Projects
August 7-13, 2006 Our last week was filled with the smiles. While celebrating the Ecuadorian Battle of Independence (10 de Agosto) we welcomed 13 students from a local scool to our greenhouse. As part of the continuing Bioregional Education Program children’s seminars being held, these fifth graders were another success. After watering, transplanting and composting at the greenhouse we hiked overland through a new trail […]
August 10, 2006 Last Wednesday the Bioregional Education Program students made their third and last “work of art”: a picture frame. They had a choice of plenty of materials such as colored paper, pieces of newspaper, rose petals, leaves, seeds, brilliant sparkles, etc. Kids were told to bring a personal photo but, aware that some of them were going to forget it, I remembered to bring […]
July 31-August 6, 2006 We worked extensively this week in Bosque Encantado. The volunteer group is really efficient these days and we have been able to complete a lot of trail and maintenance work. All the trails have been cleared of the verano (summer) shrubs and we have been able to begin the inventory/labelling work for our seedlings. Catherine has begun preparing GPS maps for all […]
July 24-30, 2006 Although the week seemed like it was rather short, much was accomplished by our three international and two Ecuadorian volunteers. Construction in the greenhouse is now finished. Our seedbeds have had compost added, turned and been made a foot deeper. This increased depth, in addition to some drainage gravel, should allow for stronger root development in seedlings. The seed collection season has begun, […]
Valentina Carminati, Field Bioregional Education ManagerPlanet Drum FoundationJuly 26, 2006 Our trip to La Cruz lookout in the center of Bahia was as enjoyable as always! It was a great day; the sun was shining and the sky was completely clear. Perfect weather conditions to admire the view of the Rio Chone estuary from up there. Kids could see the integration between land and water. They […]
Patrick Wylie, Field Project ManagerPlanet Drum FoundationJuly 17-23, 2006 This has been the most productive week of my tenure here at Planet Drum! In addition to our usual watering of 400+ planted trees, we undertook major construction projects throughout the work week. On Tuesday we gathered up all the eco-locos (local term for greenies in the city) and had a construction work-party at the greenhouse. […]
Valentina Carminati, Field Bioregional Education ManagerPlanet Drum FoundationJuly 17, 2006 The remaining students each received a card describing a different characteristic of the plant required to assist their friend in getting healthier. As a group they needed to get all the information together and start looking for the exact plant. They also had to find the respective species as soon as possible otherwise their friends were […]
July 10-16, 2006 Bahia and the hills which surround it look drier and browner by the week. However there are streaks of green that appear throughout the landscape… seedlings we are maintaining in El Toro, Bosque Encantado and our other sites are growing strong! Some are nearly overhead now! We continue to water and tend to these sites twice a week. We have begun collecting […]
The trip to Ricardito’s (Bosque Encantado) farm ended up being a success. Students were very excited and they had a good time. The majority of the trees we examined were new for them. Ricardito talked about the principal characteristics (endemic, adaptable to the Ecuadorian coast…) of each class of trees, such as papaya, lime, cacao, chirimoya… I asked them to observe and describe the differences […]
July 3-9, 2006 Pretty quiet week here on the home front… dry and cool. Great time to be working and volunteering here on the Ecuadorian coast! Late in the week, with the help of local volunteers Jaime and Cheo, we raced through our watering sites (Cherry Tree, El Toro, La Cruz and Bosque Encantado). But what about early in the week you may ask? We […]