Projects

Bioregional class identifying native species in the Dry Tropical Forest.

By Valentina Carminati | June 26, 2006

Valentina Carminati, Field Bioregional Education ManagerPlanet Drum FoundationReport, June 26, 2006 Last Wednesday we had a new student, Anita, who is only seven years old. Actually, she is too young to participate actively in the class nevertheless I am always trying to involve her in the conversations.  All the kids attempted to solve the Bioregional crossword I prepared for them. They were still very confused about […]

Still dealing with Aphids, but less of them.

By Sarah Couture | June 25, 2006

June 19-25, 2006 This week the Planet Drum team worked at 4 sites and our greenhouse. On Monday we went to water at El Torro, where all the trees looked relatively healthy and happy, and the friendly farmer that gives us our water had more than enough to tell us about his pigs. It was our new volunteer Johannes’ first day, so we explored a bit […]

Bioregional Education course started for seven kids.

By Valentina Carminati | June 19, 2006

Valentina Carminati, Field Bioregional Education ManagerPlanet Drum FoundationReport, June 12-19, 2006 Today the Bioregional Education course started and Cheo kindly was helping me. Unfortunately only seven students turned up. I knew the main problem was going to be the lack of kids but I don’t want to put myself down yet. First of all the students introduced themselves (name, age, and institution). Six of them are from Colegio […]

Valentina preparing a summer course in bioregionalism for teens.

By Valentina Carminati | June 12, 2006

June 12, 2006 Last week I have been to Colegio Interamericano and to Colegio Eloy Alfaro and I left 80 invitations in total to the students (in order for the parents to know and decide together). The students are 10 to 14 years old and since the course is not an ‘obligation’ we don’t know how many students will participate to the lessons.  Anyway…The program […]

Provincial Environmental Assembly, and Ecuador wins Futbol game.

By Patrick Wylie | June 11, 2006

June 5-11, 2006 It rained three times last week! This isn’t supposed to happen. It was fantastic to hear the pitter-patter of rain on the roof! Otherwise, pretty quiet down here on the work front. We’ve settled in to a pretty regular schedule for watering twice weekly at El Toro and Bosque Encantado. We get out once a week to maintain and water our plantings […]

Aphids wreak havoc, inspire improvements.

By Patrick Wylie | June 4, 2006

May 29-June 4, 2005 With Heather and Mark’s departure, we had room in the house for new volunteers. Those who arrived in the greenhouse were not friends, but enemies! Shocked as you may be with this less than usual portrayal of those who come to work for us, they were not men, not women, but APHIDS! Over the weekend at the greenhouse, this plague began […]

For the first time we have lost trees to bulldozers.

By Patrick Wylie | May 21, 2006

May 15-21st The long awaited compost finally arrived at the greenhouse this week from the city’s composting plant. To accommodate all 900 kilograms that was delivered we dug another trench alongside the greenhouse (appoximately 50 feet long). While Hugo, the compost supervisor, was at the greenhouse he commented on the quality and richness of our own compost that we have been making. He suggested we […]

While collecting bottles on the beach for the greenhouse, we ran into a past volunteer, Orlando.

By Patrick Wylie | May 14, 2006

May 8-14, 2006 The greenhouse lay silent for most of the week as little has been germinating, but more so due to an infestation of 9 wasp nests. With Mark holding a shovel, Brooke with the can of Raid and me with the hose, we set out to destroy our beloved greenhouse occupiers. We turned back at the first nest as the Raid proved ineffective, […]

One week of rain in early May and trading seeds with Fundacion Futuro.

By Patrick Wylie | May 7, 2006

May 1–7, 2006 If I take but one thing from Ecuador it won’t be weavings from the village of Otavalo or turtles from the Galapagos Islands… it will be a new found respect for the farmer’s almanac! The locals had said there will be one week of rain in early May and here it is! We’ve had a shower every night for the last week, giving […]

Water outages, die back for the dry season and greenhouse inventory is 1866 trees.

By Patrick Wylie | April 30, 2006

April 24-30, 2006 It rained on Wednesday for the first time in a month! Although it only lasted for two hours it was beautiful to feel the drops on our heads and see water in our tanks. The water outage continues in the city, at the same time street protests were held last week. City hall says the pipes should be flowing the second week […]