May 5, 2013
The Hundred Acres
Pinewood forest has Killer Bees
We get up
really early and check the Sherman traps to see if we have caught
anything. The only thing that I caught
was spider webs in my mouth.
Awesome! There is not enough
instant coffee to allow me to be happy.
With nothing caught, we head off to the school bus. We are off to the Pinewood Forest! We head up lots of hills to get there, and I
already can tell that it’s going to be a hot day. We are split up into two groups to make
transects to measure the trees height and width. This information can tell us if the trees
would be considered “commercial” height.
Basically it means that these trees would be I jeopardy of the logging
that continues to be battled in this country.
The main theme in this country is the lack of resources and management. I
know that this is the case in most countries, but it is particularly sad to
hear about the lack of help in countries that are not equipped to protect their
natural resources. Boris tells stories
of the logging companies that are tearing down forests around Central America
and different health issues that have affected the different forests. We were unable to finish the transects because
of the laughter that was occurring while trying to figure how to complete the
transects using the best methods. I will
say that being into a different country and being put into situations that we
have never experienced it was such a relief to be serious and light-hearted at
the same time. It makes learning fun and
helps to remember the lesson and the experience. Otherwise it would be just like reading out
of a text book, and being able to form personalities and methods at the same
time helps to bring out certain strengths and weaknesses with each other. It is all about growth. Anyways, the laughing that was filling the
air attracted a giant Bee hive of Killer Bees. I am serious.
We were told to stay still and not talk.
These bees are drawn to noise, and they really heard us. We had to stop the project and it was perfect
timing, Mr. Mesh had brought us lunch.
Homemade chicken fried rice, awesome!
Loved it. We finished eating and
headed down to an area that overlooked the Chalillo Dam. This is another hot topic in Belize due to
the possible energy that it can produce for the country. Everything is always brought back to the
reality of money, power and greed.
Belize is trying to produce their own energy instead of using Mexico for
their power. Politics is everywhere and
it is usually the wealthy that win. Driving home from the forest was another
day of heavy feelings. Reflecting back
on how the forest is at risk and future of money and power for the country is
another moment I am grateful. Grateful
for the land and country that I am blessed to live in and also saddened by how
much I do not know and consistently take for granted.
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