VerdEnergia Pacifica de Lanas

VerdEnergia Pacifica is a cooperatively-owned permaculture community and reforestation project located in the rural mountains of Puriscal, Costa Rica. Over the last ten years, we have been working to repair destroyed cattle land into a food forest in one of the most deforested areas in the country.

We are focused on ecosystem regeneration and alternative lifestyle creation in one of the most deforested areas in the country. The project site is remotely located in a gorgeous national wildlife corridor between National parks La Carara and La Cangreja. It is not uncommon to see toucans, scarlet macaws and a variety of other rare birds and wildlife flying overhead or nesting in our trees. We enjoy several breathtaking vistas on our property, a spring-fed swimming pool, a refreshing river to swim in as well as jungle trails and a yoga/dance studio. Our area is not your typical tourist area. Although VerdEnergia is a cultural hub drawing together people from all over the world, our local community is largely untouched by tourism and exemplifies a refreshingly authentic Pura Vida lifestyle.

We are looking for dedicated individuals who can jump in to our diverse community, work hard and have fun! Coming to VerdEnergia will teach you priceless lessons in sustainability, local trade and back-to-the-land restoration wisdom. Check out our website (www.verdenergia.org) for photos and more information!

We also have a permaculture design course coming up this January. If you want to learn about permaculture in a place that practices it every day, this is the place! (www.verdenergia.org/workshops-and-courses/)

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Available opportunities depend on seasonal needs. Short-term participation is a great experience and we encourage anyone interested to apply. We are also actively seeking motivated, long-term community members to engage in our project.

For a participant, daily life at VerdEnergia is dynamic and dependent on the season. Involvement may include farming and reforestation activities, gardening, food processing, natural construction, event hosting, hospitality and cooking.

Please keep in mind that experiences vary due to season and length of stay. The longer you participate, the deeper you can engage with our project.

During time off you can go for a swim in our river, pool, or waterfall, walk jungle trails, enjoy the views from one of our beautiful vistas, do yoga or dance in our studio, make art, play music, make chocolate, check out a local soccer game, or simply relax in a hammock with a good book from our community library.

Communal living is integral to our daily operations. Participants should be comfortable living and working in a community setting as well as contributing to community upkeep.

GROWING SEASON (APRIL – DECEMBER)
The growing season is a time of quiet abundance. Expect rain, tree planting, garden nurturing, food processing (including fermentation), green building, and harvesting our year’s work. For those interested in active farming and gardening projects, please apply to participate during this part of the year.

DRY SEASON (DECEMBER – MARCH)
During the dry season, we focus on natural construction and hosting events. There is some amount of land preparation for the growing season, but dry season participants can expect to be engaged in hospitality and building projects including cob, natural roofing, and bamboo harvesting and processing.

Be prepared to engage in wherever the community needs help. If you are interested in a specific type of project, please inquire!

COST OF LIVING INCLUDES:
- Three square meals a day (healthy and filling, mostly vegetarian with vegan options)
- Lodging (shared dormitories or private rooms, depending on your length of stay and availability)
- Jungle walking trails to rivers and vistas
- Spring-fed swimming pool
- Dance/Yoga Studio
- Community Library

ACCOMMODATIONS:
As a community, we wake up together, eat meals together, take turns cooking for each other, and share in the responsibilities of keeping daily operations running smoothly. Participation is experiential education; you are learning about permaculture and community by living in it.

We prefer to take participants for at least 3 months. We like you to see your efforts come to fruition and be sure our engagement with you is cost-effective.

Our rates are based on a sliding scale. The price listed pays for your cost of living over designated time intervals. Participants should understand that we have serious work to do and that VerdEnergia staff spends time and energy training our participants. Since we do not know how or how well one might fit into our system, participants must have a trial period. The longer you stay at VerdEnergia, the more skills you will learn and the more valuable of a participant you will become.

SCHOLARSHIPS:
A scholarship recipient’s cost of living (food, lodging, electricity use, etc.) is covered by VerdEnergia. More is expected of scholarship recipients than of regular participants. These individuals are expected to work 6-8 hours a day (depending upon the position), 5 days a week, and engage in regular community chores like cooking and cleaning during off hours. These positions are intended for individuals with strong prior experience in relevant areas who are looking to build their resume and skill sets while contributing to the greater good. Please see details of our currently offered scholarships on our website (www.verdenergia.org/participation)

****** We reserve a few full work-trade scholarships (FREE) to locals. If you are a tico/tica and can commit to at least a month, ***********

SHORT-TERM PARTICIPATION:
1-3 weeks = $25/day
4 weeks = $17/day

LONG-TERM PARTICIPATION:
2 months = $800
3 months = $1000
4+ months = $300/month or less

SCHOOL CREDIT AND PRACTICUM PERIODS:
If you are looking to participate in our project for school credit, this is something you can specify when you apply. VerdEnergia is also willing to provide post-PDC practicum periods for self-directed individuals who have completed a PDC at VerdEnergia or elsewhere. For more info check out our FAQ on our website (www.verdenergia.org) and send us an email.

If you are interested in participating in our community, please visit our website (www.verdenergia.org) and fill out a participation application. We look forward to hearing from you!

Pura Vida!