2008 BOTA Eco-tour to Ecuador with Dr. Peggy Stern

(WRITER WANTED)

The following itinerary covers a lot of ground in the small country of Ecuador and provides opportunities to see many aspects of bamboo, including different native bamboo species in their natural habitat, certified plantations of commercial bamboo, community bamboo management and processing, and both utilitarian and elaborate bamboo structures. The tour begins on the coast where we focus on coastal Ecuador’s native timber bamboo, Guadua angustifolia (Days 2-6). Then we visit different field locations on western Andean slopes as well as in the northern and southern Ecuadorian Andes to see montane bamboo species -Chusquea, Rhipidocladum and maybe Aulonemia, as well as Neurolepis in the páramo (Days 7-13).

Our itinerary was developed by Peggy Stern, our tour leader, who has lived and worked in the Ecuadorian Andes for twenty years. Our local travel agency, Senderos Naturales, will handle in-country arrangements and logistics. They excel in biologically oriented specialty tours. Transportation, lodging, fees, in-country airfare, and some meals are covered in the tour cost. Our itinerary is subject to change (for the better or to handle the unexpected). Please be flexible and ready to go with the flow. We are guaranteed to see and learn lots and have fun.

Tour dates: September 3-16, 2008

Number of Participants: 15 persons

In Ecuador Tour cost: $1995

Seat reservation: $1995 sent to BOTA Treasurer, Sue Turtle by June 16, 2008 on a First-come-First Serve basis. Mail your check payable to “ABS-BOTA” to:

• Sue Turtle, BOTA Treasurer
• 30 Myers Rd.,
• Summertown, TN 38483-7323

(Or call our BOTA Treasurer at 931-964-4151)Airfare and Travel Insurance to Guayaquil, Ecuador is each participant’s responsibility and must be completed by June 16, 2008.

Ask about the 4-day Galapagos Extension on the yacht, Aida Maria, following the bamboo tour. Last chance to reserve is June 15 by sending $1588 to our BOTA Treasurer. Contact Gib Cooper for more detailed information.Tel: 541-698-8052 or 541-247-0835

Email: Gib@bamboodirect.com

Schedule

BAMBOO OF THE AMERICAS (BOTA) BAMBOO TOUR IN ECUADOR

14-day itinerary, Sept 3-16, 2008

Tentative itinerary - subject to change! (we arrive and depart from Guayaquil)

Day 1- (Sept. 3)Travel from US, arrive Guayaquil in the evening with an overnight stay at Hotel Iguanazú in Guayaquil.

Day 2-The tour begins with Use of the native timber bamboo Guadua angustifolia for large-scale social housing and traditional bamboo architecture, and meet Architect Jorge Morán with a morning tour of Hogar de Cristo pre-fab houses of Guadua and traditional baraheque architecture in the city. In the afternoon we drive to Rio Palenque protected forest in Patricia Pilar (4 hrs) and overnight at a private hotel in Rio Palenque.

Day 3-Spend all day visiting Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) - certified plantations of Guadua angustifolia (also Bambusa vulgaris) and an exotic species bambusarium around Quevedo and overnight again at the private hotel at Rio Palenque.

Day 4-Observe a community harvest and processing of Guadua. It is an all day drive from Patricia Pilar-Santo Domingo-La Independencia-Nanegalito, however, we stop to visit communities outside of Santo Domingo that are producing and selling bamboo strips called “latilla” in Spanish. The overnight stay in Nanegalito is at the Maquipucuna Biological Reserve.

Day 5-Then to natural stands of Guadua and local handicrafts, hiking hilly trails in a biological reserve with some Chusquea as well. This is a day with no driving but of hiking and visiting local markets selling Guadua handicrafts. Overnight again at Maquipucuna Biological Reserve.

Day 6-A morning hike on good trails in natural montane forest with native bamboos in the biological reserve and then Afternoon trip to nearby Pedro Vicente Maldonado and Los Bancos to see Guadua and Dendrocalamus plantations and nurseries. Overnight again at Maquipucuna Biological Reserve.

Day 7-Visit Chusquea species in Andean montane forests of western Andean slopes via the old road to Nanegalito-Quito through Nono. Overnight in Quito at Café Cultura or similar hotel.

Day 8-A morning hike around the Chusquea-covered hillsides of Pichincha volcano and a tour of colonial Quito including Quito Botanical Garden (Parque Metropolitano) or Andean Bamboo Collection (Itchimbia) and an evening tour of Colonial Quito. Overnight in Quito at Café Cultura or similar hotel.

Day 9-A morning hike to see Chusquea on the flanks of Pasochoa Volcano, on good hiking-trails, at all levels and speeds, in the lushly vegetated crater and slopes. This is in Peggy’s neighborhood and lunch is planned at her house.Overnight in Quito at Café Cultura or similar hotel.

Day 10-Get on a morning flight to Cuenca and an afternoon City tour of Cuenca - a day with little driving. Overnight in Cuenca

Day 11-This is a day in field between Cuenca and the Sigsig páramo to see Chusquea species of the southern Ecuadorian Andes, and Neurolepis in the páramo.Overnight again Cuenca.

Day 12-The second day in the southern highlands is to look for Chusqueas in montane forests and get some local culture and handicrafts in Gualaceo and Chordeleg. This is an opportunity to purchase regional handicrafts like filigree gold and silver jewelry, “panama” hats and see them being made.Overnight again in Cuenca.

