Bamboo Abroad at Berkeley organizes UC Berkeley students for immersive break programs at Regeneration Field Institute's Los Arboleros Farm in Ecuador. Participants live in a bamboo dorm with up to 30 students, attend daily hands-on workshops, and build a real bamboo structure from start to finish for a local community. Topics span sustainable architecture, syntropic agroforestry, ecology, and natural resource management, all taught by local field experts.
ApplicationsLast chance at a $100 discount extended until March 20th
30
Max group size per program (students)
May 19-28 (2026)
Summer 2026 program dates
$100
Early registration discount, available until March 20th
8-12
Weekly time commitment during layout week-- Design department (hours/week)
3-4
Weekly time commitment during final draft season-- Editorial department (hours/week)
Events They Host
1st Syntropic Agroforestry Workshop for Local Farmers
Hosted in late January 2023 in Ricaurte, Manabí. Led by Brazilian syntropic agroforestry consultant Mauro Rosito. 17 farmer attendees planted ~500 tree seeds.
Member Experiences
Ecuador Summer Break Program (Berkeley x RFI 2026)
Multi-day immersive program in Ecuador: live in a bamboo dorm with up to 30 students, daily hands-on workshops on bamboo building and regenerative agriculture, build a community bamboo structure start to finish. Dates: May 19-28, 2026.
Syntropic Agroforestry Workshop at Los Arboleros Farm
Students participate in planting, compost-building (Johnson-Su Bioreactor), and learning about syntropic agroforestry systems alongside local farmers and experts during the program week.