 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Denis Drouin’s Diary
Climate Change, Canopies and Wildlife in the Ecuadorian Andes
September 27, 2009: Habitat assessment
September 25, 2009: Santa Lucia
September 23, 2009: Meetup
September 21, 2009: One more night to go
March 19, 2009: Selected!
|
September 26, 2009: First day on the job
September 24, 2009: View from the top
September 22, 2009: Equinox
April 20, 2009: New colleagues
Friday, December 19, 2008
|
September 27, 2009: Habitat assessment
 I pick up this job today because of what's written on the planning board: ”LONG WALK”.
I’m the oldest expedition fellow here but I’m also in the group of people who are in very good physical shape. Even more, I really enjoy walking in the forest, and if we engage in this activity it is for two days. Today I will work with Miguel and Edison, both botanists from Quito University, Ann, a Canadian fellow like me, Antony Flint from UK, and James, an Ecuadorian volunteer. We are asked to be at the lodge early at 06:00 for breakfast. A three-hour walk in steep up and down mountain trails is needed to  reach the first working area. We are going to bring lunchboxes with us.
The goal is to survey two or three ten-meter diameter circles. Miguel will pick the sites, which are good representative forest areas. We divide after that, and mark each circle into four quadrants. Each volunteer will choose a quadrant to survey. He also will choose the most representative tree within his respective quadrant on which to answer many survey questions (around 50).
Here are some of the questions:
1) What is the percentage of ground cover by dead leaves?
2) What is the percentage of ground covered by living plants  from 0 to 1 meter high?
3) How many individual bromeliads cover each quadrant?
4) What is the percentage of epiphytes which covering each quadrant?
And so on! It is very interesting.
By the time we (volunteers) are answering Edison's survey questions, Miguel is looking in the circle to find new or rare species. He also collects samples which will be stored in the "National Herbarium of Ecuador (click to download a PowerPoint)." The National Herbarium of Ecuador
has the monumental task of discovering, collecting and cataloguing the plant species of Ecuador. The work of the Herbarium means that the diversity of plant life can be truly appreciated.
After three different habitat assessments we are all happy to head back to the lodge for an excellent dinner.
Remember that all this data will be put into a computer for further analysis and comparison. If scientists measure and know what’s happening, it is much easier to predict the future and the action to be taken in order to maintain sustainability.
0 comments
September 26, 2009: First day on the job
 Our first breakfast all together. It is an opportunity to introduce ourselves and learn more about other Earthwatch fellows. What a great experience to meet people from all around the world in this gorgeous place, all here for the same goal: to make this planet a better place to live. This cranks me up. After breakfast Tim the project leader in the field for the next ten days explains to us, what is the project? What will be our task and duty? What are the safety rules, (yes, just like at work, there are safety rules to follow)? We will learn during the presentation that: The Santa Lucia Reserve is protected cloud forest. The Santa Lucia Reserve is also home to tremendous biodiversity, including mammals such as Andean cats, pumas, coatimundis (similar to  raccoons), endangered spectacled bears, and ocelots. We are going to help survey key carnivore and bird species and their associated vegetation types to determine abundance and distribution, which will provide reserve managers with accurate scientific data to create habitat and species action plans. Collecting data is a key because if we know well what going on, it is much easier to predict what is going to happen. On our walking intro tour we learn for example that when a tree falls, making a hole in the canopy, the ground which receives sunlight instantly becomes a war zone for new growth. Sometimes  seeds that have been in the ground for many years feel the heat, and then start rapidly to grow. The tour is followed by an international soccer game. Canada, UK, US, India, Hungary, and Netherlands join together to try to defeat the local Ecuadorians, but they are too strong. Dinner time follows, a great time. Agi,  Molly and I, the Alcoa team, sit together and enjoy being there. After dinner everybody picks up their task assignment for tomorrow. For me, for the next two days, I will take a long walk to reach the point where we are going to do Habitat assessment. Have a good sleep!
