GIN and tree planting

I went tree planting with 100 Middle School students (grades 6-8 - i.e. 12-14 years old). We have a very active GIN group in our school. Yeah - it took a while to get used to calling a student group "the gin group". It stands for Global Issues Network, and it was a subgroup of the GIN took the initiative to organize this service-learning activity yesterday.
We were bussed to a city-owned park south of Quito where there is a project to reforest the hillside with native species.



We got off the bus and each person picked up one or two saplings
and headed for the clearing on the other side of the eucalyptus
stand. The first task was to move about 1000 saplings to the
planting site.



Most of us went several times back and forth
carrying the baby trees into the clearing.

Students were divided into 6 working groups
Within the groups they were buddied-up. One
to hold the tree and the other to fill the hole.
The holes had already been dug - so the task
was to plant a tree in each hole.

Group instruction on the procedures.



This is how it is done!

Kids fanned out across the hill, looking for the holes to plant
their trees in.

Well deserved lunch after 2 hours of  planting. Some teams (of 2) planted 18-22 trees, others planted 2-3. Generally, most of the students worked their hearts out, but there were a few who, whether unused to such labour or to being so close to nature, struggled with being there. Just like at home, many kids in our international school community grow up with "nature deficit". There are not a lot of spiders and insects at this altitude, but the sight of  even one caused some students to stop working altogether. Others, not wanting to get their hands dirty, were also less productive. But there were other kids who were excited to find interesting lizards, a lizard egg, and grubs, etc. in the holes.
We returned to school proud of a job well-done to re-instate
a native forest. The Gods must have been with us because we got a huge
rainstorm later that evening that watered our newly-planted forest.
 

Off-map driving SW of Otavalo

On Sunday - we took a chance on some more off-map driving. The road/track was very iffy in parts, with deep ruts and narrow track for tires. But, Ole is an excellent driver and we got through a couple of harrowing spots. Thank God! - because there was not another soul on these paths. We might still be sitting there, if we had gotten stuck!!!

Mojanda Lake (18 km SW of Otavalo)



The dirt track was generally dry, except in this spot.

Little Mojanda Lake



Once we got to this side of the Black Ridge we were on a
fairly level road again. But the climb up the backside of
the ridge was definitely dicey.





This is the road we should have been on. But none of the roads
were on the map, so unfortunately we missed it. Nevermind - it
was a great adventure.

Weekend in Cayambe and Otavalo

Great adventure exploring Cayambe Coca Reserve and Mojanda Lakes this weekend! We did lots of dirt road driving trying to find our way. Our Chev Vitara is not a 4 WD and the park guard advised us that we would not be able to make it to the Refugio at 4600m on Cayambe Volcano. He was right. The big rocks and deep ruts forced us to leave the car about 2 kms from the Refugio and to hike the rest. It took us an hour to walk those last 2 kms and 300 meters elevation, against the strong icy wind howling down from the glaciers and in the clouds and rain. Once we were there, though, the clouds thinned a bit and we got a glimpse of the toe of the glacier. Magnificent! It would have been another hour over large, slippery wet rocks to touch the snow so we opted to leave that for another time.



The view of Cayambe from the north side - for our hike we
approached from the south side. It was cloud covered by the
time we got to snow level.

But then the clouds thinned and our physical
efforts were rewarded by  some stunning scenery.

You can spend the night here and attend glacier-climbing
school. Probably very cold and dismal most of the time.

These glacier chunks are one hour hike away. Next time...

We spent Saturday night in this very quiet relaxing monastery turned into a guest house. In this town church bells rang every hour. Idyllic!

View of Imbambura Volcano to the north.

Note - calla lily growing in the cobble stones.

meanwhile in Entwistle, Alberta...