The School for Field Studies
The School for Field Studies
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[post_content] => In Peru, we are in the process of developing a working relationship with the Llama Pack Project, an organization that is trying to reintroduce a pure-bred line of llamas back into Andean Communities in the Sacred Valley. Many people in rural communities have either adopted the use of horses and mules since they carry more weight, or their llama stocks have been mixed with alpaca which produces an animal that can neither carry heavy loads nor produce a fine fiber. Unfortunately, cattle and horses have a much greater impact on the environment because they damage the fragile soils of glacial valleys with their hooves and they feed on native vegetation by pulling up their roots. However, llamas are naturally adapted to the environment after having been selected from wild guanacos for thousands of years.
→ Biodiversity and Development in the Andes-Amazon → Biodiversity and Development in the Andes-Amazon Peru
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[post_content] => Ten hours on the Madre de Dios River is exhausting; yet, the journey to Manu Wildlife Center deep in the jungles of Peru was well worth the wait. This particular slice of biodiversity heaven harbors tapirs – an awkward looking mammal that is closely related to the rhinoceros – trees chock full of macaws chatting high above cabins, some of the biggest trees that are found on this planet, and a cornucopia of incredible insects, birds, and plant species.
As a primate conservation biologist, I was particularly excited to see some new species and see the expressions on students’ faces when they saw their first monkeys. There is something magnificent about tiny little saddleback tamarins jumping around from tree to tree, or hearing howler monkeys crescendo into a deafening roar early in the morning. All together, there are fourteen species of primates in Manu National Park, 222 mammal species, 1000 bird species, and over 1300 butterfly species. Just around the Manu Wildlife Center there are over 550 species of birds that have been described, which is incredible considering that the entire continental U.S. harbors just a little over 700 species.
VIDEO
The outdoor classroom took us to a tapir lick towards dusk, waiting on a suspended platform for their arrival. Field exercises also included mist-netting bats, tracking primates, and birding. Back at the field station at Villa Carmen, students have also been introduced to plant reintroduction experiments, flora and fauna sampling techniques, lectures from local field researchers, birding with expert guides, nighttime exploration with frog researchers, wildlife management modeling, and they are currently developing their own conservation plans for specific wildlife issues at Villa Carmen.
We expect a lot from our students and we hope to see them end up doing great things in life – no matter what path they choose. I personally hope that one of their greatest growth experiences stems from their time exploring the incredibly remote and biodiverse Amazon. It will likely be their generation who either sees it for the last time, or saves it for future generations to come.
VIDEO
Walked into a group of Collared peccary, Pecari tajacu, while birding at Villa Carmen. This one stood still for a minute then finally ran off. Surveying blue-crowned trogon, black-capped tinamou, and yellow-rumped cacique as part of a Conservation Science and Practice field lab.
However, this particular day was spent hiking up an Andean mountain valley outside of Ollantaytambo - a starting point for the Inca Trail leading to Machu Picchu.
VIDEO
During the Inca Empire, Ollantaytambo was the royal estate of Emperor Pachacuti who conquered the region. These walls provided protection from the Spanish during their conquest of Peru.
This area is a prime example of conservation science in action: there has been a severe impact on the environment after centuries of deforestation; there are ecosystems and numerous species which have been impacted detrimentally; and there is a concerted effort to alleviate the impact on wildlife and flora by bridging local community support and participation with large-scale conservation programs.
(Rosaceae) forest.
This tree species is gnarly. Growing at elevations over 5000m (16,000 ft), this is one of the highest growing trees in the world. The thick bark helps protect against low temperatures. The extraction of this species from the Andes has driven this species to small pockets in mountain valleys. Many species are dependent on this tree and are near extinction: Royal cinclones (passerine bird), white-browned tit-spinetail, ash-breasted tit-tyrant, giant conebill, and Andean mountain cat. The protected area, Mantanay, is part of a conservation program to restore these highly decimated forests by developing alternative fuel and timber sources, reforesting Polylepis , and paying villagers to reforest.
SFS Fall 2015 students on our way up to the Mantanay Conservation Area.
Class at 4200m (13,799 ft)? Why not?! Glaciers, dogs, mountains, protected endangered species - what more could you want?
Students taking a break on the side of a mountain, playing Andean flute, overlooking the valley below, and enjoying the incredible bird diversity.
VIDEO
Everyone practicing their battle cry at the end of a challenging and rewarding hike.
