The Global Classroom project started
out as a dream, a dream that has become a reality in ways we never
imagined
possible.
Over the years we have received letters and phone calls from students
who over the past ten years have joined us in the jungles of Costa
Rica, on the beaches of Baja and even our trips to Africa and Nepal.
These letters all share a common theme. Each student wrote about
their personal experiences while participating in the Global Classroom
project and how those experiences led to a deeper understanding
of themselves and the natural world. Many went on to say that their
participation in the GCR project inspired them to pursue educational
degrees in such areas as ecology, biology, human development and
other sciences. The trips also inspired them to travel to foreign
lands and down avenues of life they never thought possible before
they joined us on our adventures. To this we say YES!! That is
what we are all about.
-Colin Garland
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Nearly Official - counting down the minutes to ownership
of the Aula Global Biological Reserve
On September 27, 2000, GCR volunteers will be traveling to Costa
Rica to meet with legal representative Andre Wells, Costa Rican volunteer
Israel Mendez Archia and land owner Pablo Barquero. We will all come
together on Pablo's remote farm to sign legal papers officially preserving
this forested land for generations to come.
As you may know, for nearly six years we have been soliciting funds to purchase
tropical forest in Costa Rica. Our intention is to protect it forever from logging,
grazing and other destructive activities. Not only would this land be an important
ecological reserve for jaguars, quetzals and hundreds of other species, it would
also offer hands on educational opportunities for students from around the world.
We have finally completed the long and circuitous process of naming and registering "Aula
Global" with the Costa Rican Government. Aula Global is about to be
legally recognized as a biological reserve and educational entity consisting
of 96.36
acres of tropical rain forest in the mountains of Costa Rica. At the upcoming
meeting of GCR volunteers, farmers and lawyers, papers will be signed transferring
nearly 100 acres of tropical forest to Aula Global, ensuring the property
will remain protected for generations to come.
If we had known how challenging it was going be to raise $50,000, clamber
and thrash through and over countless swamps and forests in search of the "perfect" land,
we may not have pursued this project at all. What a long journey it has been.
Tracking jaguars through impenetrable jungle has proven to be easier than
finding land that was right for this project.
Let's clarify something here. There is no shortage of rain forest that needs
to be protected in Costa Rica; but there is a severe shortage of legal titles
to the land that is available. If jaguars are considered rare, then the Costa
Rican land title is nearly extinct!! This has proven to be both a positive issue
and a negative one. On one side of the banana leaf, there are thousands of acres
of untitled land that has been in the hands of families for several generations
and no one has a deed because the land was squatted in the first place. Only
the most accessible epics were exploited for crops and pasture with a majority
of it remaining forested and untouched. Most of this forested land was too remote
for homesteads and too thick for pasture. So, it remained intact and largely
ignored. But that has all changed.
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Beginning in the
mid sixties the US decided to import huge amounts of beef from
Central America in it's desperate
attempt to keep up with the glut of fast food restaurants popping
up on every block. As the golden arches sprouted with each million
sold in your back yard, trees and frogs, butterflies and birds
disappeared by the billions in someone else's back yard. The time
has come for
us to consider the fact that our neighborhood does not stop at
the end of the American dream and white picket fence. A lot of
the species
we hear and see in our yards and forests are in transition as they
travel to and from distant lands in search of food, mates and winter
warmth. As you read this newsletter, hundreds of acres of rain
forest are being lost forever so we can save a nickel on a fast
food burger.
The web of life has far reaching tendrils and we must realize tropical
rain forests are our back yard too. A back yard we are losing at
an alarming rate. Lost not to Wal Mart and Mini Malls, but hooves
and hatchets. We are rapidly destroying our children's planet so
we can save pennies on a super deluxe burger combo with extra cheese.
Crawling through the jungles of the Costa Rican courts, in search
of the ever elusive land title, I have come to know many people
in Costa Rica. This has been rewarding, educational and somewhat
frustrating.
Once the word got out that there were Americans looking to purchase
land we became pretty well known. Suddenly everyone and their brother
had land for sale. Over the years I have had many conversations
with total strangers who were eager to guide me down the path to
the "perfect" piece
of forest. Time has proven over and over that the path we were
led down was lit by the glimmer of dollar signs flashing in their
eyes.
The glimmer so bright it blinded them from the simple fact that
they did not own the land they were trying to sell us.
Recently, foreign tourists have been buying up farmers land at
an alarming speed, spending as much as $3,000 a hectare for a basic
plot of over used land. Many
of these farmers are squatters who made "improvements" to the land
and eventually claimed title to it. Now, thirty years later, these "owners" are
finding that huge profits can be made on land they can't use for agriculture
anyway. When word got out we had US dollars and were looking for land, the
cat was out of the bag.
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Suddenly it seemed
everyone had a relative wanting to sell land. Sometimes it would
take weeks of negotiations
and research to discover they did not have a legal title. One property
we looked into had six separate "owners" but not one
of them could produce a shred of paperwork. For generations many
cultures
have honored the hand shake and word of mouth as a binding contract.
I am afraid the mighty dollar has begun eroding the foundation
on which those contracts stood. To be playing a part in the undermining
of that trust has been a bitter tasting
reality for me.
