December 3-7, 2007
Summary: The sole two volunteers this week, Caroline and Nadine, held down the fort with Revegetation Foreman Jaime for the first few days while I attended a seminar at Cerro Blanco, near Guayaquil, with Bioregional Education Teacher Ramon and Marcelo Luque. Ramon came and helped out on Friday to bolster our numbers.
On Monday I took off for Guayaquil in the morning and Nadine and Jaime watered La Cruz. From there they went to the greenhouse to water plants and they also transplanted Algarrobo seedlings.
Tuesday morning the events began in Cerro Blanco. We were given a tour of the massive (and incredibly well-funded) greenhouse and heard talks about greenhouse work and reforestation efforts.
It was all very impressive and informative. Among many other things, I learned about more native species that we could work with, germination techniques, soil quality, and times when trees drop seeds.
The reforestation they are doing at the Cerro Blanco reserve is proof that large-scale dry tropical forest reforestation is possible.
In the afternoon we took a walk into the woods.
Meanwhile, back in Bahia, the revegetation site at Bosque en Medio de las Ruinas wild park was watered and maintenance work was done on the trails.
Wednesday was spent touring Porto Hondo, a Mangrove reserve in the same area as Cerro Blanco. That afternoon we returned to Bahia. Jaime took Caroline and Nadine to water at El Toro. The greenhouse was also watered and Bototillo’s were transplanted there.
At the greenhouse, Dormilon, Balsamo, Bototillo, and Pechiche seedlings were transplanted.
On Thursday Bosque Encantado was watered and more Bototillo were transplanted at the greenhouse. On Friday, with Ramon’s help, the Don Pepe and Maria Dolores sites were watered. The plants were watered again before the weekend.
Hasta luego,
Clay
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