[post_title] => Mantanay Field Excursion
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[post_content] => In Peru, we are in the process of developing a working relationship with the Llama Pack Project, an organization that is trying to reintroduce a pure-bred line of llamas back into Andean Communities in the Sacred Valley. Many people in rural communities have either adopted the use of horses and mules since they carry more weight, or their llama stocks have been mixed with alpaca which produces an animal that can neither carry heavy loads nor produce a fine fiber. Unfortunately, cattle and horses have a much greater impact on the environment because they damage the fragile soils of glacial valleys with their hooves and they feed on native vegetation by pulling up their roots. However, llamas are naturally adapted to the environment after having been selected from wild guanacos for thousands of years.
→ Biodiversity and Development in the Andes-Amazon VIDEO
The outdoor classroom took us to a tapir lick towards dusk, waiting on a suspended platform for their arrival. Field exercises also included mist-netting bats, tracking primates, and birding. Back at the field station at Villa Carmen, students have also been introduced to plant reintroduction experiments, flora and fauna sampling techniques, lectures from local field researchers, birding with expert guides, nighttime exploration with frog researchers, wildlife management modeling, and they are currently developing their own conservation plans for specific wildlife issues at Villa Carmen.
We expect a lot from our students and we hope to see them end up doing great things in life – no matter what path they choose. I personally hope that one of their greatest growth experiences stems from their time exploring the incredibly remote and biodiverse Amazon. It will likely be their generation who either sees it for the last time, or saves it for future generations to come.
VIDEO
Walked into a group of Collared peccary, Pecari tajacu, while birding at Villa Carmen. This one stood still for a minute then finally ran off. Surveying blue-crowned trogon, black-capped tinamou, and yellow-rumped cacique as part of a Conservation Science and Practice field lab.
However, this particular day was spent hiking up an Andean mountain valley outside of Ollantaytambo - a starting point for the Inca Trail leading to Machu Picchu.
VIDEO
During the Inca Empire, Ollantaytambo was the royal estate of Emperor Pachacuti who conquered the region. These walls provided protection from the Spanish during their conquest of Peru.
This area is a prime example of conservation science in action: there has been a severe impact on the environment after centuries of deforestation; there are ecosystems and numerous species which have been impacted detrimentally; and there is a concerted effort to alleviate the impact on wildlife and flora by bridging local community support and participation with large-scale conservation programs.
(Rosaceae) forest.
This tree species is gnarly. Growing at elevations over 5000m (16,000 ft), this is one of the highest growing trees in the world. The thick bark helps protect against low temperatures. The extraction of this species from the Andes has driven this species to small pockets in mountain valleys. Many species are dependent on this tree and are near extinction: Royal cinclones (passerine bird), white-browned tit-spinetail, ash-breasted tit-tyrant, giant conebill, and Andean mountain cat. The protected area, Mantanay, is part of a conservation program to restore these highly decimated forests by developing alternative fuel and timber sources, reforesting Polylepis , and paying villagers to reforest.
SFS Fall 2015 students on our way up to the Mantanay Conservation Area.
Class at 4200m (13,799 ft)? Why not?! Glaciers, dogs, mountains, protected endangered species - what more could you want?
Students taking a break on the side of a mountain, playing Andean flute, overlooking the valley below, and enjoying the incredible bird diversity.
VIDEO
Everyone practicing their battle cry at the end of a challenging and rewarding hike.
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[post_content] => In Peru, we are in the process of developing a working relationship with the Llama Pack Project, an organization that is trying to reintroduce a pure-bred line of llamas back into Andean Communities in the Sacred Valley. Many people in rural communities have either adopted the use of horses and mules since they carry more weight, or their llama stocks have been mixed with alpaca which produces an animal that can neither carry heavy loads nor produce a fine fiber. Unfortunately, cattle and horses have a much greater impact on the environment because they damage the fragile soils of glacial valleys with their hooves and they feed on native vegetation by pulling up their roots. However, llamas are naturally adapted to the environment after having been selected from wild guanacos for thousands of years.
→ Biodiversity and Development in the Andes-Amazon
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[post_content] => Ten hours on the Madre de Dios River is exhausting; yet, the journey to Manu Wildlife Center deep in the jungles of Peru was well worth the wait. This particular slice of biodiversity heaven harbors tapirs – an awkward looking mammal that is closely related to the rhinoceros – trees chock full of macaws chatting high above cabins, some of the biggest trees that are found on this planet, and a cornucopia of incredible insects, birds, and plant species.
