Siempre Verde Annual Report - 2019

the lovett school

december 2019

Director’s Annual Report 2019 We had another fantastic year at Siempre Verde with a variety of student groups and research groups. It was a very busy summer with 72 trip participants, including 36 Lovett students, easily the most we’ve ever had in a single summer! The Lower School trip had seven students and seven parents (see page 7), the Middle School sent 14 students (also page 7), and 15 Upper Schoolers completed summer school courses as part of our Cloudforest Classroom program. These students received semester credit in art, science, or language, depending on the activities they completed (see pages 5-7).

In addition to our student trips this year, we had a staff and family group in June with 18 people, including a couple researchers from Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Also, researchers from Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Ecuador (PUCE) visited for 10 days in February finishing some fieldwork on the epiphytes phase of

our transect study (see page 8). In June, a couple of researchers from the University of British Columbia visited the lodge surveying potential sites for a 2020 field course. Finally, we’ve had some construction and structural improvements done at the lodge and on the road approaching the reserve that will extend its life for many years to come (see page 9).

Unfortunately, we had to cancel our annual Fall Break sophomore trip due to political protests (see page 2), but I am happy to report that the Ruiz family and our other friends in Intag weathered the situation with minimal problems. My heartfelt apologies to the students who were not able to visit in October and their families, but I appreciate their support and genuine concern during those uncertain times. And of course, I’m looking forward to next year already!

Alex Reynolds, Director of Siempre Verde

register now for summer 2020!

Come visit us in 2020!

Contact program director Alex Reynolds at alex.reynolds@lovett.org for more information.

Be sure to visit our website at www.siempreverde.org for trip dates, photos, and additional information. may 24–june 2, 2020 Lower School Family Trip (Rising 6th)

Andean Pygmy Owl (Glau- Students on a motorized canoe on the Napo River cidium jardinii) caught at 2,600 meters on Arriba Trail

may 27–june 12, 2020 Spanish and Service Trip july 6–16, 2020 Adult/Alumni Trip july 18–28, 2020 Middle School Trip

Cloudforest classroom students at Plaza San Francisco in Group shot at an old-growth strangler fig (Ficus sp.) at Quito Yachana Lodge

page 1

the lovett school

december 2019

thoughts from the hammock “A little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical.”

—Thomas Jefferson My first visit to Ecuador was completely life-changing. It was January of 2000. A new millennium. Fears of Y2K had subsided and I was looking forward to my final semester at the University of Georgia. After some negotiation with my academic advisors, I arranged to travel to Ecuador to work on a senior thesis project, and then I’d return home in time to start my hike on the Appalachian Trail. This was my first trip abroad by myself. I was excited and nervous, ready for whatever might happen. I arrived on Saturday the 15th and spent Sunday wandering around Quito awaiting my Monday departure for the rural town of Yunguilla.

The next morning was much more exciting, though. I was rushed out of the capital before breakfast as taxis were striking and blockading the streets. Like a scene out of a movie, my driver Bernardo, deftly avoided blocked intersections and sped through others and safely out of town. Later that week, after I had settled in with my homestay family, we all watched the news on the TV that the president had fled the country in a bloodless coup.

Fast forward almost exactly twenty years. In response to increased fuel prices, the transportation industry went on strike, blocking roads and burning tires in protest. Within a couple days, thousands of protesters in cities and indigenous groups from the rural areas merged in Quito and the government briefly fled the capital for the coastal city of Guayaquil. These protests crippled the country for 12 days, left 8 dead and 1,340 injured, and cost upwards of $30 billion, making it the largest domestic disturbance in Ecuador in over a decade. With similar headlines echoing from

NO TO MINING signage at the Santa Rosa community center

page 2

around the world, from Chile to Argentina to Sudan and Jordan, clearly these global protests are about more than just fuel prices.

What are the deeper issues causing such unrest?

In March 2019, Ecuador struck a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to extend access to $4.2 billion in a loan package that also included significant austerity measures.

Ecuador’s economy has faced growing headwinds, while generous social welfare policies implemented over the last decade, rebuilding costs from a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in 2016, and decades-old fuel subsidies worth $1.3 billion annually have pushed its economic reserves to vulnerable levels. A central component of the austerity measures, known as Decree 883, called for a full repeal of fuel subsidies, a 20 percent reduction in pay for public sector workers, and 50 percent reduction in holiday pay. In a country where the average pay is about $460/month, it’s not difficult to imagine why people protested.

