AL AMAZOONICO SE CUIDAN ANIMALES SILVESTRES

La vida de este trozo de selva tropical húmeda del Napo cambio para siempre cuando recibió esta persona de visita. Hace mas de un cuarto de siglo, Angelica, una suiza, visito la selva con una otra pareja extranjera y con Remigio, un guía indigeno (nacionalidad Kichwa) . Sorprendidos de no ver muchos animales, tuvieron la idea loca de emprender a proteger la selva para que regresen los animales. Poco a poco, con el soporte de donantes del mundo entero (cooperativa suiza GSR), bloques de selva primaria y secundaria fueron comprados a dueños extranjeros y protegidos bajo ley. Se llama Selva Viva, del mismo apellido que la ONG que maneja los proyectos turísticos, el AmaZOOnico. Ahora son 1750 hectareas protegidas, a pesar de varios obstáculos administrativas y legales por parte de las autoridades.

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The Guanacaste Conservation Area to Rescue Dry Tropical Forest

As a UNESCO World heritage site (1999), the Guanacaste Conservation Area attracted my eyes when I was thinking about the itinerary in Costa Rica. Located in the North-western side of the country, close to the Nicaragua’s border, it is the land of the second most extensive protected dry tropical forest in the World (just after the Kakadu National park in Australia). This was my first experience of the rich wildlife of Costa Rica.

Outstanding Universal Value

The Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) comprises 163,000 hectares of land and sea in the Northwest of Costa Rica. Encompassing several contiguous protected areas of various categories, the property is a mosaic of diverse ecosystems. The 104,000 hectares of land encompass a continuum of roughly 100 kilometres from the shore of the Pacific to the lowland rainforests in the Caribbean basin.

Transborder Natural Heritage: Mariposas Monarcas en México

Enfant, lorsque je regardais, curieux de tout ce que la nature a seule le don de créer, des documentaires animaliers sur les espèces migratoires, je restais songeur. Comment une petite créature de quelques grammes, au cerveau peu développé en apparence, fait pour revenir exactement à l’endroit même où les individus de son espèce vont pour se reproduire ou s’alimenter. C’est déjà étonnant pour des espèces longévives comme la baleine ou les oiseaux migrateurs, mais alors là le petit papillon monarque qui ne vit que quelques mois et qui n’est jamais venu en ces lieux précis, comment fait-il pour savoir que c’est bien là? A-t-il un GPS intégré dans ses gènes? Est-ce cela ce qu’on appelle l’instinct ou la mémoire collective?

Versiòn española abajo

From Portland to San Francisco

Extraits de notre périple du 20 avril au 10 mai 2013

Rejoindre la côte

Depuis Portland, nous traversons la vallée de la Willamette, très agricole, où vignobles côtoient des vergers et des grandes cultures parfois. Malgré tout, il semblerait que l’agriculture soit raisonnée ici et qu’elle mise sur la qualité. C’est ce que nous avions entendu de Portland. Nous ferons une petite dégust de rab dans le joli village de McMinville, à la Willamette Valley Vineyards, accueillis par le sympathique Steve Brusell. Cela arrangera notre point de vue quant au Pinot noir. En effet, dans cette cave, les vins que nous gouttons sont à notre goût. De plus, Steve nous explique la démarche adoptée par les initiateurs de ce beau projet respectueux de l’environnement. En particulier, il nous explique le recyclage des bouchons de liège collectés à la cave. Aussi les parcelles de production sont conduites en viticulture biodynamique, ce qui réduit les intrants. Ils sont notamment en pointe dans la prise en considération de la fragilité des écosystèmes des rivières peuplés de saumons sauvages. Et ne sont pas les seuls dans la vallée.

EcoTrust, One of the Best Social Responsible Companies

Front of the office

The Project team met M. Mike Mertens, Director of Spatial Analysis at Ecotrust. We had a short insight of the main activities and current challenges of Ecotrust Forest Management that was named “Best for the Environment” as one of the top performers among B Corporations worldwide.

Sixty-three companies across 30 industries and 11 countries were recognized by the nonprofit B Lab, with the release of the B Corp “Best for the Environment List”, a second installment in its B Corp “Best for the World” series.

Founded by Spencer Bebee in 1991, Ecotrust aims to inspire fresh thinking that creates economic opportunity, social equity and environmental wellbeing. Its goal is to foster a natural model of development that creates more resilient communities, economies, and ecosystems here and around the world.

Rainforest Action Network: Environmentalism with teeth

For the first time, we have heard about the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) while talking with an expert dealing with the Corporate Social Responsibility in the USA. The RAN has been developing a unique strategy to influence patterns of production of large companies and make them more responsible. 100% in the target of our project! Even if did not have the opportunity to meet someone working there, we gathered some information about this NGO to share with you.

A l’office du Rainforest Action Network

The RAN is headquartered in San Francisco, California with office staff in Tokyo, Japan, plus thousands of volunteer scientists, teachers, parents, students and other concerned citizens around the world. We believe that a sustainable world can be created in our lifetime, and that aggressive action must be taken immediately to leave a safe and secure world for our children.

From Port Angeles to Portland

Récit de notre périple quotidien du 3 au 20 avril 2013 (pour les francophones!!!)

« Debout à 4h30 du matin pour reprendre le ferry de Saltspring Island vers l’Ile de Vancouver, puis bus vers Victoria. Notre retard pour prendre le ferry vers Port Angeles, USA, nous évite le trop de questions à la douane. Je craignais ce passage mais les cyclistes fous ne sont pas trop des personnes suspectes. Traversée ensoleillée avec vue sur le massif des Olympiques, notre prochaine destination.

The Super Redwoods, World Heritage Witnesses of Ancient Times

After a cold night in the Elk Prairie campground in the Prairie Creek Redwood State Park, we had the chance to meet on the ground M. Keith Bensen, biologist at the US National Park Service. He testified the twisty history of the redwoods while we were walking among these huge living beings…

Biology of the Incredible Redwoods

At the bottom of a Giant redwood with Biologist Keith Bensen

The Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), whose common names include coast redwood or giant redwood, is an evergreen, long-lived tree living 1200–1800 years or more. This species includes the tallest trees living now on Earth, reaching up to 379 feet (115.5 m) in height (without the roots) and up to 26 feet (7.9 m) in diameter at breast height.

#Eco-Housing in the Trees Is Possible

From a Dream to the Reality

Jamie, the nephew of Rosey and Tom Cowan, welcomed us while we were finally reaching the Free Spirit Spheres after a long first day of cycling in the Vancouver Island.

Twenty years ago, Tom, an innovative engineer, had a dream to contribute actively to the preservation of pristine forests and to reconnect people to the Nature. Then the Sphere became real. Tom invented and manufactured them, the first 7 years ago in this forest included in the Qualicum First nations territory, close to Qualicum Beach, north of Nanaimo. There are now 3 Spheres balancing on ropes between trees.

Vancouver Island: 1st Detour into the Wild

Our first tour will be in south of Vancouver Island, the natural beauty island of British Columbia (not the only one!).

We plan to cycle around 10 days there, meeting several persons about forest management, tribal parks, First nations’ culture preservation, whales, eco-housing in the trees, tourism accessibility…

You can have an overview of our expected itinerary in the island in the map here (in blue)

and also here Itinerary Page.

See you soon!