As a primate conservation biologist, I was particularly excited to see some new species and see the expressions on students’ faces when they saw their first monkeys. There is something magnificent about tiny little saddleback tamarins jumping around from tree to tree, or hearing howler monkeys crescendo into a deafening roar early in the morning. All together, there are fourteen species of primates in Manu National Park, 222 mammal species, 1000 bird species, and over 1300 butterfly species. Just around the Manu Wildlife Center there are over 550 species of birds that have been described, which is incredible considering that the entire continental U.S. harbors just a little over 700 species.
VIDEO
The outdoor classroom took us to a tapir lick towards dusk, waiting on a suspended platform for their arrival. Field exercises also included mist-netting bats, tracking primates, and birding. Back at the field station at Villa Carmen, students have also been introduced to plant reintroduction experiments, flora and fauna sampling techniques, lectures from local field researchers, birding with expert guides, nighttime exploration with frog researchers, wildlife management modeling, and they are currently developing their own conservation plans for specific wildlife issues at Villa Carmen.
We expect a lot from our students and we hope to see them end up doing great things in life – no matter what path they choose. I personally hope that one of their greatest growth experiences stems from their time exploring the incredibly remote and biodiverse Amazon. It will likely be their generation who either sees it for the last time, or saves it for future generations to come.
VIDEO
Walked into a group of Collared peccary, Pecari tajacu, while birding at Villa Carmen. This one stood still for a minute then finally ran off. Surveying blue-crowned trogon, black-capped tinamou, and yellow-rumped cacique as part of a Conservation Science and Practice field lab.
However, this particular day was spent hiking up an Andean mountain valley outside of Ollantaytambo - a starting point for the Inca Trail leading to Machu Picchu.
VIDEO
During the Inca Empire, Ollantaytambo was the royal estate of Emperor Pachacuti who conquered the region. These walls provided protection from the Spanish during their conquest of Peru.
This area is a prime example of conservation science in action: there has been a severe impact on the environment after centuries of deforestation; there are ecosystems and numerous species which have been impacted detrimentally; and there is a concerted effort to alleviate the impact on wildlife and flora by bridging local community support and participation with large-scale conservation programs.
(Rosaceae) forest.
This tree species is gnarly. Growing at elevations over 5000m (16,000 ft), this is one of the highest growing trees in the world. The thick bark helps protect against low temperatures. The extraction of this species from the Andes has driven this species to small pockets in mountain valleys. Many species are dependent on this tree and are near extinction: Royal cinclones (passerine bird), white-browned tit-spinetail, ash-breasted tit-tyrant, giant conebill, and Andean mountain cat. The protected area, Mantanay, is part of a conservation program to restore these highly decimated forests by developing alternative fuel and timber sources, reforesting Polylepis , and paying villagers to reforest.
SFS Fall 2015 students on our way up to the Mantanay Conservation Area.
Class at 4200m (13,799 ft)? Why not?! Glaciers, dogs, mountains, protected endangered species - what more could you want?
Students taking a break on the side of a mountain, playing Andean flute, overlooking the valley below, and enjoying the incredible bird diversity.
VIDEO
Everyone practicing their battle cry at the end of a challenging and rewarding hike.
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[post_content] => In Peru, we are in the process of developing a working relationship with the Llama Pack Project, an organization that is trying to reintroduce a pure-bred line of llamas back into Andean Communities in the Sacred Valley. Many people in rural communities have either adopted the use of horses and mules since they carry more weight, or their llama stocks have been mixed with alpaca which produces an animal that can neither carry heavy loads nor produce a fine fiber. Unfortunately, cattle and horses have a much greater impact on the environment because they damage the fragile soils of glacial valleys with their hooves and they feed on native vegetation by pulling up their roots. However, llamas are naturally adapted to the environment after having been selected from wild guanacos for thousands of years.
→ Biodiversity and Development in the Andes-Amazon VIDEO
The outdoor classroom took us to a tapir lick towards dusk, waiting on a suspended platform for their arrival. Field exercises also included mist-netting bats, tracking primates, and birding. Back at the field station at Villa Carmen, students have also been introduced to plant reintroduction experiments, flora and fauna sampling techniques, lectures from local field researchers, birding with expert guides, nighttime exploration with frog researchers, wildlife management modeling, and they are currently developing their own conservation plans for specific wildlife issues at Villa Carmen.