So, what comes next for Ecuador? The lead organizer of the movement, an indigenous coalition known as CONAIE, have listed a variety of objectionable governmental actions leading up to their protest, including petroleum exploration in the Amazon on indigneous lands, as well as the recent expansion of mining concessions in Intag and southern Ecuador. These protests were sparked by fuel prices, but signal a broader fight over the future of extractivist economic policies in Ecuador. If history tells us anything, the stability of the current government will depend on its ability to incorporate these populist demands with their neoliberal agenda. It’s a tall order, but one that will determine whether the country revisits its turbulent past, or moves into a new era of prosperity.

Alex Reynolds, Director of Siempre Verde

the lovett school

december 2019

in other’s words: Life Unplugged at 13,000 Feet

Adult group at Rio Cenepa school in Sta. Rosa

Siempre Verde is the perfect setting for today’s busy, connected world because it forces students and adults alike to slow down and be present. No television, iPhone, iPad or other alerting distractions allowed, in fact for the most part, no electricity. We had copious amounts of leisure time, a deck of cards, a fire, and the company of strangers to explore this new land and to make personal connections.

This summer my eldest son, Gunner ’26, and I joined the family trip to Siempre Verde and were blown away by the place I have heard about since my days in Mr. Braddy’s AP Biology classroom. In our short trip, we learned about and experienced Ecuadorian culture, the flora and fauna of Siempre Verde, and the local economy.

We played with the local children and toured their school in Santa Rosa. We roamed the open-air market in Otavalo, trying

Group hike at Papallacta Hot Springs

our hand at bargaining for art, soccer jerseys, scarves, and other keepsakes. We learned what the local coffee fincas are up against to be able to compete in the global marketplace. And the highlight at the trip’s end, we swung on a swing at 13,300 feet.

The lasting impression though was that of the simple life we were fortunate enough to experience at Siempre Verde itself. The raw beauty of the rugged landscape was straight out of an Indiana Jones movie. Chasing fifth graders up the Arriba trail elevation 11,000 feet was borderline abusive but sweetly rewarding from the top. The genuine interaction with Nelson, the local property manager, his family and Gandalf, their dog, will not soon be forgotten.

Siempre Verde offers Lovett students (and their parents) the chance to put down their devices and truly connect with their peers, teachers, and the local culture.

Justin Jones ’97

Gunner Jones ’26 swinging at 13,300 feet

Fifth graders Gunner Jones, William McDowell, and Edie Reynolds in Quito

page 3

the lovett school

december 2019

lessons from the cloudforest classroom Spanish Language and Cultural Immersion When I found out that I would be teaching Spanish at Siempre Verde in the summer immersion program for the second time, I couldn’t believe my luck! The Cloudforest Classroom was one of the reasons that I wanted to teach at Lovett and when I first got the opportunity to travel with the summer program in 2016, I jumped at the chance. My first visit to Ecuador was everything I had hoped for: amazing food, incredible landscapes, and warm, welcoming people. It was also my first time interacting with the Andean variety of Spanish and I enjoyed asking my students to note differences they had observed while speaking with Ecuadoreans and to compare them with other regional varieties of Spanish that they may have had more experience with (such as Mexican or Caribbean varieties).

On the 2016 trip, I was not able to participate in the homestay program, but I noted how much our students loved it. They fit right in with our wonderfully accommodating homestay families and I believe that most were sad L: Addie Vohs ’22 with Judy Ruiz at Rio Cenepa school R: Art class working on assignments at Siempre Verde to leave. Happily, on the 2019 trip, I was able to participate in the homestay program and I stayed with a couple who owns an ice cream shop on the main road in Santa Rosa. The other students on the program stayed nearby and Diane Staats and I were able to check in with them when we met up at the local school. Again on this trip, the students all truly bonded with their families and were sad to leave.

The Siempre Verde Spanish Immersion course is a wonderful way for students to surround themselves with the language, culture, and incredible people that make this part of Ecuador so precious to the Lovett community.

