Kumbira Fieldwork 2015 – Trip 2

We did a second field trip to Kumbira from October 6^th to October 11^th. I (Aimy) and Ninda Baptista participated in this field trip together with Antonio Estrelinha (a freelancer photographer). We also were accompanied by Pedro Vaz Pinto (Giant Sable project), Nito Rocha and Wolfram Brock.

During this field trip we participated in a workshop organized by the local Administration of Conda. We had the opportunity to present the project in from of representative of the regional and local government, as well as the civil society (Figure 1). The objective of this workshop was to raise awareness regarding the need to establish a natural reserve in Kumbira.

Figure 1. Ninda Baptista presenting the project during the workshop

We also met with Kumbira village school teachers to talk about the environmental education campaign we want to do with the students (Figure 2). The idea of this campaign is to build awareness about the forest importance and its biodiversity. We also had the opportunity to talk with the children and answer to some of the questions they had (Figure 3). During these meetings we had the company of Paula Reis. Paula was born and grew up in Kumbira and her family is owner of Fazenda Belita. She knows the people in the community and her participation in the environmental education activities will be vital to assure their success.

Figure 2. Ninda and Aimy meeting with the school teachers in Kumbira

Figure 3. Children at Kumbira school

In the nursery, the plants have been growing well. We measured all the plants (Figure 4) and from the 141 saplings we planted in the first field trip, 133 have survived which represent a survival rate of 94%. However, we want to wait to our next field trip to see if this survival rate is maintained. Additionally, we planted 60 more saplings and expanded the nursery (Figure 5).

Figure 4. Aimy Cáceres measuring the plants in the nursery

Figure 5. Sixty more saplings were planted in the nursery

Figure 6. Ninda teaching the children how to register the saplings data