0 comments
September 25, 2009: Santa Lucia
 Today is one more sunny day in Quito. But today is also different. We are going to make the last leg of our trip to Santa Lucia Reserve, base point of our expedition. A bus came to pick up us at 09:00 am. We were driven northwest of Quito, on the amicably named "Superjhighway #1." After one hour of driving in the most polluted town and suburb I have ever seen, we started to see more and more nature. Quito is surrounded by mountains, but we could see very clear indication of human presence, like plenty of radio towers, high voltage electrical poles and lines, etc. The further we went, the more those things disappeared. We turned on a small and tortuous road. Let’s call it road 1. From small road to smaller trail (may be "trail 1"). Yes, there's no more pavement. To cross a little brook, the driver has to go very slowly at some point. Less and less civilization, as we sink deeper into the Andean rainforest. We arrive at the end of this trail. The bus can no longer go forward, but the journey is not over yet. Some Ecuadorian gentlemen with mules are waiting for us and our backpacks.
I’m really  excited now, for the next ten days I’ll be in this huge natural place with no more noise, no more pollution. I’ll be living with ecological minded people in a gorgeous place. By working with them, I am helping scientist understand climate change and wild life. Isn’t it wonderful? Oh yes, but first let’s climb this mountain. Now the trail is so small and steep, that it can be used by 4X4 trucks, mules, human and others forest mammals. Half an hour later it is now very narrow. One after the other we walk up the trail never wider then 1 meter. We are now surrounded by luxurious nature, thousands of plant species are all around us. The trail is very steep. It is easy to recognise those that are in good shape from  those who are not. At the top of the mountain stands the Santa Lucia main lodge. WOW! THE VIEW IS BREATHTAKING! From all directions we see forest and mountain. I really have the sensation of being on the top of the world. This is a great reward for the effort of walking up. After all have arrived, everybody has been assigned to his “cabana”, taken a shower and had a very much appreciated dinner. We talk together after dinner then off to bed to sleep like a baby.
0 comments
September 24, 2009: View from the top
A look at Quito from the top!
Today at breakfast time we met two more Earthwatch fellows: Anne Maurais and Antony Fisher.
While eating we discussed various plans for the day and decided that we would visit the "Cruze Loma" at 4100m altitude, using the "Teleferico" cable car. From the top there's a splendid view of Quito and it is possible to climb the volcano "Rucu Pichincha." We had lunch in a very typical restaurant. My meal was a delicious shrimp soup. In the afternoon we visited some more churches and crowded streets of the old town.
Back at the hotel we met Megan from Pennsylvania, one more Earthwatch fellow -- the youngest by far.
We had dinner all together in a nearby colorful club.
0 comments
September 23, 2009: Meetup
Today Quito welcomed us with good weather, blue sky and warm temperature.
While at breakfast I met Molly. It was good to see each order. We talked together, then after a moment a man asked us if we where on the Earthwatch expedition. He was Antony Flint from United Kingdom, an Earthwatch volunteer as well. Discussion continued and we got to know a little more about each other. We agreed to go sightseeing around the old town of Quito.
We walked in the old town, visited many churches and one mueseum.
At lunch, it was Antony time!
First he ordered in Spanish what he thought was a "fruit juice." He received an egg in a cup. Molly and I thought that his Spanish was good, but perhaps his British accent was difficult for the local people to understand. We will never know!
Second, something very unpleasant happened. Antony’s bag was stolen. So we went to a police station to report the robbery. The policeman on duty called one of his colleagues on patrol. Soon a five-passenger pickup truck with two people on board arrived. Molly and Antony climbed on board; the policeman suggested that I climb in the trunk, an offer witch I declined because it does not comply with "Alcoa’s safety protocols." Then he took the last available place in the truck. I finally stayed alone at "la Bazilica" police station while Molly and Antony went to the main station to fill out forms.
Finally back to the hotel for dinner in a restaurant nearby.
After dinner we met Agnes, talked together a little and agreed to meet the next day at breakfast.
