Clay Plager-Unger is the former director of Planet Drum Foundation's Eco-Ecuador project.
A brief bit of background:Planet Drum’s local collaborator from the Astillero Community Greenhouse, José María happens to be the father of another good friend: Chino. Chino is a jack of all trades, who happens to work for Flor María and her son Patricio Tamaríz. Patricio and Flor María were two of Peter Berg’s original contacts in Bahía de Caráquez from before Planet Drum had even […]
Ceibo trees in the region began flowering copiously in late May, which means there is an abundant source of pollen for the regions pollinators. It also means that there should be ample opportunities to collect seeds within a few months. Together with our Apiculture partner Ricardo, we’ve made several wild captures of bee colonies. In many instances honey bees inhabit an area that is frequented […]
Los Algarrobos natural sciences teacher and Planet Drum collaborator Enrique contacted me requesting some soil for a garden project that he had in mind for the school. I suggested that the Planet Drum crew assist with the project and that we would be happy to donate the necessary soil. On this particular Friday, we visited Los Algarrobos school in Canoa for a recycled-tire garden building […]
One of Planet Drum’s original contacts in Bahía is Ramon Cedeño. Ramon owns and runs the Punta Gorda Nature Reserve, where over the years Planet Drum has donated and assisted in planting hundreds of native trees for habitat restoration. We visited Punta Gorda with Ramon to go on a hike up the seasonal creek bed and see if we could find Chirimoya fruits to harvest (for […]
A longtime friend of Planet Drum, Lucas Oshun, has been involved in a myriad of ecological projects over recent years, including directing Global Student Embassy projects, starting a bamboo construction company that donated bamboo houses to earthquake victims, as well as coordinating Dry Tropical Forest research and reforestation initiatives. Lucas is now administrating a new agro-ecology project on a farm near the town of Chone […]
The Community Greenhouse in the Astillero neighborhood continues to expand its seedling and compost production. It is possible that José María, Planet Drum’s contact there, is even more enthusiastic about trees and plants than we are. In his excitement to produce more trees, José María had strewn materials everywhere. There were cut bottles, uncut bottles, piles of soil, transplanted trees, and sacks of sawdust strewn […]
There is always lots to do at the Planet Drum greenhouses. At the main greenhouse behind the Catholic University, the trees are growing quickly in re-purposed plastic bottles, while the seedbeds continue to germinate new seedlings. Soil is prepared for filling bottles, and plastic bottles are cut to make receptacles for seedlings. After new greenhouse areas are prepared for storing trees, and the bottles are […]
Planet Drum has prepared new bioregional education material. The classic workbook introduction to bioregions by identifying native plants, animals, climate and human activities and then drawing them in a bioregional map has been adapted to suit Ecuadorian school children. They enjoy the mapping project and it has become a fun activity for them. We visited Los Algarrobos School in Canoa to teach two classes (6th […]
Behind the Astillero community greenhouse facility is a large hillside with steep, erosion prone slopes. Guayacan and Algarrobo trees grown at the facility are hardy, drought-resistant and have a strong, deep root systems. They are excellent for erosion control. With Jose María, collaborator from the Astillero neighborhood, guiding us up into the difficult terrain, we carried trees and supplies for planting. Everyone planted a large […]