Bioregional Classes with the Catholic University

Since late September the Eco-Ecuador Project has been collaborating with the Catholic University on a new course at their campus at Kilometro Ocho, where the Planet Drum greenhouse is located.

The course introduces university students to bioregional concepts and principles and includes a hands-on component at the greenhouse with dry tropical revegetation practices. There are about twenty students in the class and it meets Wednesdays for eight weeks.

The students have enjoyed the information and getting out of the classroom and they have been very helpful at the greenhouse. Classes began September 25, 2019 and at this writing (October 27, 2019) the students have completed the first three weeks of the course. (Two weeks of class were disrupted due to the national strike.)

Syllabus:

Week 1 – Introduction to the Greenhouse:

• Lecture: Planet Drum Ecuador Dry Tropical Forest Revegetation and Bioregional Education Project overview; introduction to bioregionalism
• Tour greenhouse
• Work: Greenhouse upkeep (watering, weeding, organizing trees)

Week 2 – Species/Seeds:

• Lecture: Dry Tropical Forest review; Native forest and fruit producing species and seed collection/germination techniques
• Work: Build an elevated seedbed; greenhouse upkeep (watering, weeding, organizing trees)
• Homework: Bring (fruit) seeds from home for next class

Week 3 – Soil:

• Lecture: How to make compost; Organic fertilizers/agriculture
• Work: Mix batches of soil; plant seeds students bring from home; greenhouse upkeep (watering, weeding, organizing trees)
• Homework: Bring empty 2 liter plastic bottles from home for next class

Week 4 – Transplanting Part I:

• Lecture: Revegetation vs. Reforestation; Native vs. Non-native species; benefits of native plants
• Work: Cut off the top 1/3 of the plastic bottles, make drainage holes in the bottom, and fill them with soil; greenhouse upkeep (watering, weeding, organizing trees)
• Homework: Bring more 2 liter plastic bottles and seeds from home for next class

Week 5 – Transplanting Part II:

• Lecture: Dry Tropical Forest sustainably harvestable products
• Tour old revegetation sites on hillsides behind the university
• Work: Prepare more bottles and transplant seedlings from seedbed to bottles; greenhouse upkeep (watering, weeding, organizing trees)

Week 6 – Revegetation Part I:

• Lecture: Revegetation site selection and creation
• Work: Machete trails and dig holes on hillside behind the university; greenhouse upkeep (watering, weeding, organizing trees)

Week 7 – Revegetation Part II:

• Lecture: Tree planting techniques
• Work: Plant trees on hillside behind the university; greenhouse upkeep (watering, weeding, organizing trees)

Week 8 – Bioregional Map Making:

• Lecture: Bioregional Maps
• Work: In groups (or as individuals) make a bioregional map drawing of the region around the University (or around Bahia, or around where they live).