Issue #6

Costa Rica

The little yellow orchid sends out a huge, wafting fragrance that lingers, creeps and assaults the senses. The air is thick with a pungent aroma. It's a feather weight orchid with a heavy weight punch. With a blossom no larger than a pea, this flower can be found by just following your nose up to a quarter mile away.

Being the fly that you are, you buzz around the forest with your sensors on full alert. You are looking for the unique smell that confirms you have found a prospective mate, ready to receive you with open wings. The chemical she releases attracts even the shyest of competition, so you make a bee line straight for the epicenter of the aroma field. Being one of numerous species of rain forest fly with an adult life span of mere hours, you have little time to act to ensure the survival of your species.

You circle around and around closing in on the unmistakable smell of female fly. But wait, what's this, the smell of rotting flesh? There is nothing like it. Forget the mating thing. What could be better to a fly than to buzz down into the smelly muck and slip a tongue into the seething goo, deposit a little digestive fluid, suck up the melting flesh and fly away somewhere to rest your bulging belly.

But the ladies are waiting!! "OK, OK! Just one little tap dance on this rotting animal and I'll be right over." You do a half roll to the right, and head for the rotting smell. Following your nose you realize you are flying up into the trees instead of to the ground where dead things are found. Can this be true? Look at all those waiting ladies. It seems every one of these orchid blossoms has a female fly resting on it. Not just any kind of fly. YOUR KINDA OF FLY!! You are the lucky one today.

Landing on a nearby plant, you look out through your bug eyes in amazement at all the pretty little ladies. It seems every single blossom of this orchid has a ready and willing lady fly. With all these pheromones flying around, and each one of these little ladies wiggling their butts in the air, there is no doubt you will be the proud parent of thousands of cherubic faced maggots. (OK, so maybe they are faces only a mother can love) But wait, the smell of that meal you just zeroed in on is here, but you can't find the buffet table with the rotting flesh. Maybe you'll just saunter over to the Miss'us who's wigglin her little rear at you and have a look at the meal she seems to be squandering. You crawl over to have a closer look. You have found the origin of the aroma but there's no food, just this stinky little flower with this lady fly inside. "Well, since I'm here lets do the mating thing." As you approach her you expect her to give you a lift of that fuzzy little keester to say "hey fella, what's your sign?" But nothing.

She stands her ground with butt still swaying. You get a little closer. You climb over the curving pedals of the orchid and enter the chamber where she sits. You cross over the pistil and stamen and just as you are about to nuzzle up to her she releases a chemical that makes your head spin. You stagger backward in retreat, but there is something about the smell that makes you beg for more, no matter the cost.

So you go in for one more try. You crawl back into the flowery tunnel but as you are about to sidle up to the unsuspecting lady fly you get walloped yet again with this mystery mist. This time it's too much. Fully intoxicated, you stagger backward, delirious and confused. You try fumbling around with your wings but they are non-compliant. Eyes misty and legs wobbly, nothing is in focus. You finally tumble out of the flower and fall to the ground, but not before successfully pollinating the orchid by staggering about inside the fertile plant like a farmer casting seed. It is then you realize this orchid has thousands of tiny triggers that look like prospective mates. The catch is, these fake flies emit intoxicating chemicals that make you stumble and crash about, ensuring you pollinate the plant.

The story of the Hungry fly and the phony ladies is one of thousands that play themselves out every day and night in the orchid world of Costa Rica. We all think of flowers as being sweet smelling, welcoming plants for noses and visitors, but some are not at all friendly. Mimic flowers such as the Stanhopea Gibbosa mentioned above have special and unique ways to trap, trick and entice their pollinators into ensuring their own propagation through pollination. In this case the flower has a small protuberance at the entrance to the blossom, and the slightest breeze will wiggle this phony fly just like a receptive female. With only hours to live as an adult, the male fly is on a mission to mate.

The pungent smell emanating from the blossoms resembles rotting flesh, attracting a plethora of possible pollinators as the flies flock to the site in search of a meal and a place to lay eggs. Offering something for both males and female, the flies meet and do their thing, ensuring the propagation of both flower and fly.