Rachel Norwood, Upper School Language Teacher

Art and the Environment Being able to teach and work with students creating artwork in a cloud forest allowed for easy, creative inspiration every single day. Siempre Verde is the perfect location for learning how to draw and paint outdoors because of the constantly changing yet predictable weather patterns.

We had opportunities to study the perspective of the mountains off in the distance, textures of all the weirdly beautiful plants, the intense greens everywhere, and the various species of birds. Our group got to spend a week with the Station Manager at Siempre Verde. She taught us how to set up nets to safely collect birds for scientific research. We photograph and sketch them as they flew around an enclosure, and we studied their coloring and the texture of their feathers. It was such an incredible experience to study species that were new to us. Students also created mixed media pieces using collected specimens of local plant life.

Siempre Verde is the ultimate place for one to get out of their comfort zone, as it effortlessly allows endless observations and discoveries. Those discoveries are what fueled each art student’s portfolio with themes that mimicked the natural and diverse beauty of the cloud forest. Those who visit Siempre Verde not only have the opportunity to observe and learn about the diverse plant and animal life, but they get to see why we need to ensure the care and protection of these beautiful and integral parts of Ecuador for generations to come.

Dory Womack ’10, Course Instructor

page 4

Spanish class at Finca La Fe (l to r): Lanier Gordon ’20, Sanci Smith ’20, Hannah Saad ’20, Laura Pencea ’20

Dory photographing hummingbird in a light cube and hummingbird photo

Spanish and art students at a weaving workshop near Otavalo

the lovett school

december 2019

lessons from the cloudforest classroom Tropical Ecology and Conservation When you think about memorable classroom moments, what comes to mind? Our summer science students might say something like: measuring the bill length of birds caught during an early morning mistnetting session; or a nighthike in the rain that goes longer than expected because you found more frog species than expected; or visiting a cacao farm to harvest the seeds to later roast, grind, and cook into your own chocolate for your dessert that same evening. These are once in a lifetime experiences, so our brain works in overdrive to soak up every minute, remembering how it smells and tastes, not just how it works.

In addition to our coursework at Siempre Verde, this summer we were able to visit Yachana Lodge in the Amazonian region, offering an extraordinary opportunity to compare high elevation cloudforests with lowland rainforest. I was impressed with the many similarities in our mission, linking education, research and community service. Douglas McKeekin, began the Yachana Foundation in 1995 to assist indigenous communities with sustainable development projects and then created a STEM institute to allow local students to study science and engineering on site.

As a result we were able to visit local Kichwa communities, learn

Seine netting in the Rio Taobunchi for water quality lab

Jenny Chen (’20) holding a bird in hand

about sustainable development technologies, and even cook using locally harvested foods such as hearts of palm and chontacuros (palm beetle grubs). Yum! These are the roots of life-long learning. These students may not become research scientists, but the data they collected will contribute to long-term forest structure datasets that will be published a decade from now. I don’t think any of my students remember the names of all of the bats we caught in the mistnetted this summer, but seeing those faces up close is definitely unforgettable. They might not remember the scientific names for the EPT stream quality index (Ephemeroptera/Plecoptera/ Trichoptera) either, but jumping in that mountain stream with a kick net and turning over the rocks to find them made measuring water quality much more fun. And I’ll let you in on a secret—it’s a lot more fun to teach this way too! Our field courses at Siempre Verde bring to mind Eva Edwards Lovett’s vision for learning. As she advised in her New Deal for Education, “Nature should be studied in nature’s classroom—the fields and the woods.” We’re just adding a tropical twist to her recipe for learning.

Alex Reynolds

Sylvia holding a bat (Anoura sp) caught in mistnets

Processing coffee by hand at Finca La Fe in Pucara

Yachana Lodge sign—A Place for Learning

page 5

the lovett school

december 2019

lessons from the cloudforest classroom Photoessay: Chocolate from Plant to Plate Chocolate is one of my favorite things in life. And I’m not alone. Worldwide over 3 million tons of cacao beans are consumed each year.

In fact, the scientific name for the Cacao plant (Theobroma cacao) translates to “food of the gods.” There’s even a World Chocolate Day— July 7. It is commonly thought that chocolate originated in Mexico and while the name is derived from the Nahuatl word “xocoatl” for the bitter chocolate drink that the Aztecs consumed, more recent archaeological and genetic evidence shows that the earliest domestication of cacao was actually from southeastern Ecuador over 5,000 years ago.

