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Dear Friends,
A Happy New Year to all our friends around the planet! Las Casas de la Selva celebrated the new year with a bonfire, fireworks, great live music and the company of the second December Earthwatch team, along with many friends. This newsletter details some of the happenings, visitations, and volunteer work ongoings at the project and we always hope to inspire you to come and visit again and again. Thank you for all your support!
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Dec 2007 EARTHWATCH
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In December 2007 two teams of Earthwatchers spent ten days each at the project helping to collect data on trees, vine biodiversity, and frog studies. This season saw the completion of the first phase of research at Las Casas with the Earthwatch collaboration. All volunteers learnt how to identify Mahogany and Mahoe trees, measure trees, take basal readings, pentaprism readings, identify vines and catch and identify frogs! Several new hardwood study plots were planted and mapped for ongoing research. Thanks Earthwatchers for all your excellent work and enthusiasm. |
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Study 1: Performance of Mahogany, (Swietenia macrophylla x S. mahagoni) and Blue mahoe (Hibiscus elatus) in line-planted plantations in the wet forest life zone of the mountains of south eastern Puerto Rico.A preliminary study for the purposes of sustainable hardwood production management.
Study 2: The Impact of Hardwood Line-Planting on Tree and Amphibian Biodiversity in a Secondary Rainforest of Southeastern Puerto Rico |
EARTHWATCHERS IN THE FIELD |
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Earthwatch 2008 - New and continuing research objectives
1) To examine the effectiveness of thinning techniques in our current plantings of Mahoe and Mahogany.
2) To evaluate commercially valuable crops that can be grown in conjunction with the line planted mahogany, starting with Artemisia annua and Coffea Arabica in 2008.
3) To evaluate populations of the lizards of the genus Anolis at Las Casas del la Selva and monitor the effect of habitat disturbance due to line planting and tree thinning activites.
4) To evaluate the availability and abundance of non-timber forest products that are of economic importance on the property, commencing with vines which are a source for fiber used in weaving and handicrafts. (in collaboration with Pedro Acevedo-Rodriguez, author of "Vines & Climbing Plants of Puerto Rico & the Virgin Islands").
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ELECTRICS
Students from Serbia's Technical College, Guayama, arrived at Las Casas with Edwin Rua for a class in electrical maintenance. A VERY BIG Thank you for helping us with your skills.
BOTANY
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Jon Every, volunteer botanist, spent two weeks collecting plant specimens for the Reading, UK, herbarium, & made contact with the Herbarium in Rio Piedras, resulting in visits from Dr. Jim D. Ackerman, author of “The Orchids of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands,” and Frank Axelrod, & botany students, who spent time collecting and identifying plant specimens at Las Casas, for the herbarium. Thanks Jon for your enthuisiasm! |
ECOLOGICAL DETAILS
Architect Felipe Bermudez, right, gave a presentation on Green Architecture & Design.
Mark Nelson, Director, Wastewater Gardens International (www.wastewatergardens.com) gave a presentation on his latest construction of a WWG in Algeria, Africa.
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GETTING OUT THERE |
DRNA (Dept. of Natural Resources) 26th Symposium - Convention Center, San Juan. Opening by Hon. Javier Vélez Arocho, Secretary, DRNA, and Hon.
Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, Governor of Puerto Rico.
Dedicated to Frank Wadsworth, this symposium attracted over 1,500 people from all over the Caribbean. For two days, Andres and Briony tended a Las Casas booth detailing information about our sustainable forestry, rainforest enrichment and research work. They ran a slideshow and talked endlessly! Many new friends and contacts were made. |
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Dept. of Biology–University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras.
3t and Andrés detailed the tree research and biodiversity studies that have been carried out at the project over the last several years, with a summary of preliminary results. New and continuing scientific objectives were outlined.
Thanks to Marcia Muñoz, Haddys Torres, & Damien Garcia. |
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In October 2007, Andres and Briony tended a booth at a 3-day fair in Guavate, organised by Santtos to help local artisans sell their work. Information and artistic Blue Mahoe items were on display for sale.
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FELLING |
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Andre Sanfiorenzo, felled two ausubo trees (Manilkara bidentata), Nov 2007. |
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HOMESTEAD
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Palm Weaving a new dining room roof ...and
Steve builds a beautiful library computer station desk from Blue Mahoe, acommodating more research activity. |
ENTRANCES & EXITS
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In early January we had a bonfire evening of songs and stories, to wish Sally Silverstone farewell and fareforward. Sally has been involved with this project since 1983 and helped to plant the very first trees that were part of the enrichment program. She became the project director in 1998 and pioneered the research effort funded by Earthwatch as well as the volunteer youth programs that have grown year by year. We wish Sally much love and success in all her future endeavors. Thank you Sally!