While visiting Costa Rica it seems nearly impossible not to see at least a dozen different species of orchid. The Family Orchicdaceae is after all, the largest family of flowering plants on earth and can be found on every major land mass except Antarctica. There are some thirty thousand species known to exist, with Costa Rica at the head of the pack with 1,100 species known, and surely many more waiting to be discovered. Orchids are everywhere in Costa Rica but they are not always easy to see, nor are they always obvious. Take the Sobralia for instance.

The Sobralia Orchid is a large plant with huge white blossoms that can be found throughout a wide range of terrain, but if you are not there the day the flowers open, you will not see it in bloom. This species flowers for only one day before the blossoms wither and fall off. Another orchid that requires a sharp eye is Platystele jungermannioides which can be found in many areas of Costa Rica, but if you want to find this one you better bring your magnifying glass. This stunningly beautiful plant is less than 1 mm tall with a blossom no larger than the head of a pin.

Orchids can be found in Costa Rica from sea level to over 10,000 feet but reach their greatest numbers in the mid level elevations from 1,200 to 6,000 feet. Most of the Costa Rican orchids (88%) are epiphytic with the remaining 12% being terrestrial. But if you are taking to the wilds to study orchids don't get fooled into thinking you could identify a particular species by this method. Often the same species can be found terrestrially or epiphytically, depending upon the growth conditions; however, "normal" epiphytes are encountered growing on the ground more often than "normal" terrestrials are found in trees. There are no known orchids that grow as free-floating aquatics.

Hybridization in nature is rare but does happen on occasion. This may be partially true due to the fact that many orchids have specific pollinators, using scent, color and location to attract a certain species of bird, insect, bat or other animal. Since the first artificial hybrid orchid bloomed in the mid 1800's, more than 53,000 artificial crosses have been registered.

In nature, all orchids studied to date have been found to be mycorrhizal, at least during the germination and seedling stages of their growth. This little known and interesting relationship between orchid and fungus is a mystery yet to be fully understood. Plants raised in laboratories, without the introduction of fungal symbionts, appear to grow and function as well as their wild counterparts. Adding to the mystery is the fact some plants in the wild have been found to loose their fungal symbionts as they mature. To date, scientists do not understand how and why there are so many orchids in the world. How could a plant so dependent on specific interaction with fungi, other plants, and animals have "exploded evolutionarily into 30,000 species when these factors argue against their success? As a leading botanist in Costa Rica stated "there is much to learn and very little time in which to do it".

I have always found orchids to be fascinating plants. Who can resist an oooh or an ahhh when wandering the trails and happening upon a tree with an explosion of colors, as huge purple, white, and yellow orchids grace it's limbs and trunk, with others swinging in the mist. It was during a recent visit with my friend Gabriel in the Costa Rican town of Santa Elena that my interest soared. Gabriel has transformed his tiny, near vertical back yard into an "Orchid Garden" that is open to the public for a small fee. Though I find his hundreds of plants interesting, what I enjoyed most during this visit was the excitement and passion he shared as he guided me around to each plant, sharing it's little mysteries and quirks with the excitement of a child in a candy store. It is obvious this man loves his job.

Being a self taught illustrator and collector of orchids, this fascination has taken Gabriel into a world little known by scientists. He has even managed to discover a few endemic species which now take his name. He has also illustrated some books and reference charts as well. Gabriel is a prime example of someone who has realized the vacuum in research being done in the rain forests of the world. They are so vast and so little understood. As a collective mass, we must realize rain forests are precious, unique and critical. They must be protected. BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!

