Orchid Conservation Alliance’s first-ever Orchid Conservation Symposium showcased conservation and research of the orchids of Ecuador and Colombia. In a day packed with presentations with over 100 live viewers, we particularly enjoyed seeing the fantastic work of our friends, Lou Jost and Youth Council member Marco Monteros from Fundación EcoMinga.
Read MoreThe recent, rapid rise of the youth environmental movement has been well documented, with young people being increasingly recognised as ever more influential agents of change in the political space. But did the so-called ‘global youth’ receive this same level of recognition at one of history’s most pivotal climate conferences, COP26? Last November, I was lucky enough to join some of my fellow Reserva team members at the conference to get involved with the action and see for myself.
Read MoreOur last morning at the Peñas Blancas campsite began with our now-routine activities of drone flying and bird monitoring. It was a beautiful, clear, sunny day, and Callie took advantage of the good conditions to give Milton and Geovanny an impromptu lesson with “Bebecito,” EcoMinga’s new DJI Mavic 2 Pro drone while Javier opened the mist nets.
Read MoreDay five started with our customary drone flight from the abandoned pasture above camp, filling our memory cards with blankets of dripping green, billowing clouds, and a beautiful cascade of two twin waterfalls nestled deep in the hidden jungle. The morning conditions and the associated soft light set the ideal stage for sending our drone, affectionately-dubbed “Bebecito,” to the sky. After our perfectly timed flight, both maximizing flight time and ensuring that Bebecito made it back to camp (rather than crash landing and requiring a search mission … *foreshadowing*), we joined Javier and Daniel Valencia in opening two perpendicular mist nets along the forest edge.
Read MoreWhat does nature mean to me? What doesn’t nature mean to me? Nature is my everything. Nature is my sanctuary, my playground, my study, my place of physical and mental rebirth, my place of infinite knowledge and discovery. Nature is my second mother. Nature is where I was raised, where I was nurtured, where I learned the way the world works, and where I found myself in some of the greatest moments of living so far.
Read MoreThis particular drama starts with an ant. Or does it start with a mushroom—or is that where it ends? For cyclical mother nature, ends and beginnings don't really exist, and so I will start where I like, and that is with a spore.
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