GVI Amazon Rainforest Conservation

Facts and figures

Created a species list (inventory) for the Yachana Reserve reaching over 750 different species including birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and butterflies, amongst other invertebrates and it continues to grow every phase
National Scholarship Program offering scholarships to Amazon students from the Yachana Technical High School to study English, conservation and field techniques alongside GVI volunteers at our base camp. Over 60 students have participated since the start of the program, with many achieving advanced levels of English, and some even receiving scholarships to study in the US and return to Yachana as bilingual naturalist guides
In September 2008 GVI Amazon found an individual of Hyalinobatrachium iaspidiense, a rare glass frog that until recently was thought to only be endemic to the Guayana Region of Venezuela. Prior to this find it was thought to only reside in one other locality within Ecuador further north in the Succumbios region
Over 2500 hours of English and environmental lessons taught to local community schools

The End of an Era

After over 6 years of intensive research and community development work in and around the Yachana Reserve, GVI Amazon is coming to a close. We have finished our final research project (look forward to our Road Effects paper, coming soon!) and are handing over the project to our partner, The Yachana Foundation. They will continue to maintain and monitor the reserve, using it as an hands-on science education center for students -- we're very excited to see what fabulous things this next generation of scientists find! For more detail on GVI Amazon's closure, and our accomplishments over the years, please read on...
GVI Amazon Closure Statement

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Huaorani Jungle Challenge DAY FIVE

Before breaking our fasts today we went on a steep climb finishing with a steep descent to a huge waterfall. It was beautiful and some people decided to try out the massaging qualities of the waterfall. After and equally long hike back we were ready for the cooked breakfast! We then had a record breaking speedy canoe ride crossing from Huarani to Shwar territory. After leaving the pristine jungle it was a shock to be in a dirty oil community at the end of the road to Coca. Here we started the “Toxic Tour”. We were told that when the oil infrastructure was first put in it was built with the cheapest technology and is still used today. The locals health has suffered from lack of environmental regulation with birth defects etc and are now suing the original oil company.

When we arrived at the town of Coca we ate and drank batidos (a milky fruit drink) to our hearts content. We then had a bumpy ranchero (an open backed truck with seats) ride back with two stops along the way for chicken and then ice cream. We arrived back at base slightly bruised and extremely happy to be greeted with open arms (and cake) by those that did not go on the challenge and also a 1.2m Fer-de-lance!