0 comments
September 22, 2009: Equinox
 It is Equinox day today. Indeed day and night will be 12 hours everywhere on the planet today. Isn’t it a great day to fly to Ecuador in other to be part of a scientific project dedicated to: "Climate changes, canopy and wildlife?" Believe me, YES it is.
Air Canada Jazz flight 8913 scheduled at 06:55 am took off from Québec city on time, a few minutes after a beautiful sunrise. After five minutes in the air we pass through the clouds. We change planes in Toronto and Miami, and at least we are approaching Quito. Arrival into Quito is quite something. The plane has to fly over the mountains to get to the valleys and the view is incredible. I couldn't get a photo, unfortunately, because of where I was sitting. Once on the ground I head for a shower and a good night's sleep at the guest house in Quito.
0 comments
September 21, 2009: One more night to go
 Very nice day today, with beautiful weather in the mid 20s C, and sunny! There is still only one day of sleep before getting to Ecuador.
I review my checklist for the last time. Everything is well packed, and all OK, except two small items to buy on my way to the airport.
For this last evening and night before departure I drove to a restaurant 10 minutes from Québec city airport to have a romantic dinner with my darling Francine. After dinner we watched a movie then went to bed in my camper. Living on the road whenever I get the chance helps me get closer to nature and better appreciate living on, and caring for this planet. I'm grateful that Alcoa's concern about the environment is giving me the opportunity to do something about it. That’s it for today. So see you in the plane tomorrow!
0 comments
April 20, 2009: New colleagues
Today I had my first chat with my new friends and fellow Earthwatchers, Ágnes Józsa and Molly Brown, who are going to join me and others in Ecuador for the “Climate Change, Canopies and Wildlife” research project.
We share our excitement and enthusiasm about this great project.
Ágnes lives in central Europe, in Hungary. Her home town is Székesfehérvár which is near (50km) Budapest, the capital. You can visit her blog here. Molly is from Lafayette, Indiana which is two hours south of Chicago. You can visit Molly's blog here.
0 comments
March 19, 2009: Selected!
"Congratulations! You have been selected to be a 2009 Alcoa Earthwatch Fellow." This is the first line of the most anticipated e-mail I've ever received, and it came just three days before World Water Day. I will be in Ecuador on a scientific project to help stop climate change due to human activities.
My commitment to this project will be 100% -- I've already made up my mind.
I am shouting and waving my arms: “I’m going to Ecuador! I’m going to Ecuador!” My office neighbor looks at me as if I'm an alien, then asks: Are you going crazy? No, I say, but I was so excited that I must have looked like it. I explain the cause of my excitement. Then I walk quickly (and safely) to my boss's office to thank him, because I am sure he'd had to say “yes” to somebody earlier in the process.
Second, I make a phone call to Ricardo Montiel, my Icelandic friend and 2008 Earthwatch fellow, who had encouraged me to apply for the program. “Takk ferrir” Ricardo!
0 comments
Friday, December 19, 2008
A few days ago, an email was sent saying that Alcoa and Alcoa Foundation were
again partnering with Earthwatch on the fellowship program. From that moment, I
told myself that I wanted to be one of those fellows.
I have this
longing to help, to do more for the Earth’s health. A fellowship would be a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me.
I know that I am a good candidate
for this mission. I also know that there will be hundreds of Alcoa applicants as
good as, if not better, than me for those missions.
To get some tips on
applying, I decided to have a chat with my Icelandic friend, Ricardo Montiel,
who had the opportunity to participate in the Climate
Change in the Rainforest project in 2008. It was great to speak with
Ricardo, with whom I worked in Reydarfjordur, Iceland, for 14 months in 2006 and
2007.
I know now that to sell myself well, the only tool I have is the
written survey that I have to complete. I carefully read each question and
answer them with my heart. Since English is my second language, I ask my
daughter, Mélanie, to correct my writing.
I’m confident, but it’s now
time to patiently wait for the results!
3 comments
|
|
|
|
|