Though selling land was a fast decision for the sellers, the situation for us
as a buyer has been an entirely different story. Living in a culture where we
can pick up a phone or peck on a keyboard and get a response in minutes, doing
business in the remote reaches of Costa Rica has been like slipping back in time
a hundred years or more. Most farmers do not have phones and it takes weeks,
sometimes months to receive a letter if you get one at all. It takes forever
to get anything done. It is no wonder the sloth is so abundant in Costa Rica.
It must feel right at home.
Though purchasing land in Costa Rica was a jungle in which we had never entered
before, we decided we should set some important standards. We have been unwavering
in sticking by them. The Global Classroom project and land acquisition must benefit
the local community in which the project is located. We will not pay more than
$450 an acre for forested land (fair market value) and we will not enter into
any agreement to purchase land that does not have a clear and registered title.
The land must
be at least
85%
forested with a minimum of 50% being primary forest.
The pressure to buy a piece of land to appease all the funders and inquiring
reporters has been incredible and a challenge for us. More than once we wanted
to just take the chance on an untitled piece of forest but we could not bring
ourselves to do it. We have recently discovered that the infamous Monte Verde
Reserve in Costa Rica has several law suits pending. The issue? Several thousand
acres of "untitled land" they cannot prove they own. We are so happy
we learned the way of the sloth. Slow, methodical and unwavering. For us the
day has finally come to celebrate and realize good things come to those who
wait. In less than a week I will be away from this computer, sweeping a pen
across
paper and slipping through the dripping, emerald green of Aula Global. Like
the sloth, we slowly made our way to the top and can relax for a little while.
Although,
come to think of it I did see a mountain lion leap 26 feet straight up into
a Cecropia tree to snatch a sleeping sloth once!! I guess we'll keep our fingers
crossed until after September 27.
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GCR founder invited on research expedition to study
the elusive snow leopard
Colin Garland will be joining a small Russian
research expedition, traveling to the remote Argut River region
on the borders of Mongolia,
Kazakhstan and Siberia. A major focus of the Argut river expedition
will be to research and document snow leopard habitat, their
activities and range. Climbing high into the frozen mountains in
search of these
mysterious cats, they will also determine the prey base available
for the small population of leopards that live in this remote
area. The resulting data is to be used as further justification
for long-term
preservation of critical snow leopard habitats within the Argut
river region. The team also seeks to establish protected territories
and
nature reserves within other areas of the Altai and Sayan mountains.
The expedition will certainly be one of the most important and
arduous trips undertaken by Garland. Living for nearly a month
in the most remote and frozen
landscapes, at altitudes that make most people's heads spin, Garland will
be required to carry loads of 80-100 pounds through deep snow
and across icy slopes.
He will be entering into the land of the snow leopard, a land of steep, precipitous
terrain with temperatures close to 30 below zero. In this type
of environment he will need to consume close to 6,000 calories
a day to stay warm and accomplish his tasks. This means packing
a lot
of food and drinking 3-4 liters of water a day to replace that
which is lost through respiration and perspiration at such high
altitudes and in such cold climes.
Having traveled
to Siberia and Kazakhstan twice in the last year he has witnessed
first hand the hardships
endured by the researchers he will be joining. Struggling with
constant shortages of funds, ridiculously low wages and relying
on the most
basic and out-dated equipment, the Russian teams accomplish the
most amazing tasks. Colin is dedicated to fundraising and seeking
donations
of reliable and updated gear such as tents, light weight stoves
and sleeping bags, enabling them to travel lighter and stay in
the field
longer. An immediate threat to the snow leopards exists in
the Altai in that a portion of their habitat may fall into a zone
of planned economic development. The construction of a road and
gas pipeline is being considered. Cutting through prime snow leopard
habitat from Russia to China across the Ukok plateau in the Altai,
the road is presently being promoted by regional Russian government
officials in a consortium called the Siberian Accord. International
protest campaigns are now being developed
to oppose these plans.
Since the fall of the Soviet Union, many Russian researchers have worked for
weeks, sometimes months without pay. Some will never be paid. The economic crisis
in the former Soviet Union has also led to a huge increase in snow leopard poaching
by struggling farmers and even by reserve staff--the very people that had been
hired to protect them. Add to this the thriving black market in snow leopard
parts for Chinese medicine and you have a recipe for extinction, The few remote
areas left must be saved and preserved as a safe haven for the last remaining
snow leopards that live at the roof of the world.
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A note from the GCR founder
The snow leopard is an
elusive and strikingly beautiful cat found in the most remote and
mountainous
areas of Central Asia. Living
at altitudes up to 19,000 feet, in some of the most rugged terrain
on earth, little is known about the snow leopard, or "Bars" as
it is called in Siberia. To be invited on this expedition is
a great honor and will be a test of my tracking and mountaineering
skills
I will be joining Russian friend and colleague Vyacheslav Trigubovich
and three other researchers who are among the most dedicated
and knowledgeable snow leopard
researchers in the former Soviet Union. Having traveled to Siberia with a student
group in 1999, I have seen first hand the hardships these researchers endure
and the lack of resources available to them. Relying on antiquated,
heavy camping equipment, meager budgets for food and a constant shortage
of even the most basic supplies, they still manage |
to get the job
done. Being the lead guide of a wilderness adventure company for
nearly 15 years, it is considered unthinkable to be using gear my
colleagues are forced to use. Therefore, it is my personal goal to
collect funds and updated equipment to bring to Siberia to be used
during the Argut river expedition. The lightweight tents and other
gear will then be donated to the team for future research trips.
