So the days after Tiputini, I met with my group project members to finalize details of our project and presentation. Our topic that was assigned on the first day of class was “Social Causes of Deforestation”, which is right in line with my set of interests in dealing with meeting human needs while still respecting the natural world.
Interesting things to note about deforestation in the Ecuadorian rainforest (not deforestation in general, because that was far too broad for our presentation!):
Most of it is done for wood, agriculture, and oil extraction.
The biggest driving forces behind the majority of this deforestation is economic interests and policy influence (that is, policies that encourage the clearing of forests or ineffectual policies that don't prevent it).
A big thing we found was the agreement that Ecuador has signed with China this year - in exchange for 52% of Ecuador’s crude oil production for a $1.7 billion loan from China.
This entangles with it the economic needs of Ecuador as a country and especially the needs of the citizens that are at stake.
Ecuador is try to quickly develop and grow - for instance, I see US-style strip malls all over Quito and its suburbs, and it seems like the US lifestyle is the standard of glamour. However, as with any country’s development, it is precariously damaging its natural resources and stripping away the country of its treasures in the form of its forests, rivers, mountains, and their natural services.
You’re welcome to look at our prezi presentation. It doesn’t include our explanations between slide points, of course, but it does have a lot of information for understanding the looming problem of deforestation. Click here and use the arrows to navigate like a powerpoint presentation.
For my "field journal" assignment I wrote a poetic extended metaphor-type integration of ecological concepts about each of our field trips. You can download the pdf here.
The day before our final exam, we reviewed for the exam, saw Esteban's pictures from our field trips, and had a discussion about sustainability (and what it means to "develop"). Here are his photo videos: (Warning - the nature shots are gorgeous.)
Páramo (Paluguillo/Papallacta):
Maquipucuna:
Tiputini:
So nice.
For the weekend, we were clear for starting a new class on Monday and spent some time before we Mountain Geology students had to say goodbye to the other students in the program as they departed 5 am on Sunday morning for San Cristobal, Galápagos.
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| This is a chicken and mushroom crepe wrap that I had before cracking down to work on my group project. $2.50 of deliciousness! |
Tiny recorder player at the Quito market on Sunday!
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| Savannah poses for an artist after we stopped to watch him practice portraiture with a photograph and he offered to draw one of us. He usually draws nature and animals - especially birds - and sometimes works with biologists in the field who want illustrations. |
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| Finished product! I still think it doesn't quite look like her, but it sure looks like a real person. |
Very Nice indeed
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