We expect a lot from our students and we hope to see them end up doing great things in life – no matter what path they choose. I personally hope that one of their greatest growth experiences stems from their time exploring the incredibly remote and biodiverse Amazon. It will likely be their generation who either sees it for the last time, or saves it for future generations to come.
VIDEO
Walked into a group of Collared peccary, Pecari tajacu, while birding at Villa Carmen. This one stood still for a minute then finally ran off. Surveying blue-crowned trogon, black-capped tinamou, and yellow-rumped cacique as part of a Conservation Science and Practice field lab.
However, this particular day was spent hiking up an Andean mountain valley outside of Ollantaytambo - a starting point for the Inca Trail leading to Machu Picchu.
VIDEO
During the Inca Empire, Ollantaytambo was the royal estate of Emperor Pachacuti who conquered the region. These walls provided protection from the Spanish during their conquest of Peru.
This area is a prime example of conservation science in action: there has been a severe impact on the environment after centuries of deforestation; there are ecosystems and numerous species which have been impacted detrimentally; and there is a concerted effort to alleviate the impact on wildlife and flora by bridging local community support and participation with large-scale conservation programs.
(Rosaceae) forest.
This tree species is gnarly. Growing at elevations over 5000m (16,000 ft), this is one of the highest growing trees in the world. The thick bark helps protect against low temperatures. The extraction of this species from the Andes has driven this species to small pockets in mountain valleys. Many species are dependent on this tree and are near extinction: Royal cinclones (passerine bird), white-browned tit-spinetail, ash-breasted tit-tyrant, giant conebill, and Andean mountain cat. The protected area, Mantanay, is part of a conservation program to restore these highly decimated forests by developing alternative fuel and timber sources, reforesting Polylepis , and paying villagers to reforest.
SFS Fall 2015 students on our way up to the Mantanay Conservation Area.
Class at 4200m (13,799 ft)? Why not?! Glaciers, dogs, mountains, protected endangered species - what more could you want?
Students taking a break on the side of a mountain, playing Andean flute, overlooking the valley below, and enjoying the incredible bird diversity.
VIDEO
Everyone practicing their battle cry at the end of a challenging and rewarding hike.
[post_title] => Mantanay Field Excursion
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[post_content] => In Peru, we are in the process of developing a working relationship with the Llama Pack Project, an organization that is trying to reintroduce a pure-bred line of llamas back into Andean Communities in the Sacred Valley. Many people in rural communities have either adopted the use of horses and mules since they carry more weight, or their llama stocks have been mixed with alpaca which produces an animal that can neither carry heavy loads nor produce a fine fiber. Unfortunately, cattle and horses have a much greater impact on the environment because they damage the fragile soils of glacial valleys with their hooves and they feed on native vegetation by pulling up their roots. However, llamas are naturally adapted to the environment after having been selected from wild guanacos for thousands of years.
→ Biodiversity and Development in the Andes-Amazon
Resident Lecturer in Conservation Science
Bringing Llama Back
Posted: October 3, 2016
In Peru, we are in the process of developing a working relationship with the Llama Pack Project, an organization that is trying to reintroduce a pure-bred line of llamas back into Andean Communities in the Sacred Valley. Many people in rural communities have either adopted the use of horses and mules since they carry more weight, or their llama stocks have been mixed with alpaca which produces an animal that can neither carry heavy loads nor produce a fine fiber. Unfortunately, cattle and horses have a much greater impact on the environment because they damage the fragile soils of glacial valleys with their hooves and they feed on native vegetation by pulling up their roots. However, llamas are naturally adapted to the environment after having been selected from wild guanacos for thousands of years.
Recently, as part of the Conservation Science course in Peru, students hiked a glacial valley up to the Andean Community Cancha Cancha (3962m; 13000ft) – a relatively poor rural community surrounded by mountains and glacial peaks including Sahuasiray and Chicon. Aside from herding llamas, students learned about llama breeding practices, ecotourism in the Andes, and about reforestation efforts of one of the highest growing tree species in the world, Polylepsis spp., which is found in remnant populations throughout the Sacred Valley. Although this species is highly resistant to fire and cold temperatures, it has also been harvested throughout most of the Peruvian Andes.
We look forward to working closely with the Llama Pack Project to develop field research that benefits the local community while at the same time providing students with hands-on conservation experience.
