Erosion

This is what it looks like when you deforest an entire watershed, cause massive amounts of erosion, and silt up a river. Nice colors, but a large price to pay for the next generation that tries to live here. [Photo is from Central Luzon, Philippines; scanned from a slide].

Gas Exchange

I learned a lot about Brosimum alicastrum when I did my doctoral research (e.g. see The Curious Case of Brosimum alicastrum and MAB Report). I looked at the growth and reproduction of natural populations, conducted experiments on seedling establishment, and developed a matrix model to assess the long-term demographic impact of seed harvesting.  I also took greenhouse-grown seedlings into the laboratory and measured their photosynthesis, respiration, and transpiration under different light levels. Main finding: seedlings are very shade tolerant but they can also respond to abrupt changes in light levels (e.g. treefalls and canopy gaps).

I am basically a field person, but this high-tech lab stuff was quite fun and provided an amazing amount of detail about seedling physiology.  [NOTE: The Brosimum seedling is resting on top of a dictionary (Webster's 1964 College Edition; I still have it), with its terminal leaf enclosed in a brass and plexiglas assimilation chamber. Light source is a Sylvania 1000 watt metal arc lamp.  Flow rates were measured using a Beckman Model 865 infrared gas analyzer, two Wosthoff G27/3F gas mixing pumps, and an EG&G dew point hygrometer].

Shopping for Supplies

Early one morning we went to the central market in Tanai to buy supplies for our trip down the Ledo Road (see Hukaung Valley Rattan Survey). In spite of the remoteness and inaccessibility of this town, its market is surprisingly well stocked. Grains, dried fish, fresh vegetables, cheap Chinese tools, baskets, every type of plastic item imaginable, a dazzling variety of cigarette brands, bulk spices, batteries, and an endless supply of smiles.

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is one of the most beautiful and enigmatic archaeological sites in the world.  Since its "discovery" in 1911 by Hiram Bingham III, it has been visited by several 100,000 tourists a year.  I traveled to Machu Picchu during the mid-1980's when the Sendero Luminoso were still very active in the region. They kept blowing up the tourist train. Added a whole new dimension to the experience [NOTE: Image was scanned from a slide].

Consensus

As part of a project evaluation at the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Reserve in western Uganda (see Bwindi Impenetrable Forest), I visited a village within the buffer zone of the reserve and talked to the residents about the types of activities that could - and could not - be developed in this habitat.  After a lengthy discussion, the idea of creating simple lodges for tourists that come to see gorillas was mutually agreed on.  Several women did a  spontaneous little dance to acknowledge the consensus.

Kyaiktiyo

The Golden Rock pagoda at Kyaiktiyo in Mon State is one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in Myanmar. The gold-leaf encrusted boulder balances precariously on the edge of a cliff at the top of Mt. Kyaikto and looks like it should start rolling off at any moment. It apparently doesn't, however, because of a single, precisely placed, strand of Buddha's hair enshrined in the stupa on top.

Hiking up the mountain to the pagoda, I stopped at a small roadside "pharmacy" to look at the medicinal plants and medical preparations.  My favorite item was the elephant's tooth. [NOTE: I had a full beard in those days].

Herbarium Specimens

Some of my work involves collecting herbarium specimens. The specimen, ideally, will have leaves, flowers, and fruits, and all of these plant parts need to be carefully pressed and dried so that they can be mounted on an herbarium sheet. Big fruits sometimes need to be sliced up to press and dry.   The top image shows the fruits of Rhigospira quadrangularis, or "yahuar huayo", being sawed into slices at the IIAP field station outside of Jenaro Herrera in Peru (see Jenaro Herrera). The fruit slices and leaves will be folded into newspapers and dried in the plant drier shown glowing in the background.

The bottom image shows one of the herbarium sheets made from the Rhigospira collection.  This specimen is in the herbarium of the Chicago Field Museum; duplicates of the same collection are deposited in the IIAP herbarium and NYBG. [NOTES: That's my wife sawing through the Rhigospira fruits (thx, Elysa).  Close inspection of the herbarium label suggests that I had mis-identified the species and that it was later corrected by A. Leeuwenberg.  And yes, the glowing plant drier did eventually catch on fire].

Hukaung Gold Mines

There are several gold mines inside the Hukaung Valley Tiger Reserve in northern Myanmar (see Hukaung Valley Rattan Survey).  Aside from the questionable politics, shady partnerships, thorny social issues, and complex money trail involved, suffice it to say that ecologically this is a really bad idea.

Jenaro Herrera

I lived and worked in the village of Jenaro Herrera (see Umberto Pacaya) on the Ucayali River in Peru for three years in the 1980's. There were (usually) two boats a week from Iquitos to Jenaro Herrera.  You left Iquitos about 4:00 in the afternoon and arrived at 6:00 the following morning.  The boat continued on to Requena after stopping, and there were usually a lot of passengers onboard who were hungry and ready to buy some food for the remainder of the trip. The sound of the motor slowing down upon arrival to Jenaro always woke me up.  Sitting up in my hammock, this was the scene that welcomed me home.  [NOTE: I also got married in this village (thx, Elysa)].

Rohatsu

Seated Buddha (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York)

Rohatsu - the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month - is a time when Zen Buddhists commemorate Buddha's enlightement.  It starts on December 1st and ends on Rohatsu or Bodhi Day (December 8th).  In the seven days leading up to Rohatsu Day, Zen monks and lay practitioners spend their time in intensive silent meditation.  The Rinzai master, Hakuin Ekaku (1685-1768) exhorted his monks during Rohatsu to "sit this week with a daring spirit".  Be mindful. Sit hard. For all beings.