At Yachana Lodge, our Upper School students visited a local chocolate cooperative to find out where chocolate comes from, how it is harvested and processed, and even how to roast it and cook it into chocolate syrup! This was a truly a wonderful plant to plate experience.

It all begins with a Cacao flower

Chocolate farmer explaining cacao harvesting

Cacao drying facility

Quality control at Cacao drying faciltiy

Grinding the beans by hand

Grinding the beans by hand

Handmade chocolate syrup drizzled over a banana

page 6

Lovett chocolatiers—Madison Peavy, Jenny Chen, Lucas Hyman, Jeffy Ruiz, Jack Drewry, Alfonso Jimenez from Yachana, and Huntley King

the lovett school

december 2019

lessons from the cloudforest classroom The Middle School Trip

Middle School students with llamas

The Middle School traveled to Siempre Verde this summer with a mixed group of sixteen students from 6th to 8th grade. The student experience was filled with a variety of activities ranging from sightseeing and hiking to learning the history of Ecuador and building unforgettable memories with local Ecuadorians. One of the notable highlights for the students was the record-breaking completion of the Arriba trail, which can be a challenge for even local Ecuadorians. Our host family and local community members provided the group with an authentic experience of living in the cloud forest by visiting local schools, farms and neighboring cities. Students described their experiences as “absolutely breath-taking, unforgettable and a place that they would love to bring their families in the future.” which illustrates the biodiversity and beautiful nature of the cloud forest. The Middle School group truly appreciated the opportunity to explore the wonders of Ecuador and we hope to take an even larger group this upcoming summer.

Justin Hicks, Middle School Science Teacher

The Lower School Trip

Middle School group hiking

Middle School students with Rio Cenepa students

Lower School group at Cuicocha

The Lower School family trip to Siempre Verde, Lovett’s spectacular property in Ecuador, is a magical and meaningful experience and the perfect place to unplug and connect as a family. Don Nelson and his family are welcoming and accommodating throughout the stay. Sylvia Seger, an ornithologist and the summer station manager, serves as a knowledgeable guide by providing both scientific and historical context for all of our activities.

One of the many highlights is hiking through Lovett’s cloudforest property. The beauty of the terrain and melody of the birds, coupled with the information that Sylvia provides, make these rigorous hikes a once Lower School students eating break- in a lifetime experience. On our hike to the property, we were able to see how the land is used for farming and for fast grazing. We even noticed a wasp dragging a tarantula back to its hive. This experience left us marvelling at the wonder of nature.

Of course, it was not just our time at Siempre Verde that made our trip meaningful. In Otavalo, we were able to experience the busy market. In Quito, we learned the city’s rich history by touring the town square and beautiful cathedrals. I am so grateful to have been able to travel to Ecuador for the first time as part of the 2019 Lower School Family Trip, and I am thrilled to go back this summer!

Sarah Griffin, Lower School Lead Teacher

page 7

the lovett school

december 2019

research update Publications Update The results are in from the phase 2 of our altitudinal transect study.

This research, done by Nicolas Zapata, used the transects established in 2014, but focused on epiphytes. Epiphytes are plants that live on other plants, or hosts, and make up a conspicuous portion of the plant diversity in the cloud forest. In fact, cloudforest trees are often draped by orchids, bromeliads, aroids, ferns, and mosses to the point where it can be difficult to figure out the host species.

Nicolas surveyed 31 trees and found 245 species of epiphytes, of which 114 species were orchids. Remarkably, about a dozen of these orchids are species I’ve never seen at Siempre Verde, hinting at a world in the treetops quite different than the one we see along the forest floor In related news, Samantha Worthy and Rosa Paz combined their projects and published an analysis of the data from phase 1 of the transect project in the September 5th issue of Plants. Their peerreviewed research paper, “Distribution and Community Assembly of Trees Along an Andean Elevational Gradient,” is available through online open-access.

