Earthwatch: Puerto Rico's Rainforest, June 2002

For 10 days in June, we volunteered at the Casas de la Selva Rainforest Project in Puerto Rico. The goal of this project is to devise sustainable forestry methods to be used by the people who call the rainforest their home (more information the project).

Nine volunteers from across America and Britain, one machete man from Puerto Rico and three principle investigators spent ten days in the rainforest measuring trees. The trees are located in randomly selected plots on the Las Casas property. The trees planted in the study are mahogany and majo trees, both prized for their valuable wood. These trees were planted in lines as to mimic how a tree would fall in the jungle; when a tree falls, a straight path is opened up leaving space for other plants to grow. In the future, when these tree are harvested, there will be minimal impact on the flora in the surrounding area. In addition to checking on the growth of these trees, we also set up plots for a biodiversity study in both control and planted areas. This part of the research is to reveal how planting the trees in the forest affects the original species in the area.

When we weren't hiking to plots, measuring trees or avoiding mudslides, we were eating in the outside dining room, swimming in our private waterfall, mixing tropical drinks, singing, dancing or just hanging out in the jungle.

To see pictures of the expedition, select one of the green buttons at the top or bottom of this page. All photographs on this site were taken digitally by Chris Lim of Boston, MA.

Thank you to our principle investigators: Sally, 3T and Dugan. You rock!

This site was created by Trudi Leone Lord. Questions or comments? Send email to robinhood@bigfoot.com. This site was developed using Macromedia Dreamweaver 4 and Fireworks 4. This site requires Flash. Last updated on 15-Aug-2002 .