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3t Vakil |
Andrés Rúa |
Norman Greenhawk |
Patty Boyko |
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The Bosquer@s of Las Casas de la Selva graciously salute every one of our individual volunteers who have done something to further our mission of sustainable forestry in Puerto Rico.
Thank you everyone. Get involved. Come visit!
Please sign our Guest Book to ensure you continue to receive the newsletter alert.
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BEST BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
2009 Winner
- New Mexico Book Awards, Green Book Festival
2010 Winner - BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AWARD
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Accomplished total systems scientist, poet, philosopher and inventor John Allen began his story and the manifestation of Biosphere 2
by assembling many “smaller” projects: the creation of a ferro-cement hulled ship to study ocean and river ecologies and cultures, the
development of this Puerto Rican rainforest enrichment project, a savannah regeneration project in Austraila, a theater group, a world-class London art gallery and more. These projects and Biosphere 2’s
awe-inspiring construction and operation demanded the efforts of the most diverse team of international scientists, engineers, artists
and thinkers with whom John Allen worked closely for decades. His memoir, lavishly illustrated with nearly four hundred
photographs, is a rich and complex narrative that comprises his travels to Egypt, Vietnam, Nepal, Tibet and India and his meetings and
friendships with people like Buckminster Fuller, William Burroughs, and Ornette Coleman. Congratulations Johnny! For those of you who have not had a chance to read this definitive autobiography from one of the most luminous minds of
our time check out: www.synergeticpress.com |
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Volunteers Feb - May 2010
Globalworks volunteers stayed with us this February, to work with the community in the town of Patillas. Anita Pagan and Tyrone Moore organized work on several houses for these groups of teens to learn about construction.
Earthwatch volunteers joined us for a ten day expedition in March and headed by 3t and Torben, completed a three acre Mahoe survey, and collected data for the anole study with Norman.
Fryeburg Academy volunteers helped to clear the road through our mahoe plantations, and worked on the ethnobotanical trail. What an energetic crew!
University of Michigan volunteers helped with concrete mixing and wall building and helped to survey Mahoe trees on the far side of the plantation zone, on steep slopes.
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| Globalworks - San Francisco Day School |
Globalworks team learn & help to put up a roof in Patillas |
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| Mixing cement |
GW staff Tyrone Moore & Sarah White with Don Victor |
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| Globalworks & Tropic Ventures staff |
L-R: Jebb Reid, Abi Shapiro, Beth Woodall, 3t, Norman, Torben Attrup, Andrés |
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| Earthwatch volunteers collected tree and anole data |
Fryeburg volunteers helped with major road clearing |
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| The Fryeburg crew...the Plantation road before... |
...the road after... |
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| Prof Juan Puig (Bottom 2nd from right), and students from Univerity of Puerto Rico, Arecibo, on an introductory day. |
U of Michigan who worked tthrough very rainy weather with us! You can see the cloud in this pic! |
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| Surveying of mahoe trees in the major plantation area. |
Learning the art of wall construction |
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RV HERACLITIS DOCKED IN SAN JUAN, PR
The Research Vessel Heraclitus spent two months in Puerto Rico. Thanks to everyone who helped the crew and supported with energy, time and donations. Special thanks to Haddys Torres. The ship is currently on its way to Morocco across the Atlantic. We wish the crew a safe voyageand beautiful adventure.
See more about this Institute of Ecotechnics project: www.rvheraclitus.org
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SEA PEOPLE MEET TREE PEOPLE
Andrés Rúa & 3t Vakil,
Directors of
Tropic Ventures Sustainable Forestry Project,
with
Captain Claus Tober and Expedition Chief, Christine Handte. John Allen also visited and stayed at Las Casas and on the Heraclitus. All the crew spent some time at Las Casas de la Selva & from Las Casas, Patty Boyko returned after a three month voyage, and Abi Shapiro jumped onboard for the Atlantic crossing. |
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Song of This Open Road.
Fryeburg College students spent ten days helping with this road project. |
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Unused for 17 years and subject to the damage of hurricanes, it has been a energizing project to clear our way through thick underbrush and a labyrinth of vines. |
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Clearing the road to the mahoe plantations. Both left pix show before, and right pix show now. |
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The Old Coffee Mill Site, to become a base of operations for future tree harvesting. |
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Another Brick in the Wall!
Upgrading the homestead is an important part of our lives, and on excavating the area behind the bathroom & kitchen wall we discovered that the old house has no rebar in the foundation. Thank you everyone who has worked on crews, led by Andrés Rúa, helping to build a new foundation & wall. A wonderful group from University of Michigan School of Art, led by Nancy Thorson, helped in mixing concrete and building the wall, through very rainy weather. Thank you everyone who has helped on this project.
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Scientific studies at Las Casas de la Selva, with the participation of Earthwatch volunteers
1) To conduct a complete herpetological survey at Las Casas del la Selva and form a baseline data set, in order to monitor future population trends of reptiles and amphibians as affected by climate change and habitat disruption. 2) Spacial and temporal variation in litter agaric fruiting over an elevation gradient: A baseline study for the monitoring of climate and environmental change.
3) Monitoring both Growth Rate and Seedling Abundance of Naturally Occurring Hardwoods in Secondary Forest at Las Casas de la Selva, Patillas, Puerto Rico.
4) Assessment of the main creeks at Las Casas de la Selva, Patillas, PR, as a potential habitat for the Coquí Guajon (Eleutherodactylus cooki).
Research Papers
Our first research paper "The Impact of Hardwood Line-Planting on Tree and Amphibian Diversity in a Secondary Subtropical Wet Forest of Southeast Puerto Rico"
will be published in the Journal of Sustainable Forestry, 2010.
Our next paper: “Enriched secondary subtropical forest for sustainable timber production”, is currently being edited for publication by Dr. Mark Nelson. Kelly C. Reiss, Center for Environmental Policy, Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, is working on the statistical analysis of our data. Frank Wadsworth is also reviewing our tree growth paper. |
Sustainable Timber Production
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We continue to selectively harvest Mahoe, Hibiscus elatus, and this rare and beautiful hardwood is for sale. |
All about Blue Mahoe
Blue Mahoe Lumber and
Turning & Carving
blanks available. |
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 Bowl by Andrés Rúa
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Support our forest ENTERPRISES
SEE MORE
Order
your next gift from us. Secure online payment available.
3t’s list of Las Casas trees
See more images
of all activities at Las Casas de la Selva. |
 Ausubo with Roble Blanco rim |
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A VERY BIG THANK YOU TO ALL VOLUNTEERS & SUPPORTERS in 2010:
Global Ecotechnics, John Allen, Freddy Dempster, Warren LaForme, Andrés & Juanita, Frank Wadsworth, Peter Weaver, Enrique Santiago, Alberto Rodriguez, Santtos and Chila, Crystal Callahan, Stella & Harry Harris, Peter Neidell, Tyrone Moore, Pete Shear, Chris Caddigan, Dan Hammond, Emily Dark, Sarah White, Torben Attrup, Beth Woodall, Abi Shapiro, Dan and Lynn Shapiro, Linda Greve, Steve Schulze, Jebb Reid, Drew Granatto, Ross Killion, Joanne Sharpe for fern ID. |
The Bosquer@s send Big Hugs to all our friends around the planet!
Thank you everyone for all your support! Keep in touch!
Come be a volunteer!
Photo Credits:
3t Vakil, Andrés Rúa, Dario Saggio
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Tropic Ventures Education & Research Foundation appreciates your support! |
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