Projects
Report #5 from Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador Making plaques for plant identification in the Maria Auxiliador revegetation park now officially named Bosque en Medio de Las Ruinas (Forest in the Midst of the Ruins) has started. The newspaper announcement of a contest to design a logo offering a $10 prize was a total bust. No entries. Amparo Aviles, the genuinely inventive owner of Arte Mania […]
Report #4 from Hotel Pais Libre, Canoa, Ecuador Ecuadorian indigenas (native people) revived their active insurgence in the capitol Quito last month near the first anniversary of last year’s rebellion that caused the collapse of the previous government. CONAIE, the native-led political association, had from the beginning promised a renewal of anti-government actions if their original demands weren’t met by last summer. Negotiations had been […]
Report #3 from Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador Bahia is a decidedly urban place. Some people do not often leave the environment of a relatively small number of streets and city blocks, and some don’t ever go to truly wild areas which are extremely close by. In this regard they are nearly as citified as denizens of local neighborhoods in Paris, Tokyo or New York. Trappings […]
Report #2 from Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador When the mayor asked six months ago for a volunteer Environmental Planner to assist him personally, I promised to fulfill the request. I correctly supposed that he wanted to undertake initiating and coordinating the ecological policies and activities of city agencies, while also responding to numerous suggestions and needs of non-profit and business groups as well as private […]
Report #1 from Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador Ciudad Ecologica (Ecological City) activities are at the highest point since the city declaration two years ago. I don’t believe just one person any longer knows everything that’s going on here, so I’ll only update some of what is interfacing with Planet Drum’s projects. Amy Jewel, volunteer recycling planner from New York, and I have taken separate rooms […]
(Rio Chone Border From Astillero to Kilometro Ocho — Excepting El Toro Watershed) The area of Bahia de Caraquez that borders Rio Chone from Astillero to Kilometro Ocho is backed by a long series of eroded hillsides that drain into the river and bay. The principal erosion was initiated by deforestation and grazing over decades, but recently made massive by El Nino mud slides and […]
Only 48 hours until I have to kiss this beautiful city goodbye. Trying to tie up loose ends and enjoy my last moments. A crazy week, super full, as they say around here. Planned a minga (barrio clean-up), a mural with an ecological theme, and the inauguration of the Bosque en las Ruinas park. The minga was a success last weekend; 12 kids from one […]
Planet Drum Foundation held a reception and presentation about Bahia de Caraquez titled “Ecuador’s Ecological City” in San Francisco on December 8, 2000. The site was Fort Mason’s cozy renovated Firehouse, where refreshments were served and a raffle was held to raise funds. Asmara Pelupessy, PDF’s administrative assistant and membership manager, welcomed everyone and Tamara Ribas, volunteer angel, acknowledged that food and raffle donations were […]
Roosters crowing, a dog barking in the distance, tropical birds chirping overhead, it’s a quiet morning in Bahia de Caraquez. Good day to go up ‘killer hill’ (as Tony and I have fondly named the climb up to the new park site in Maria Auxiliadora), and move dirt. Exciting to see progress on the paths that are being cleared and widened to provide access to […]
When we started the planting project in Maria Auxiliadora, it was clear that this could be a testing ground for ideas about recovering eroded land with major potential locally if not throughout coastal Ecuador. Here are some of the factors that make work on only a few hectares of earth so significant. To start with, it consists of either denuded small cliffs or piled up […]