Puerto Rico Las Casas de la Selva, Patillas, Puerto Rico
Qualifications:
The first thing you will need to learn is how to recognize mahogany and mahoe trees — even very small ones. You will hike steep mountainsides in a beautiful, very old tropical rainforest to measure the thousands of mahogany and mahoe trees planted since 1984 and plot their progress. You will also help staff measure and identify native trees in study plots for comparison with planted trees. In addition, at night you will help monitor local populations of coqui, a tiny tree frog and much-loved national symbol of Puerto Rico. In your free time, you will be able to enjoy local hikes (if you still have the energy), take a dip in one of our rivers, visit other local attractions, or just relax and enjoy the rainforest.
Description:
esearch Mission:
Test a new way to manage tropical rainforests that could provide local income while protecting biodiversity.
Situation Report:
Las Casas de la Selva, Patillas, Puerto Rico — The World Resources Institute estimates that each year 13.7 million hectares of tropical forest are cut down, with drastic consequences for biodiversity and local economic sustainability. Sally Silverstone and Dr. Mark Nelson (Institute of Ecotechnics) are testing a new way to harvest rainforest trees by mimicking nature. The project staff cuts long, three-meter-wide slots through the forest, each line separated by ten meters of intact rainforest, as if a canopy tree had fallen in the rainforest. They plant tree seedlings in each line, and then harvest the trees later without disturbing the surrounding forest. Silverstone and Nelson are evaluating their two decades of research to see which planting sites are working best and what their impact is on surrounding forest....
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