Sandstorm

So, we we had just started the afternoon session of our training workshop at the Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary forward station (see Foresters Measure Tree Height) and were going over the methodology for correcting the slope of the transect. And then I looked across the Chindwin River and noticed that the wind was starting to pick up and that a sandstorm was developing. And then the wind on our side of the river really started blowing, as well.

And sand and dust were blowing everywhere. And everybody just kept trying to measure the slope and ignore the weather event (i.e. the start of the monsoon) that we were engulfed in.

But then the wind really started blowing, and the sand got so thick you couldn't see. And then sheets of corrugated aluminum started blowing off the roofs and smashing into things. And people started running to take shelter and screaming. At this point, we all thought it best to put the training workshop on hold until things calmed down a bit.    

Finished!

Team 2 is jubilant as they walk out of the forest after completing their 2000 m² rattan inventory transect (see Training in Lak Sao and Donsard). Counting rattans in forest growing on steep karst can be tedious. [NOTE: Love the field shoes - and the hat, and the victory signs, and the smile - on the young lady in front. I wonder who has the tally sheets?]  

Training in Lak Sao

N18°11.664'
E104°58.346' 

Spent the first day in Lak Sao (see Management Planning II) giving a training workshop in the District Forestry office on the theory and application of sustainable rattan harvesting. Actually, I just provided "technical backstopping", and most of the lecturing was done in Lao by my WWF colleagues. The district forestry office, or DAFO, is an interesting venue.  As shown in the image above, most of the cavernous space is occupied by two regulation badminton courts; the conference room is confined to a little strip along the north wall. Also note the projection screen with the flip charts taped to it (we couldn't get the projector to work) and the beer advertisements adorning the walls.

Bows of gratitude to Mr. Bansa, shown below, for doing most of the lecturing during the workshop. Key data to note on the chart are the red 26.22 and 30.98 at the lower right.  This is the number of commericial rattan canes/hectare that can be harvested each year from the 5 meter and the 6+ meter size classes, respectively.

Most of the flip charts and the spreadsheet manipulations were done by Mr. Bounchanh, shown below discussing the relationship between stock and yield. He was definitely the numbers guy during this whole thing, and his contribution was invaluable (thx, Bounchanh). 

[NOTE: I have decided to start georeferencing the images in these posts when I have the coordinates. Don't know why anyone would ever be interested in these, but, if nothing else, it shows that I had a GPS with me at the time - and turned it on].