amazonas and TRC. If you need to communicate something to people at these other locations this is the time to do it. You can leave a note for the lodge manager to communicate something, or ask to talk directly when the daily logistical planning is over.

E-mail: There is limited e-mail access up at TRC. You will be able to use the e-mail to stay in intermittent contact with immediate family and to arrange your next job. At this point there is only one available machine and internet connection shared among volunteers, so access is restricted. When you are in Puerto Maldonado you can go to commercial Internet providers.

Boat movements: If you need to travel by boat between lodges you must notify the lodge manager and the office in Maldonado at least 2 days before. This is especially important when you are going up river to TRC, because the company must prepare Zarpes (paperwork for the Police and National Parks) that allow them to travel up the river. If your name is not on the Zarpe you may be left behind in the guard station until the situation can be arranged. You should be personally responsible for making sure the Maldonado Office puts you on the Zarpe. You should always carry a copy of the permits with your name on it when you are going up to TRC so that there is no problem at the guard posts. Be early for all scheduled boat departures. Boats leave on time and do not wait for stragglers.

Flights: The office in Maldonado can make flight reservations for you when you want to fly out from Puerto Maldonado.

Logistical problems: If you have any logistical problems (such as problems with food, boats, sleeping arrangements or harassment by company staff) you should first talk to the field leader. Then the field leader should talk with the lodge manager. If this fails to improve the situation you should then talk to Puerto Maldonado Office Manager and at this time you should send me an e-mail message with the details of the problem. If things do not improve after discussion with the Maldonado Office Manager please let me know by e-mail and I will address the situation.

Payment for stay: Payment for most assistants is $10 per day. The best way to pay this is by bringing cash to pay in full at the office in Puerto Maldonado at the end of the stay. Alternatively you can get money out of the bank (Banco de Credito del Peru) in Puerto Maldonado but the limit for withdrawal is usually about $300. It accepts the Visa Electron bank cards from US banks.

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