Abstract of Plants article

New Land Survey Great news, Siempre Verde is now 1,250 acres! In preparation for next year’s strategic planning process, the reserve was remapped this spring and in the process the Ministry of Environment deeded over a neighboring parcel of land, increasing our size by almost 50 percent! The best part makes us contiguous with the CotacachiCayapas National Park, further expanding this biological corridor.

The new land boundary follows the Arriba Trail all the way above 12,000’, adding over 4 miles of trail in some of the most beautiful elfin forest I’ve ever seen. Stay tuned for pending discoveries from this new area of the reserve.

Aerial shot of the new reserve boundary

Andreas Kay photographing an orchid named for him

page 8

Memoriam—Andreas Kay (1963-2019) Sadly, my friend Andreas Kay died this September from a glioblastoma (brain cancer) shortly after his diagnosis. I first met Andreas in 2012. He was exploring the forests of Intag, mostly on foot. He struck me immediately as a type of John Muir-like naturalist but with a particular knack for macro-photography. We immediately contracted with him to survey Siempre Verde for all kinds of life, especially flowers and insects. These photos are showcased in my Guide to the Orchids of Siempre Verde and also our coffee table book, Capturing Clouds. His love of the minutiae of nature, whether Lepanthes orchids, jumping spiders and treehoppers, dazzled his followers on Flickr, where all of his work is stored (search for Ecuador Megadiverso). He also raised awareness of how fragile this biodiversity can be and worked tirelessly to establish the Dracula reserve near Lita. I am honestly still in shock at the thought of never seeing him again. However, he will always be remembered through his images and vision of nature rarely seen.

the lovett school

december 2019

your dollars at work Lodge Structural Repairs This year, we decided to invest over $35,000 in structural upgrades to the Braddy Research Station. Once completed, the lodge will look very similar from the outside, but all of the columns and beams have been replaced with concrete, covered in a decorative wood finish.

Also, the entire roof has been replaced, which (fingers crossed!) will finally take care of those pesky leaks in the rainy season.

Gift Baskets We’ve invested in our gift baskets project again. In a unique fundraising model, we purchase directly from the artisan cooperatives in the Intag region and then donate 100 percent of the sales back the community to invest in sustainable development projects. This year’s baskets include: • Organic honey from Siempre Verde, • Shade-grown organic coffee straight from Mary Ellen Fiewieger’s farm, • Face creams and soaps from El Rosal, • Panela (unprocessed brown sugar) from Pucara, and • Unique hand-dyed and hand-woven cabuya baskets from Flor del Choco.

Baskets are $50 each and we only have 100 baskets available, so order yours today.

Gift baskets

Reforestation and Carbon-Offsetting We purchased 750 native cloudforest trees for reforestation in the Intag and Cotacachi region this year. The Siempre Verde program is committed to offering 100 percent carbon neutral trips and we continue to partner with our friends at CanopyCo, who plant fast growing Nepalese Alders along with native species such as Nectranda, Inga, and Roupala. In addition to restoring the health of the surrounding landscapes, these trees grow jobs in the region and also offset the carbon emissions from our round-trip flights to Ecuador.

Reforestation site with Alnus nepalensis

Documentary: Marrow of the Mountain Back in the spring, I had a wonderful opportunity to meet Dr. Roo Vandegrift at a GA Mycological Association meeting. He studied mushrooms at the Los Cedros Reserve in Intag and is also the lead author on several peer-reviewed publications on the negative environmental effects of mining in Ecuador. His new project is a feature length documentary called Marrow of the Mountain, which focuses on how mining will impact several female protagonists. The material also documents the Richer Than Gold expedition funded by National Geographic which documented the impacts of unauthorized mining exploration camps in the Los Cedros reserve in Intag. Siempre Verde made a donation $1000 towards his Kickstarter campaign this year and Dr. Vandegrift has offered to come speak at Lovett in return. We look forward to screening the documentary sometime in 2020!

Marrow of the Mountain documentary

page 9

Middle School group at the Arriba Trail overlook

Adult group at waterfall

Jenny Chen ’20, Taylor Wright ’22, Huntley Sanci Smith ’20 with student at Rio Cenepa King ’20, Jack Drewry ’20, and Lucas school Hyman ’20 at the Arbol Lindo waterfall

siempre verde the lovett school 4075 Paces Ferry Road, N.W. atlanta, georgia 30327

Upper School student artwork