Despite the dryness, trees are looking very healthy.

July 7-21, 2008 

Summary:  Many of the volunteers finish their stays with us. After getting so far ahead during the whirlwind week of work with the Canadians, I decide to take a weeklong vacation in the mountains. Back in Bahia, we continue watering the sites and two new volunteers, Stephen and Gina arrive. 

On Monday, William and Jaime depart to do some traveling around Ecuador before returning to San Francisco. Thanks for all of your help guys!  The rest of us attempt to water the revegetation site at El Toro. But there is some confusion with the landowner and no water for us upon arriving. Instead, we spend the morning clearing the overgrown weeds off of trails and the trees at the site.     

Tuesday I stay at home and work on the budget, report writing and answering emails. Jaime is in Portoviejo taking care of some business. The volunteers head to the greenhouse and transplant Algarrobos into three-liter bottles. There are now approximately 500 Algarrobos already transplanted and even more coming up in the seedbed.       

With all of the sites heavily watered from the previous week, the greenhouse in good shape, and two more volunteers, Mica and Danielle leaving, I decide to take a break from Bahia and visit the mountains. Andrew, the last remaining volunteer, tags along, too.      Jaime keeps up on things in the greenhouse and at the sites.Upon returning, we are greeted by two new volunteers, also from San Francisco, who have arrived to work with Planet Drum.

The air feels different in Bahia. The dry season has really set in. Leaves are falling off of the trees and the landscape is distinctly more yellow and brown.

We get right back into the hard work and on Wednesday water the revegetation site in El Astillero. On Thursday, we attempt to water the Reales Tamarindos site, but water hasn’t been getting to the neighborhood in over a week and the water tank is almost empty, so walk to La Cruz and water there instead. From La Cruz we walk to Bosque en Medio de las Ruinas and water that site as well. 

On Friday we go to the greenhouse and water. While at the greenhouse we drop off the house compost.Despite the dryness, all of the trees that have survived thus far are looking very healthy; some of them are over a meter tall. This year’s previous wet season treated the plants very well.

Pásalo bien, 
Clay