Volunteer in the USA

American Conservation Experience (ACE)

American Conservation Experience is a non-profit conservation corps offering opportunities for both American and International volunteers to take part in challenging outdoor projects in many of the most beautiful National Parks, National Forests and wilderness areas in the Western United States.

ACE is designed to offer extremely inexpensive volunteering opportunities for participants eager to contribute 40 hours of determined effort each week in exchange for housing and food on projects.

Volunteers seeking a standard eco-tourism experience or mostly interested in learning English should look elsewhere. Those seeking a challenging position among positive, diverse, like-minded volunteers serving in the United States' only international conservation corps are encouraged to read on and apply.

Projects

Typically projects involve: trail maintenance, fencing and revegetation (planting, collecting seeds, transplanting native species). There are also projects to help protect local endagered species (e.g. Apache Trout).

Participants for the program join teams and are assigned a project schedule. Projects can often last 4 days a week, for up to 10 hours a day. With this type of schedule 3 days off per week are provided. Projects often involve extensive travel, in which case volunteers will be expected to participate for 8 consecutive days and then have 6 days off before the next project. Volunteers will be rotated between different projects every 2-4 weeks.

Accommodation and food

While taking part in projects, volunteers live in tents (that are provided by ACE). Some campgrounds are with all comforts (like hot showers) but often very basic and remote gampgrounds are used. The food is prepared together on gas stoves.

During the off days, volunteers live in local bases in Flagstaff (Arizona) or in Santa Cruz (California). The accommodation is hostel type, sharing rooms with other volunteers. Houses have shared kitchen, living room, showers and toilets.

During the projects the food is provided by ACE, but during the off days volunteers are resposnible for their own food.

Requirements

The work is always in outdoors and often in harsh weather conditions. Very often extensive hiking is expected, and sometimes even in extreme weather conditions like in high altitudes over 3000m, temperatures over 37oC or temperatures below zero, in rainstorms etc.

There is no need for previous experience in conservation work. The only requirement is to have an adventurous spirit and be flexible despite the possible last minute changes in projects, places and weather conditions.

Program Fee

PLEASE NOTE that there is also a security deposit rule, even when you sign up for 12 weeks you will still need to pay $550.00 extra, which will be reimbursed in full after you have completed the 12 weeks of voluntary service with ACE!

Participation fee includes:

Please note the minimum length of stay in this program is 8 weeks!

ACE provides:

Additional expenses:

 

2011 Program Start Dates:

Please note that the dates with an asterix (*) DO NOT offer pick-up in Phoenix, San Francisco or San Jose. You will then instead take a bus to Flagstaff or Santa Cruz from the airport by yourself.

How to sign up:

Please make sure you check the ACE website before you sign up.

First, please send us an email, and we will send you the application form, then please fax or email your completed application form with you CV attached back to:

  1. Fax: +372 56000515
  2. Email: info@explore.ee

After we have received the application form with your CV, we will make the initial booking and send you an Invoice to pay the Program Fee with deposit.

Please note that only after we have received the payment, the booking will be fully confirmed!

Please find out more about the special individual placements with ACE!