Five Things I Learned from the Ecuadorian Selva

As part of the “Nature and Culture” track of the Quito, Ecuador study abroad program, twenty-three students and I travelled to University of San Francisco in Quito’s biodiversity station along the Tiputini River located in Yasuni National Park, one of the most biodiverse regions in the world.  After a six hour journey, we found our home for the next four days in the Amazon. Here are a few things I learned: 1) Isolated means ISOLATED.

five things 3First, the bus took us to the airport. Then, we landed in the port city Coca. From there, we waited for a motorized canoe which brought us to an oil company’s bus station. After passing through the company’s customs, we boarded a “chiva” (see picture below) to go to our canoe along the Tiputini River. Finally, after the two-hour canoe ride, we arrived at the biodiversity station where we would live, without communications with the “outside world,” for four days. The station has strict regulations about  conserving  light and water and respecting the lifestyles of plants, animals, and scientists. For many, four days without Wi-Fi, constant electricity, and without hot water may seem like a struggle. However, compare our four days with the years scientists spend at the biodiversity station conducting research, and our experience seems like a minor nuisance.

2) Recycling is not just “paper or plastic.”

If my experience in the Amazon taught me anything, it was to be more conscious of waste on Earth.  At the station, there were six bins labeled specifically for each type of waste. Combining this with what I learned in the Galapagos Islands about how waste from around the world travels to the islands and harms its animals, I am even more aware of the harm our current actions have on diversity of life and humanity’s well-being. Trees are not just trees and animals are not just animals— the people who live in these areas see nature and the living beings within it as equals, worthy of respect and our care. As Julia Roberts tells us, “Nature doesn’t need people.  People need nature.”

3) Ants are important too!

five things 1“Por que necesitamos estudiar hormigas?”  My friend Patricio once asked why we even bothered studying ants—now they don’t actually affect us, right? Before my trip to the Amazon, I would have agreed with him. Yes, spiders, ants, birds, and monkeys are interesting to observe, but what do we learn from them? What’s the purpose of spending hours at the top of an observatory tower trying to spot various birds miles away? Well, the more we study these animals, the more we learn about the world and ourselves. For example, studying the patterns of monkeys gives us a better idea of their habits and how our actions may or may not affect them.  Observing different types of birds is what led Darwin to his great discovery of evolution! I was surprised to discover that I enjoyed spending time studying colonies of ants using teamwork to move leaves across  great distances.

4) When you’re devoted, you’re devoted.

What amazed me the most about  my experience were the knowledge, commitment, and determination of the jungle guides who led the students on trails. My group’s guide, Mayor, has worked at the station for twenty years. Not only did he know where to find certain herbal medicines for ailments, but he could also spot animals from miles away that I could not even find using binoculars. He described how to catch an anaconda and the best way to hold a tarantula. When he spotted a monkey in the trees, he would be the most excited of the entire group and would follow it until he got the perfect picture. His passion led me to appreciate the “little, disgusting things” in nature – like all those lovely spiders and ants.

5) Money may destroy the Amazon.

five things 2Oil. Money. China. Many Ecuadorians whom I met are unhappy with the enormous amount of money the country owes to China as China invests more and more into Ecuador’s natural resources. According to the government, the idea is to extract valuable resources found in the Amazon, like oil, while preserving biodiversity at the same time. However, this is not realistic – the effects of drilling will harm the forest in numerous ways. Despite the harmful influence these oil companies will bring to biodiversity, wildlife, and native peoples that live in Yasuni, President Rafael Correa insists that drilling and China’s investment are valuable assets to the country. In order to appease his people, he asked for financial help from the international community in place of drilling.  His unsuccessful plea represents the lack of resistance in governments today to make environmental concerns a priority over economic opportunities.

And while Ecuador’s lack of international coverage is upsetting, I’m glad to see that one reporter has stepped up to the plate:  “China has invested billions in Ecuador and elsewhere, using its economic clout to win diplomatic allies and secure natural resources around the world.”

 

All pictures courtesy of Christina Johnson.