Day 13-A great all-day drive over the Andes through páramo and lakes of Cajas National Park, see more Chusqueas in montane forests and some Guadua nearing the coast starting in Cuenca-Cajas-Molletura-Naranjal-Guayaquil with an evening farewell dinner. Overnight in Guayaquil,

Day 14 -(Sept. 16) Flights to US (or Galápagos Extension*)

Tour Details

USA Coordinator - Gib Cooper, Executive Director of Bamboo of the Americas (BOTA)

Tour Leader - Dr. Peggy Stern, Forest ecologist (co-author American Bamboos)

Structure and Costs:

Participants need to provide their own roundtrip air travel and travel insurance to Guayaquil, Ecuador. There is a limit of 15 participants. Seats are available on a first-come-first-serve basis. The few remaining seats are available by sending $1995 by June 16, 2008 until we reach 15 persons. If for any reason the tour is cancelled your deposit is refundable.

Final confirmation is determined when we receive of a copy of your airline ticket and travel insurance policy. The confirmation of your airline ticket and insurance must be received in the office of the USA Coordinator, Gib Cooper by midnight July 1, 2008. FAX, Mail or E-mail copies are acceptable.

Our itinerary was developed by Peggy Stern, our tour leader, who has lived and worked in the Ecuadorian Andes for twenty years. Our local travel agency, Senderos Naturales, will handle in-country arrangements and logistics. They excel in biologically oriented specialty tours. Transportation, lodging, fees, in-country airfare, and some meals are covered in the tour cost. Our itinerary is subject to change (for the better or to handle the unexpected). Please be flexible and ready to go with the flow. We are guaranteed to see and learn lots and have fun.

Health Requirement

All guests must be in good physical condition for day hiking. Elevations will vary from sea level; a hot and humid 90-95 F, to 12,000 feet in the Andes with steep terrain and warm temps during the day (70-low 80s F) and 50-60 F at night. You need to be able to walk distances of a mile or more. Persons with heart disease or intestinal problems are advised to stay home. Special dietary requirements are your responsibility. Ecuadorians are not vegetarians although that could be handled by eating a lot of potatoes, corn (highlands) and plantains (lowlands).

Deadlines for Joining the Tour

June 16- Final Date to complete payment of $1995 to BOTA Treasurer.

July 1, 2008- Absolute Final: Confirm your airline ticket and travel insurance with your arrival and departure schedule in Guayaquil with Gib Cooper.

September 3, 2008 by midnight - Be in the designated Hotel Iguanazú.

September 4, 2008, 7:30 A.M. - Breakfast and orientation with bags packed and ready to go with your luggage. (Galapagos gear may be left at the hotel Iguanazú.)

September 16, 2008- Schedule your return flight for this date unless you are on the Galapagos Extension*.

* Galapagos 4 day trip cost per person of yacht ($1231.53), air ticket ($355.45), park entrance ($100) and extras (tip). Total is about $1687 plus tip to join the yacht AIDA MARIA on her ITINERARY, SEP 18th - SEP 21th, 2008. There will be 5 berths available. The cruise details are below.

AIDA MARIA ITINERARY, SEP 18th - SEP 21th, 2008

DAY 1-Sep 18th: Baltra / Santa CruzYou will transfer to the Guayaquil airport for your local flight to the Galápagos. The flight leaves at 9:15 hrs, but you will have to be at the airport one hour and half before the flight.

From Guayaquil, the flight to Galapagos takes 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Upon arrival in Baltra you will have to pay the Park tax and go through Galapagos Immigration procedures, please do not forget to take your passport with you.

Soon after that, you will meet your Naturalist guide, who will collect your luggage tags and assist your transfer to the boat.

Santa Cruz Island. We will explore the upper region of the island, a moisture-rich area with fertile volcanic soils. We will learn about the vegetation and animal life of this zone, often strikingly different than that found at lower elevations. Santa Cruz is the only island in Galapagos that has 6 different vegetation zones.

DAY 2-Sep 19th: Rabida Island / James Bay or Puerto Egas

Wake-up in the morning to the sound of barking sea lions and the lapping of the sea. After breakfast travel by dingy to the seashell-pink sands of Rabida Island. Here we will see a pelican nesting area on the beach, and then we will set off on the short path across the island, watching sea birds whirling overhead. After stopping at two viewpoints, we will return to the boat for lunch. Two hours of sailing after lunch will bring us to our second stop for the day, Santiago Island. We disembark at Egas Port and follow a footpath across the island, admiring the grinning marine iguanas, Darwin finches, rainbowed lava lizards, and endemic Galapagos hawks along the way. A special sight on Santiago Island are the endangered fur seals cooling off in the shade formed by the seashore grottos.

DAY 3-Sep 20th: Bartolome Is. / Sullivan Bay

Bartolome offers the most striking landscape and geological sites in the Archipelago. The Pinnacle Rock and Bay are super for swimming and snorkeling. After visiting the beach you will return to the boat to change for a hike up to the top of the Island of Bartolome, which is 359 feet high. The trail is steep, but the Park Service has built wooden stairs.

Sullivan Bay. Sullivan Bay is a huge lava flow that was formed from an eruption that occurred in 1891. It is one of the best geological examples in the Galapagos and a place that illustrates the colonization and establishment of organisms on young volcanic Islands. The lava is still black and barren in most places. Few plant species have been able to arrive and colonize. This is a wonderful place for photography and a great walk.After the visit you will have the opportunity to snorkel from the coralline white sand beach. This is a great place to see small sharks, penguins, sea lions and colorful fish.

DAY 4-Sep 21th: North Seymour / Baltra

After an early breakfast we will disembark at our last stop, North Seymour Island. Here we will see frigatebirds, the clownish blue-footed booby, and of course the ubiquitous sea lions. With luck we will witness the striking courtship display of the male frigatebird, in which he inflates a red balloon-like sac below his throat and struts his stuff for all of the young females. After our visit to North Seymour we will sail to Baltra Island to catch our plane back to the mainland.

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