Please consider contributing to this cause. Thank you. Colin Garland.
Snow leopard expedition wish list
1 - North face VE24 four season tent
3 - 5 degree or warmer winter sleeping bags
3- Bivi sacs
1 - 10mm x 165 dry mountaineering rope
3 - Black Diamond Alpine Bod harnesses
2 - ATC belay devices
1 - Whisperlite International multi-fuel stove
3 - 1 liter MSR fuel Bottles |
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About
the Resplendent
Quetzal, celebrity of the rain forest
The resplendent quetzal (pharomachrus
mocinno) is one of the most beautiful birds found in the rain
forest of Costa Rica. A member
of the trogon (trogonidae) family, the quetzal is found in
forested areas at elevations of roughly 1,500 to 2,500 meters.
It has been
found in Costa Rica at elevations as low as 1300 meters and
as high as 3,000. The northern sub species (pharomachrus mocinno
mocinno)
is found from southern Mexico through Honduras and into north-western
Nicaragua, and the southern sub species (p.m.costaricensis)
ranges from southern Nicaragua to into western Panama. Recognized
by it's
excessively long tail. the male quetzal is a special treat
and much sought after by all bird enthusiasts. The quetzal is endangered
throughout it's entire range due to habitat destruction.
Male quetzals sport a metallic green back, wing coverts and
head, red breast, a meter long tail and a small head crest.
The female is a duller color with short
tail feathers. Though the shimmering, brilliant green plumage is stunning
in the sun light, it is in fact an illusion. If one was to
look at a quetzal feather
under a microscope you would find the quetzals feathers are not green at
all, but a dull brown, Each feather carries millions of tiny
brown packets of melanin
spaced at the precise intervals of the wave lengths of green light. Called
interference, this physical phenomenon makes the light hitting
the feathers reflect green.
Quetzal will often sit motionless in the canopy and can be quite difficult
to spot. They are most active during courtship when the males will take to
the air
in great spirals trying to attract a female. Males will also chase each other
through the dense forests with their long tails trailing behind.
Nesting season occurs between March and June. The pair will seek out a rotting
tree and enlarge existing woodpecker holes to create a cavity. Their beaks
and claws are too weak to dig at living trees so they are dependent on the
large, standing trunks
of dead trees. Most nests are found around 10 meters off the ground
and will contain two eggs of a light blue color. Both parents will
share in all the nesting duties and will often split the day into
two shifts each. Nesting territories average around 300 meters
in a radius around the nest site
and from 4 to 40 meters in height.
Their diet consists of fruit from the avocado and fig family, insects, lizards
and frogs. Due to large scale clearing of forests for cattle, coffee and tea,
as well as other destructive practices, the quetzals are finding it more and
more difficult to find habitat suitable to living and nesting. Add to this the
fact that quetzals nest in trees that are at the end of their life cycle and
are susceptible to high winds, earthquakes and erosion, the failure rate of nests
can be quite high. We are proud to have two nesting pairs of these magnificent
birds nesting on Global Classroom property and will begin a fig and avocado planting
campaign this spring. We will also be making artificial nest sites to encourage
successful nests in the future.
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Indonesian Island Exploration
Every once in a while
we have a participant that joins us on a trip who is so curious
and intrigued by nature that there is no doubt
they will go far. In the Case of Anselm Bradford of Bennington
Vermont, it is half way around the world.
Anselm was perhaps 14 years old when he joined us on a trip
to the Costa Rican rain forest. Anselms passion for the flora
and fauna became apparent immediately
as he shot roll after roll of film and slipped in and out of the thick greenery
in search of plants, insects and mammals. It seems this passion has not waned
and his dedication has paid off.
Joining a small group of botanists from the New England Tropical Conservatory,
Anselm is now in the mountainous areas of West Java. As part of a five year
program, he will be collecting botanical specimens and data while living
in a high base
camp in the relatively unexplored regions of steep, forested mountains. The
expedition will be focusing on the genus Begonia
and Araceae, collecting live |
specimens for further study. They
will be
creating a core data base for comparison of the plants found on
different Javanese mountains. They will then compare this data
with other areas
of South East Asia. Over the next four years, the expedition is
slated to travel to Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Irian Jaya.
A
welcomed return to Baja Mexico
Each December GCR volunteers travel
to Baja Mexico to guide sea kayaking trips and complete service
projects for local communities.
We will once again be
collecting donations of childrens clothing, school supplies, story books,
soccer balls, base balls and mitts and other items. We will
be departing mid December
and will drive across the country and enter into Mexico by Christmas
to deliver the goods. If you have items you would like to donate
please call us soon so
we can arrange a pick up. |
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