→ Biodiversity and Development in the Andes-Amazon
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All together the tropical Andes have been dubbed the "global epicenter of biodiversity," a conservation hotspot. This designation stems from the many endemic species found here and nowhere else in the world, and the many human threats that this region currently faces. The students had an opportunity to learn about many of these threats in this region, including illegal gold mining and large scale logging. Though some major human threats are present in this area, there is a concerted effort by various entities including governmental and non-governmental agencies to protect what remains, and this outdoor classroom presents the best way to learn about these threats and how best to solve them.
In this particular trip through the Madre de Dios region, students explored the rainforest canopy in a colossal Brazil nut tree via a suspended spiral staircase. At over 120 feet, students can see and listen to a whole new world of insects and birds, while also permitting a panoramic view of the Amazon.
The outdoor classroom took us to a tapir lick towards dusk, waiting on a suspended platform for their arrival. Field exercises also included mist-netting bats, tracking primates, and birding. Back at the field station at Villa Carmen, students have also been introduced to plant reintroduction experiments, flora and fauna sampling techniques, lectures from local field researchers, birding with expert guides, nighttime exploration with frog researchers, wildlife management modeling, and they are currently developing their own conservation plans for specific wildlife issues at Villa Carmen.
We expect a lot from our students and we hope to see them end up doing great things in life – no matter what path they choose. I personally hope that one of their greatest growth experiences stems from their time exploring the incredibly remote and biodiverse Amazon. It will likely be their generation who either sees it for the last time, or saves it for future generations to come.
[post_title] => Adventures in the Amazon
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[post_date] => 2015-10-19 08:04:31
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[post_content] => We often spend class outside conducting field exercises on topics as diverse as experimental reforestation plots, avian and primate surveys, habitat assessments, and camera traps at Villa Carmen Biological Station, our home in the lowland Amazon.
Walked into a group of Collared peccary, Pecari tajacu, while birding at Villa Carmen. This one stood still for a minute then finally ran off. Surveying blue-crowned trogon, black-capped tinamou, and yellow-rumped cacique as part of a Conservation Science and Practice field lab.
However, this particular day was spent hiking up an Andean mountain valley outside of Ollantaytambo - a starting point for the Inca Trail leading to Machu Picchu.
During the Inca Empire, Ollantaytambo was the royal estate of Emperor Pachacuti who conquered the region. These walls provided protection from the Spanish during their conquest of Peru.
This area is a prime example of conservation science in action: there has been a severe impact on the environment after centuries of deforestation; there are ecosystems and numerous species which have been impacted detrimentally; and there is a concerted effort to alleviate the impact on wildlife and flora by bridging local community support and participation with large-scale conservation programs.
Polylepis pepei (Rosaceae) forest.
This tree species is gnarly. Growing at elevations over 5000m (16,000 ft), this is one of the highest growing trees in the world. The thick bark helps protect against low temperatures. The extraction of this species from the Andes has driven this species to small pockets in mountain valleys. Many species are dependent on this tree and are near extinction: Royal cinclones (passerine bird), white-browned tit-spinetail, ash-breasted tit-tyrant, giant conebill, and Andean mountain cat. The protected area, Mantanay, is part of a conservation program to restore these highly decimated forests by developing alternative fuel and timber sources, reforesting Polylepis, and paying villagers to reforest.
SFS Fall 2015 students on our way up to the Mantanay Conservation Area.
Class at 4200m (13,799 ft)? Why not?! Glaciers, dogs, mountains, protected endangered species - what more could you want?
Students taking a break on the side of a mountain, playing Andean flute, overlooking the valley below, and enjoying the incredible bird diversity.
Everyone practicing their battle cry at the end of a challenging and rewarding hike.
[post_title] => Mantanay Field Excursion
[post_excerpt] => We spent the day hiking an Andean mountain valley outside of Ollantaytambo, a starting point for the Inca Trail leading to Machu Picchu.
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[post_modified] => 2018-01-08 12:31:32
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[post_date] => 2016-10-03 08:56:32
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[post_content] => In Peru, we are in the process of developing a working relationship with the Llama Pack Project, an organization that is trying to reintroduce a pure-bred line of llamas back into Andean Communities in the Sacred Valley. Many people in rural communities have either adopted the use of horses and mules since they carry more weight, or their llama stocks have been mixed with alpaca which produces an animal that can neither carry heavy loads nor produce a fine fiber. Unfortunately, cattle and horses have a much greater impact on the environment because they damage the fragile soils of glacial valleys with their hooves and they feed on native vegetation by pulling up their roots. However, llamas are naturally adapted to the environment after having been selected from wild guanacos for thousands of years.