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John 'Dolphin' Allen, Chairman of Global Ecotechnics Corporation, and co-founder of the Tropic Ventures Rainforest Enrichment Project, visited for four days. He consulted on all aspects of the project, providing insights into the philosophy and practicality of Ecotechnics. |
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Freddy Dempster, Freddy, Systems Engineer, Global Ecotechnics spent time at the project in Dec mostly working on energy use and how to get Las Casas off the grid! A birthday was also celebrated. |
Marie Harding, President, Tropic Ventures, below, did not lie down after painting up our kitchen. Sleeping in a bunk bed, she felt it necessary that a small shelf be on the end of a bunk bed. On a short visit, Marie designed, painted and installed handy shelves for everyone's comfort!
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Rich Petty, Director, IT, TEVA, spent an extended weekend at Las Casas provided a wealth of woodworking and techno info! |
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ORGANIC GARDENING
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Raul and Ivonne, & young Joaquin, continue to work on gardens & hosting well-attended workshops where everyone learns how to grow fruits and vegetables. Please contact Raul for more details and organic garden design consultations. http://huertosorganicospr.blogspot.com
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John Utter spends time with 3t upgrading the website.
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Special hugs to Bobi who carried on with a smile!
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Hannah Downing, big smile, spent several days helping out in all areas at the project. |
A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE
BIG TREE HUGS FROM THE CREW @ TROPIC VENTURES
2008
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Steve Day, left, has been here for four months, getting involved in field expeditions and forestry work.
Mark Nelson, right, Chairman,Instituteof Ecotechnics (www.ecotechnics.edu) spent ten days working with Earthwatch teams. |
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Molly Robertson & Joe Sarquilla spent 6 weeks working with Earthwatch field teams & casita upgrades. Returning home to California this month, Joe continues a B.S. in Environmental Studies and Molly a B.S. in Cell & Molecular Biology. |
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Miguel Alejandro holds stomping salsa dance classes, and along with Briony Plant they have been hosting yoga afternoon workshops. Both are currently living at Las Casas. |
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See 3t's latest painting...
detail below
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3t, continues to learn all and everything at the rainforest project. She recently became President and Treasurer of Tropic Ventures Education & Research Foundation. |
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Andrés Rúa, working on all aspects of forestry project management, turning wood, electrical upgrades, and public outreach, composed & produced the music for the latest Globalworks promo DVD. |
| THANK YOU! |
Earthwatch,
Seeds of Change, John Allen, Marie Harding,
Freddy Dempster,
Edwin Rua,
Maximiliano Perez, Julitza Nieves, Jon Every, Hannah Downing,
Judy Norsigian,
Ron Phillips,
Richard Petty,
William Devine,
Ben Boucher & Eva Piltch-Boucher,
Mr. & Mrs Vakil,
Binaifer Vakil, Maria Benedetti, Miguel Alejandro, Hector Melendez, Juanita & Andrés, Santtos & Chila, Mike & Brenda Plant.
Photo Credits: 3t Vakil, Andrés Rúa, Briony Plant, David Tseng, Glauco Humai, Stephan Matthiesen, Sabina Khan, Kathleen Quin, Pauline McQuillan, Diane Werkerle, Bridget McNassar, Priscilla Hewitt, Susan Lou, Matt Slater, Jen Miller, Phil Fowler, Rich Cherian. |
Sustainable Forestry
Rare Exotic Hardwood currently available: Blue Mahoe Lumber and products.
You can now pay securely online
Thanks to everyone who has shown their support by buying our products.
We appreciate your continuing support.
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Artist: Andrés Rúa
Small bowls & lidded urns
in Blue Mahoe.
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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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Blue Mahoe Lumber and
Turning & Carving
blanks available.
Secure online payment available.
Other forest products |
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250 original images & original soundtrack by Andrés Rúa
Tropic Ventures at Las Casas de la Selva, Puerto Rico has a Google Video!!
Original images of the biodiversity of the rainforest, what we get up to out here, with original soundtrack. Take twenty minutes to sit back, have a glass of wine, tea, coffee, turn up the sound and dim the lights!http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5874896502085020087
(For $5.00 great resolution, projected or big screen showings, on CD, send an email to 3t, and your address,
and pay online securely. Enjoy!
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WishList :
Radial-arm saw, wood-chipper, a two-person Canoe or kayak, woodworking power tools, or hand tools,
Pruning tools, Forestry Equipment, and Safety Gear, Lathe, 16" DrumSanding Machine, Carving tools,
Soil-Tiller,
Woodworkers/Artists who want to come, stay, and make items from Blue Mahoe,
your used Movies/Documentaries on DVD,
Festive Lights (always appreciated!). |
www.eyeontherainforest.org
Tropic Ventures Education & Research Foundation appreciates your support!
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Selva & Moppo say hola to everyone!
...and thanks to Ed Saugstad
for identifying the moth at the top of the page.
It is a well-worn male moth called the Black Witch (Ascalapha odorata; Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
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