Kazahkstan

" This is going to be a long day I can tell." We had only been on horseback for a few minutes and already I could feel the leather straps of the makeshift saddle sneaking it's way up into places it has no right being. To add to the discomfort was one other minor detail. The stirrups were permanently adjusted for the small Kazahkstani people who ride these horses every day. (picture Magic Johnson peddling your three year old's tricycle and you have an image that will work)

In May 1999, Global Classroom Joined forces with Sacred Earth Network, traveling to the small village of Aksu Zhabagly to meet with Snow Leopard researchers, assisting in drafting management plans, set up e-mail stations and address poaching and other threats to this magnificent cat. After days of meetings and forums it was finally time to get out of the office and into the mountains. Once there will be camping in the Tien Shan mountains within the Aksu Zhabagly Zapavednic. Zapavednics are protected areas that are ordinarily closed to humans, so to be invited into the Zapevednic was an honor. What we saw and experienced was a blessing. (a short article cannot do this trip justice)

The Tien Shan mountains look similar to the upper reaches of our Rocky Mountains in that they are young, snow capped and rugged. With high grassy slopes that support Argali sheep and Ibex, it is the perfect habitat for the snow leopard, our primary reason for the trip. Snow leopards are elusive cats, living at very high elevations and in extreme conditions. With an acute sense of smell, excellent eye sight, perfect camouflage, and the ability to navigate precipitous, high altitude terrain, little is known about this mysterious cat.

Aside from the spectacular scenery and abundant wildlife, the most memorable times for me were the late nights in base camp sitting around a makeshift table listening to the researchers talk about the Snow leopard and their experiences of trying to study them. But that's another story. Where was I? Oh yeah, the masochistic saddle strap and knees up by my ears.

Leaving the flowered lowland meadows behind, we clip-clopped our way into the Tien Shan. By late afternoon we had reached the small makeshift shelter that would be our new home. Perched on a steep hillside overlooking a massive canyon with roaring waterfalls, the site was perfect. I dismounted my trusty steed (trusted to go everywhere you didn't want it to go, when you didn't want it to go) and broke out the spotting scope to have a look around. It was at this moment I realized these researchers do incredible work with little or no equipment. They all lined up in amazement, taking turns peering into meadows far across the valley. We counted 28 Ibex, some with massive horns sweeping back from years of growth.

The following morning we headed out on foot, cutting up and diagonal across steep terrain. We were now at nearly 9,000 feet. The air was crisp and the skies clear. As we rounded the ridge we headed straight into the strong winds coming off the snow capped peaks to the north, allowing us easier access to animals we might encounter. I sniffed the air and could smell a scent post where a snow Leopard had left it's urine as a territorial marker. Moments later I felt a presence far across the valley. A tiny white speck was moving. Though it was too far away to identify, I knew it was a bear. I told the group there was a bear over across the way but everyone just squinted and looked at me like I was crazy. I pulled out the spotting scope and set it up on the tripod. Sure enough. It was a Tien Shan bear!! It was so big and so cute.

We all sneaked along the slope making our way to a small rock outcrop less than a hundred yards away from the bear. I was one of the first people to get to the outcrop so I set up the scope to get a closer look. WOW.!! This is a BIG bear. Being related to the Grizzly, these guys are huge. Though they are found to have many different color phases ranging from light brown to black, this one was a beautiful blonde color.

Just as everyone got to the rock I felt the hair ruffling on the back of my neck. The winds have now shifted. I crouched low behind a dead snag and motioned for everyone to freeze. I waited for the bear to react. As soon as that wind reached him his nose turned upwards, he took a strong stance and began to rock side to side. Then he ran right at us!!! I watched through the scope as the "cute bear" became the "big bear" with huge claws and rippling muscles. It ran right for us, stopping only 60 feet away after realizing it was running at us instead of away from us. I was able to see every gleaming claw, it's clear shiny eyes and every curly lock on it's massive haunches. Suddenly I was aware of the tiny juniper tree I was crouched behind. Standing still, trying not to breathe, I clicked off a few photo's. He then rolled over a few luggage sized rocks in protest, turned it's Volkswagen size butt to us and ran up slope.

In the days to come we would witness another bear with a cub rolling around in the warm sun. They were playing, albeit a bit rougher than I would care to experience. As we were leaving the valley and heading back to the cabin, we spotted a herd of Ibex standing around a mud hole lapping at the minerals. They were supplementing their meager winter diets of bark, moss, lichens and other low nutrient foods.

