Ecorana environmental at the Toucan Ridge Ecology and Education Society field station: March 2013

Ecorana Environmental ltd., Blog at it's partner field staiton at the T.R.E.E.S

We are Ecorana Environmental, an eco-travel and environmental education company that specializes in creating and planning applied learning holidays for students, researchers, and ecotourists alike. Our team consists of travel and outreach specialists as well as research biologists and teachers who specialize in environmental education and conservation. We are well-versed in providing comfortable, safe, and exciting learning and travel opportunities to a range of clientele interested in environmentally and culturally conscious travel.Ecorana is poised to offer travel and education abroad opportunities in the diverse tropical country of Belize. Ecorana employs biologists who are well-trained in tropical ecology, herpetology, and ornithology, and as such, studies in tropical biology are the primary focus of our educational holidays. However, our team’s diverse interests and expertise allow us to plan all types of holidays ranging from wildlife ecotours to yoga retreats to West African drumming courses to ecological field technique courses. Wherever your interests lie, you can be guaranteed that Ecorana will be right there with you.Ecorana maintains values of environmental and cultural conservation and stewardship, hands-on education, and inclusive learning, and seeks to instill those values in all visitors to Belize. We work with many field stations and educational centers, scientists, educators, tour companies, tour guides, eco-lodges, and parks, both on the mainland and on the islands of Belize, to make sure you go exactly where you want to go and see exactly what you want to see and more!

One of our main partners is the Toucan Ridge Ecology and Education Society (T.R.E.E.S) and their field station in Belize. The objectives of this environmental education center are to host various cultural and environmental based student courses, workshops and event hosting in the heart of the beautiful Maya Mountains of Belize. We plan on providing our services to international students as well as providing opportunities for Belizean students.

For more information see our website at www.ecorana.ca, or send us and email at info@ecorana.ca or to go directly to the T.R.E.E.S website www.treesociety.org

Thursday, March 21, 2013

The T.R.E.E.S sign

After lot's of work on Vanessa's part we now have our T.R.E.ES on the side of the road. Unfortuneatly V now has to do a whole other one for the other side of the highway. Or else we will only be getting customers from the Belmopan to Dangriga side! Anyhow, it looks great and it is attracting lot's of attention, good and bad! But all in all, people are starting to talk about us, which is good because we are very very close to being open for business!

hard at work

starting to look like a Toucan

Vanessa being extra careful painting the sign, you never know...

The beautiful new sign posted in front of the Center

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Jaguar at T.R.E.E.S

As you know we acquired some remote cameras to do some of our research here at the Centre. Three weeks ago we put up a few remote cameras in spot we felt we might get some wildlife. Last Saturday Vanessa went to check the cameras and she ran up a little while later, completely out of breath with a huge smile on her face. That could only mean one thing - Jaguar on the Cameras. Sure enough, what appears to be a good size male jaguar was observed on 2 of our cams on a few consecutive days. We have yet to spend enough time to know if this the same individual which it probably is as males have large territories. As this species is not doing so well in Central America we are very pleased to find them at T.R.E.E.S, they will have a protected area to feed and rest here!

Now! while these cats look large and fierce, there has never been a reported attack from a wild jaguar on humans. So not to worry when you come to visit the centre!

the paths and the tractor

We were lucky to receive Vanessa's parents last week, who thought they were coming here for a vacation. They should know better by now! We were madly preparing our first big group which is coming on Monday by the way, the UNB tropical ecology class. After a couple of set-backs Chris and I were able to obtain a nice John Deer tractor for Chris to play with all of the big pile of crushed rock and gravel I have ordered months ago and were just laying in the yard looking like giant Chia Pets with grass growing on them. For a couple of days Chris took this beast out and made us some really nice looking walking paths that go from the Dining hall to the cabins. On the next sunny day which is probably tomorrow, I will take pictures of the new paths and post them!

Chris playing around with the first couple loads of gravel!

Chris and the big JD

The beginning of the paths

We also now have a nice loop to do some jogigng on or just go out for a leisury walk!

Gery on the other hand was down at the shed with Vanessa frantically paiting the numerous trail signs that we have put up on the now 3.0 km of trails. We are hoping to move up to 20 km or so, but this is a start and the trails look truly awesome, feels like a National Park, well almost!

Here is Vanessa working on the TREES hosting Centre sign! It should be be erected today!