TReeS aims to offer 5-6 grants of up to $1,000 per year to Peruvian University undergraduate students to enable them to undertake their field research in Madre de Dios – one of the most biodiverse places on the planet and cultural diverse in Amazonia – to obtain their title. Grants contribute to specific equipment costs, field and travel expenses.

Preference is given to students studying at universities in Puerto Maldonado (capital of Madre de Dios) and to a lesser extent Cusco and Puno so that a significant proportion of funding doesn’t go on airfares. This proportion is increasing but most students have so far originated from Lima, where the best Universities are located.

Projects supported cover a wide range of subjects from pure biological inventory work, to habitat function, to ecological relationships, to the impacts of human activities (ie.gold-mining) on ecosystems, to indigenous culture, etc.

Many of the grant recipients are based at lodges while undertaking their research and during their stay they are likely to explain/discuss their work with tourists visiting the lodges. In many cases the lodges such as Explorers Inn, provide subsidised board and lodging to the grant recipients.

All grant recipients must submit a copy of their final report to TReeS. Most of the final reports can be found through the links associated with the year in which they were awarded their grant on this website.