It was great to be stalking these creatures with people that know how to move silently and effortlessly, while constantly checking air movement to stay down wind. For me, there is an art to stalking wild animals that stirs up some ancient, long settled dust that I can only describe as a spiritual experience. We are now within 15 meters of them. There are 36 in all. The days go by, each one being more exciting than then last. Wild boars with young, two more bears, dozens of hawks, eagles and falcons. The list goes on and on.

It was on our final day that I felt those ancient feelings rushing in again. A few adventurous souls and myself dismounted from our horses, grabbed a quick lunch of dried fruits and bread and headed up into the snow fields. With hearts pounding and lungs burning, we climbed steep terrain above 10,000 feet, topping out in a beautiful glacial bowl surrounded by jagged, ice covered peaks. All through the snow fields were table sized rocks left to the test of time. It was on these rocks, literally every single rock of size, that we found ancient pictographs and petroglyphs. Wonderful images of Snow Leopards, Argali sheep, Ibex, Camels and even the occasional hunter with bow and arrow. One particular rock lay flat, it's large dark surface covered in images. I gently lay across it, closed my eyes and let the intense sun penetrate my bones. Within minutes I was fast asleep, my heart pounding from the dreams of Snow Leopards bounding through chest deep snow.

Siberia

Lying in a field under the nighttime sky, Our Russian friend Elya was walking us through the constellations, identifying stars along the way. Suddenly--a bright white burning object appeared, crossing the sky from west to east. A long, broad trail of green glow followed it, lingering ominously in the heavens. There was no doubt in anyone's mind: the burning object was a rocket booster, shed from its mother ship after being launched from Baikanor, western Kazakhstan. The green glow was the remaining un-used solid rocket fuel leaking into the atmosphere. Both the rocket booster and these poisonous contaminants were to land a few hundred miles away in the pristine wilderness of the Altai mountains of Siberia.

This summer, Colin Garland and Susan Cutting brought a group of US students to southern Siberia to join their Russian counterparts on an environmental and outdoor education program. These sixteen students and leaders traveled high into the Russian Altai mountains near the borders of Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia to learn about the ecology and cultures of these remote lands and the urgent problems that they face. Little did we know that we would encounter first hand a falling rocket booster, and see other sharp juxtapositions of wild beauty and environmental degradation. Our mission was to teach and practice minimum impact camping--which is a new concept to many Russian backpackers, to learn to work with each other, and to see what these legendary mountains were to reveal to us of ourselves. We spent the first few days at Katunsky Nature Reserve helping them clear debris from the site of a new youth environmental education center. Then we set out with our packs into the remote wilderness. In just over 2 weeks, we hiked over 100 miles through the forests, upon the glaciers under Mount Belukha, over a 12,000 foot pass brimming with a multitude of color from thousands of wild flowers, then steeply down into the Kucherla river valley. Along the way, we noted the harsh effects on this remote forest region from campfires, half burned trash and rusting garbage piles. (all prime examples of what we hope to change) We experimented in cooking Russian and American meals over a portable camping stove in a way to best preserve fuel. We took on the challenges of the trail bearing heavy packs by day, speaking of our concerns for protecting these areas that have been granted World Heritage status by UNESCO, and played games in evening circles. During a lakeside meeting, this newly formed group of friends, both Russian and American, resolved to create a brochure and distribute them to Russian campers, spreading the word about low impact camping.

Note: The solid rocket boosters mentioned above are falling into some of the most beautiful wilderness areas in the world. These boosters are leaking extremely hazardous fuels into streams, villages and mountains. Many indigenous people are falling ill, with woman giving birth to infants with dark yellow skin. These launches are inexpensive and frequent, attracting US. companies looking to place satellites and other cosmic hardware. Joining forces with leading Russian environmentalists, we have begun a campaign in Russia and America to help stop the poisoning of people, animals and the environment. Please feel free to contact us if you would like more information on how to help. We have had some newspaper coverage and a story on National Public Radio is on the way. If you have ideas or contacts that may assist us in this project please call Susan at Sacred Earth Network (978) 724-0079 or Colin Garland at (978)724 3530.