Las Cuevas Field Station in the Chiquibul Forest Reserve

I went to Las Cuevas for 5 days in order to learn how to identify species of plants to the level of classification known as a family in the scientific taxonomic system. David Kao, a UB biology student came as well and provided us much comic relief. We worked with Mr. Jeff Hicks with the Royal Botanic Gardens in Scotland (I think) collecting data for his master’s thesis which entails creating a checklist of trees present in the area and associated soil types.

Jeff was generous enough to spend some time teaching us a simple suite of characteristics that can be used to reach the family ID. Is the leaf compound or simple? Opposite or alternate? Is there sap? is there unique veination? etc. In turn, we helped Jeff out with data collection on some field transects, in both the unique oak forest and pine savanna of San Pastor near the research station. We also prepared, pressed and dried herbarium and voucher specimens. Additionally, we helped Rachael and Robby (2 post docs just setting up their research sites at Las Cuevas) establish seed traps. We also got to watch a team of entomologists from California set up their blacklights and attract insects at night. And… my machete wielding skills improved.

We saw a boa constrictor in the wild, I actually took the photo you see here. We also saw a deer, which is a rare sighting and also a highlight, we visited one of the caves which contained a ton of Mayan pottery shards. We didn’t see a scarlet macaw which are common in the area, I was hoping but no luck. There are many cats as well, jaguars, ocelots, pumas which we didn’t see either.

Jeff taught us some tropical forest survival skills including introducing us to the water vine which when cut and held at an angle produces a stream of fresh water.

So, I got back from Las Cuevas on Tuesday night. Our 2 day, 1^st ever Natural Resource Management Research Symposium was Wednesday and Thursday this week. In addition to the researchers I met at Las Cuevas (2 year study, they’ll be here until October this year) I also met a new American lecturer at nearby Galen University. She has a 4 x 4 truck and is excited to get out and explore Belize. So, it was great to meet some new friends that I can meet up with in August when I return to Belize.

Grades were due Wednesday, all coasting from here, phew. I leave tomorrow for 1 week out at Glover’s Reef Atoll with another lecturer and students collecting thesis data.

I’ll be visiting my parents in late June in Florida and then my friend Ana in Kenya for a month June-July.