Machete time!

I participated in grid cutting for the first time in my second week on the GVI Amazon base. Basically all you do is take some machetes, a pair of “contour measuring sticks” and a GPS and you clear a path avoiding hills and slopes until you have what is known as a transect (which will then be used for data collection during scientific surveys).

The day started with rain and within the first hour of the predicted nine we were all soaked. I took charge of one of the sticks while a crazy South African guy chopped ahead of us and an even crazier Spaniard plotted points on the GPS. The cutting went slower and slower as the terrain became tougher and everyone fell over something or other. After a very, very long time, lunch!

After a hastily eaten lunch we started on another transect. The first fifty meters or so managed to seem even slower and longer than before with sand flies using our exposed skin as a buffet. It seemed pretty likely that the nine hours were going to be the longest of my life but Andy our leader also noticed this and changed around a few positions and click. Everything and everyone came together and we worked together as a well oiled machine, everyone basically had to jog the remainder of the two hundred and fifty meters and we finished three hours ahead of schedule.

A good day!

Michael Kelly, GVI Amazon Conservation Intern, April - September 2011

Machete time!