The Days Go On...

So much has happened since my last post some months ago from Brazil. Sometimes we have grad plans and ideas of how things will be but they don't always work out that way...forget about always, they don't usually work out that way. So...here I am again with another attempt to maintain this blog and keep it updated.

I will begin with the present and work backwards and forwards until I feel I have included everything I needed to.

Today I had my last midterm and what was a very stressful period is over. There is much more on the horizon with finals just six weeks from now but with a new study plan in mind and some active discipline in regards to my study habits I should be better prepared for finals. So moving on and hoping for better days ahead.

Here are some pictures of me taken on the steps of Columbia University a few weeks ago by a student journalist who did a story on me for the school's newspaper...not Columbia but BMCC

Field Work Plus Teamwork Equals Success

One of our first field projects found divided into two groups of ten and in the forest for an experiment.Give ten Columbia students a 8*8m plot to sample and the results can be quite chaotic but we eventually got our plan set out, worked together and it turned out a success.


Working together to sort leaves using the Morphospeciies method. It might sound simple but when you are doing this for the first time it can be quite a challenge.


Pictures below shows some of the team hard at work...yes, it is possible to smile while at work in the Atlantic Forest.

Larisa and I getting ready to leave the forest with some of our gears.


Hard at work collecting samples from our forest plot.

Destruction in the Midst of Beauty and Tranquality.

In our first week we took a 40 minute boat trip along the reservoir to a resort called Fazendinha. We stopped briefly and then embarked on a hike to a high point looking down on the water and resort. The view was spectacular to say the least but from our vantage point we looked across the expanse of the forest before us only to see burning patches, fragments of deforested areas that are now reduced to pastures for grazing and other areas for eucalyptus plantations. The beauty that took out breath away was mixed with continuous destruction of this great forest. A picture tells a thousand words and here are ten of them. Do the math.


"You are entering one of the remaining 5% of the Atlantic Forest (Mata Atlantica) fragments in this country. Please respect the flora and fauna present. Maintain silence and don't collect specimens and always conserve the trail."


At the pinnacle of it all, the view is breathtaking and the wind blew strongly to remind of the forces of nature around us.


Like a lioness in an African prairie our fearless, intelligent, cunning and beautiful TA Kaithlin takes in her surroundings as the wind speaks to her.


Our amazingly brilliant and cool instructor never misses a beat and he takes this opportunity to pick our brain on our observations and give us further insight on the knowledge we picked up on our way to the top.




Relaxing with a drink of water at the top of the trail, Tim and I catch some wind and sunshine as we soak in the sight before us.




The reservoir stretches for miles in the valley before us. With this amazing view before you it is hard to think of the destruction that was wrought when this was built. Displacement of locals who face the loss of food supply, loss of animal habitat, isolation of species...the list goes on.

A stop along the forest trail to make observations and have Tim give us more information on what we observe.

Happy Birthday Kuan!

Thanks to Kuan, we had a grad time at 'Cafe De Tarde' today with some amazing cake to go with our tea and coffee. Here is Kwan during the day of her birthday.


Kuan serious as we learn about Natural Selection and Genetic Drift.


The moment of surprise as Kuan saw the cake, the OMG look.


Still shellshocked, Kuan had to be pushed to the next step of the event.


Make a wish (for warm weather and eternal youth)


Kuan in action having a go at the cake. That was a priceless moment Kwan.




With the birthday girl having some cake...yummm




Kuan closed of her day sifting some weed, I mean grass...its not what you think. We were collecting insect samples from the grass.

Brazil: What I am Seeing

Nothing is always what it seems and walking though the local area is no different. As beautiful as it may seem to the naked eye, there is so much more to the landscape that one would imagine.



We are all smiles in the beautiful weather as we walked through the area but in reality, there is nothing much to smile about. Residents have been deforesting the area and building farms to replace the forests. This practice has long term negative impact on the environment.


Notice the patches of grassland between the forest. These forests are known as fragments of the original and much of the land is used for grazing, after the trees have been removed. Its looks beautiful but there is so much more to what is seen.




This is a shot of a sloth high up on a tree, away from its predators. It lives in these trees and have been seen in the past year. These are interesting creatures and are an important of the animal life in this region.





For many people all over Brazil, economics is more important than the environment. This is usually the case with people who are more concerned with survival or those more concerned with their economic well being. A common practice is the planting of Eucalyptus tress on the hillside where the forests have been destroyed. The trees are harvested by cutting and burning after which they are sent off to the cities to be used.


The Araucaria trees are mainly large trees with a massive erect stem, reaching a height of 30-80 m and are a very important part of the forests in Brazil, specifically in the Atlantic Rain Forest.


I guess this can be viewed as a very nice picture but notice the bare treeless hill behind me. This is pasture land that has been purchased and is currently being reforested. On both sides are fragments of forests that this new forest will eventually bring together.


Walking through the edge of a forest as we venture out to observe the landscape and the results that human impact has left on it.

Back to Blogging: Brazil Day 1

After months of waiting and anticipating, I am in Brazil and day 1 is over. Its been an amazing day with free flow through customs, a one hour scenic drive to the site where we are staying, and getting to know some wonderful people.

After only one day so much has happened: we had an amazing lunch, some of us went for a short jog, took a short nap, went kayaking for the first time in over 10 years, had a fabulous dinner, a short orientation session and now blog time.

What a day. Here are a few pics.




The view from the balcony outside my room showing the surrounding hills and a dam.




Hanging out in the lounge.



What an amazing time kayaking on the dam.



Its lunch time, buffet style and the food is amazing, and so much!



The drive from the airport.

Back In NY: Jan 2009

Its a new year and one of my resolutions is to post regularly on my blog like I used to. Regularly meaning at least once a week in this case.
So much has happened in the past year and it will take me a very long time to update but I hope I can keep with 2009. Already there are so many plan underway that will make the new year all the more interesting and from where I stand, this is going to be one heck of a year.
Join me and lets make the most of 2009 together...all the best.