No.16 Dec 06/ Jan 2007
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Dear Friends, Las Casas de la Selva has been a hive of activity and fun this season! Earthwatch expeditions, lots of visits...less words more pictures!
Roadwork, Drainage & Erosion Control |
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Re-establishing the old road requires labor & patience. We have finally cleared to the shed in the forest, and started grading the muddy areas, which, with efficient drainage, are drying out! |
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Manuel Ayala brought the Tropa 230 Boyscouts from Caguas, to camp & help us. The boys worked hard clearing a stretch of the road, learning how to fell and saw up small trees with handtools. |
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Debris dams were created in places where the road had fallen due to lack of drainage. The boys camped and ate around a fire that night in the Ausubo Grove. Thank you boys! Come back soon! |
Earthwatch |
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Over December and into January 2007, two Earthwatch teams came to stay at Las Casas to continue with our forestry research work. More about the Research Mission.. |
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Earthwatch: Planting Mahoe Seedlings |
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Check out Julie Butler's "Live from the Field" Blog and Ben Boucher's Pix for more about an Earthwatch trip. |
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John 'Dolphin' Allen, Chairman of Global Ecotechnics Corporation, and co-founder of the Tropic Ventures Rainforest Enrichment Project, visited for five days to consult on all issues of the project and also gave an inspiring talk to a welcoming audience in El Teatro at Las Casas, on Saturday 27th January 2007. He covered the philosophy and practicality of Ecotechnics, using as examples, Las Casas de la Selva, this demonstration project in the rainforest biome, and related ecotechnic projects all over the world. |
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Freddy Dempster, & |
Freddy, Systems Engineer, Global Ecotechnics & Mark, Chairman, Institute of Ecotechnics spent ten days at Las Casas in January, and assisted in all areas, from brainstorming on the forestry issues at hand & future projects at Las Casas to roadwork & drainage. |
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Sustainable Forestry All about Blue Mahoe |
Support our enterprises, let us know what you would like us to make for you in Blue Mahoe. We need your support. |
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Planting |
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Andrés, with help from Raul, 3t & Sierra, cleared an area near the homestead and created a raised enriched soil area with irrigation for growing food. Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas) is cultivated mainly for the tuber, used as vegetable, eaten boiled, baked fried, or dried and ground into flour to make biscuits, bread, and other pastries. The edible sweet potato leaf is protein rich in content. Cecilio from Los Barros, Patillas supplied the batata vines. Also planted were brocolli, yucca, cabbage, kale, & mustard greens. |
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Learning to fell |
Having worked as an apprentice with our arborist over the last year, Andrés is continuing to learn the art of tree-felling and thinned out several 50' pine trees to create more sunlight for the new garden above. The pines, planted nearly twenty years ago as erosion control on bare slopes have grown rapidly and thinning them is a necessity. |
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Foundation & Floor |
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Molly & Joe have been constructing their own casita, starting with foundations in June 2006 and laying the floor brace in January 2007. |
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Congratulations |
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Congratulations to Raul & Ivonne who were married in December 2006. Both continue to live at Los Helechos, Las Casas, and are creating new gardens and increasing their production of organic food which they sell successfully at the Farmers Markets. |
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People at Las Casas |
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Warren Laforme, spent three weeks at Las Casas helping with all areas of machine/tool maintenance, repair and rebuilding. We hope to see Warren back here soon! Molly Robertson & Joe Sarquilla, were here for two months and spent time in the field with Earthwatch expeditions and continued the building of their casita. Joe has been working with Google Earth and mapping our terrain. |
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Kiki's mother, Julitza Nieves, was the Earthwatch chef this season, and Andrew Perrin volunteered for several days and created bookshelves for Hacienda 640, from our pine wood. Thanks. |
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The Wastewater Garden is green and lush, providing us with flowers and occasional papayas. A plantain tree was added just recently. |
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Support our Sustainable Enterprises. Thanks to everyone who has shown their support by buying our products. We appreciate your continuing support.
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 Sustainable Tropical Hardwood: Blue Mahoe, Hibiscus elatus Ron Phillips of The New Mexico Wood Turners Association has made exquisite bowls from our Blue Mahoe. See here for more pictures and ordering info. |
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WishList : Digital Projector, Slide screen, Digital Camera,Woodworking power tools, or hand tools, Pole Saw, Pruning tools, Forestry Equipment, 16" DrumSanding Machine, Carving tools, Tiller, Woodworkers/Artists who want to come, stay, and make items from Blue Mahoe, Festive Lights (Xmas lights). |
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THANK YOU! Gilberto Rivera, Garden Max & Power Equipment (for giving us a break on Chainsaw repair) Global Ecotechnics Corporation (thanks for the loan of the digital projector!) Deborah Snyder, Synergetic Press, John 'Dolphin' Allen, Marie Harding, Freddy Dempster, Mark Nelson, Gregg Dugan, Raul Rosado, Ivonne Reveron, Peter Weaver, Frank Wadsworth, Santtos & Chila, Miguel Alejandro, Hector Melendez, Magha Bhayali, Vicki Sarquilla, Andrew Perrin, Jean Jeffrey, Stephan Dugan, Andrea & Richard Druitt, Juanita & Andrés, Mr & Mrs. Vakil, Earthwatch Institute (for supporting our research operations and for funding our Satellite Broadband Connection this year) Photo Credits: 3t Vakil, Peter Weaver, Ben Boucher, Richard Druitt |