Dispatches
Maquipucuna Foundation – Ecuador, Part III
April 19, 2009
Today everyone woke up feeling much better, still weak, but able to function. We took pictures of the bugs “stuck” to the white blanket and interviewed the herpetologists about what they are finding out here and why this place is unique. Afterwards, we took shots of the property and the orchid nursery. Rebeca told us that natural orchids are constantly being poached from the area and then sold to connoisseurs in Quito. So, as one solution, the staff at Maquipucuna is hoping to establish an orchid nursery to help repopulate the jungle with more orchids, sell orchids to locals so they won’t have to poach the natural ones (also creating jobs for people in the community growing orchids by establishing a market for them), and is working on getting certified to allow guests to the lodge to take “baby” orchids in-vitro home with them as a unique keepsake and memory from their time in Ecuador at the Maquipucuna Lodge.
We got a few more interviews in before lunch and then regrouped and planned for the rest of the afternoon. Rain seems to be a bit of a challenge during this trip and started up shortly after lunch. Chad and Kristin retired again to rest up, while Alex and Rob drove into the local town to find out more about what the Maquipucuna Foundation is doing in the area. That evening, the staff treated us to some salsa dancing lessons and local beverages.
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