The Dry Tropical Vegetation of Bahia De Caraquez coastal bioregion is both specific and barely extant. The Project began as an effort to stabilize hillsides (which had recently become mudslides) by replanting a combination of indigenous trees, shrubs and grasses. Working with local people as well as international volunteers, the various project managers have each left their mark on the Eco-Ecuador Project. This page is a compilation of who they are and were and a links to their Reports.
I spent much of this year getting to know Planet Drum’s previous work here a little bit better. Talking with Judy in San Francisco weekly, digging through years of documents to pull out different information has been tedious yet insightful—oftentimes stumbling upon funny moments that one would only understand after living here for some time. I got to know old friends of Planet Drum like […]
We hope this letter finds you all healthy and safe! 2020 has been packed full of almost unfathomably challenging events to say the least. In Ecuador we are doing our best to move forward with regional self-reliance and sustainability projects while protecting ourselves from Covid-19. In Bahia for 2 months there was a curfew except for from 5am – 2pm. Now, we can stay out […]
Text and Photos By Kat CastilloWe hope this letter finds you all healthy and safe! 2020 has been packed full of almost unfathomably challenging events to say the least. In Ecuador we are doing our best to move forward with regional self-reliance and sustainability projects while protecting ourselves from Covid-19. In Bahia for 2months there was a curfew except from 5am-2pm. Now, we can stay […]
Arriving in Ecuador Eager to be in Latin America again, I jumped at the opportunity to use my degree and pursue science here with my brilliant hydrologist friend, Emily Santos. She was able to open the door to research here for me. I first arrived in Bahia in 2018 burnt out and ready for change from the University of Colorado with only a backpack full […]
After more than 12 years of working as the Projects Manager for Planet Drum Foundation’s ecological projects in Bahía de Caráquez, Ecuador, I am moving on to a new phase of my life. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with Planet Drum during all of these years and it has been an incredible experience, but it’s time for me to find something new. I especially would like […]
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 […]
2011 Index of ReportsReport 1: January – FebruaryReport 2: February – MarchReport 3: March – AprilReport 4: April – MayReport 5: May – JuneReport 6: June – AugustReport 7: August – OctoberReport 8: October – December Field Report #1 Clay Plager-UngerPlanet Drum FoundationJanuary-February 3, 2011 Welcome to 2011. This year we are starting off with more trees in the greenhouse than ever before. The rainy […]
Amidst recent project activities including community outreach, bioregional education workshops, youth volunteer group workdays, and developing alliances with the Sucre County Municipality, Planet Drum’s volunteers and interns have been diligently keeping the greenhouse operations running smoothly by maintaining watering, weeding, organizing trees, clearing brush, preparing soil, planting seedbeds, and transplanting seedlings. Volunteer support from visiting international volunteers and interns is crucial to the success of […]
Bioregional education workshops at the Planet Drum greenhouse teach the importance of forest conservation and practical information about how to restore this threatened ecosystem. Participants engage in hands on activities related to tree production and revegetation. In recent months, Planet Drum hosted workshops at the greenhouse for school groups from Los Algarrobos School (Canoa) and the Eloy Alfaro School (Bahía). Planet Drum has worked with […]
In July and August various seed collection expeditions have yielded seed bounties of native Dry Tropical Forest species. Pechiche seeds were collected off the ground in the El Toro watershed. Fresh Algarrobo seed pods were harvested in the Astillero neighborhood. And Ceibo seed pods were collected straight from a tree along the main road into town near the Fanca neighborhood in Leonidas Plaza.