Environmentalism in a UNESCO World Heritage Site

In 1982, in recognition of the global significance of the island’s beauty and biodiversity, Lord Howe Island was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Just prior to that, The Lord Howe Island Act of 1981 was established which created a Permanent Park Preserve over approximately 70% of the island. Lord Howe Islanders are proud of the World Heritage designation and would do almost anything to preserve it.

Many programs and strategies have been introduced to protect the bio-diversity of this unique island including the 2004 establishment of The Lord Howe Island (LHI) Weed Eradication Program. This is a thirty-year plan to eliminate all non-endemic weeds from this island of fourteen-and-a-half-kilometers. A big part of this plan includes The Weed Team.

The Weed Team is a group of approximately ten-paid employees plus a variety of volunteers who are committed to removing non-endemic weeds which, if left to their own devices, will kill the rare plants which cover the hills of Lord Howe and take over the beautiful landscape. The Weed Team spends eight-hours per day, four-days per week, climbing into the hills on a search-and-destroy mission to eradicate very specific invasive weeds.

I had the opportunity to spend a day foraging through the jungle with the Weed Team and, let me tell you, these folks work hard; so hard that one can tell, they don’t simply do it for the money. These men and women are passionate about what they do.

We met in town at their garage behind the island’s board offices. I was provided with a backpack (though you should bring your own), some gloves, a tool-belt with clippers and a knife, and an empty weed-bag to fill.

We climb into their pick-up truck and head out to today’s grid. The island has been divided into hundreds of grids, which are marked by blue tape placed on trees, and a different grid is targeted each day. The Weed Team completes the full circuit every two-years. There are 670-non-native plants and, of those, 271 are considered invasive. The Weed Team eradication program targets the worst thirty-five.

Today’s grid is a fairly easily accessible one (I think they’ve chosen it as they knew I’d be joining them) and, after leaving the truck on a muddy hill (the truck begins sliding sideways so we bale-out), we begin a ten-minute walk into the jungle-covered hills. Upon our arrival at today’s grid, I’m shown the two species of weeds which we’ll be pulling, and instructed on the proper way to dig them up and cut the roots off. There’s no need to bring the entire weed out of the jungle because, if we find a lot of them, our weed bags will become quite heavy. Simply carrying the root out of the jungle will prevent further spread.

While this is a planned thirty-year program, in the ten-years it’s been in existence, they’ve reduced these invasive weeds by eighty-percent. While many on the Weed Team are rock-climbers, not all areas of Lord Howe are accessible, even to them. In these cases, a helicopter is brought in for very targeted spraying of the weeds which has a minimal impact on other plant life.

We’re spread out on a search-line, much like ones formed by police when searching for missing people. Sometimes we walk, other times we crawl in order to make a thorough search of the jungle for the, sometimes, tiny weeds hiding under dead palm leaves.The original weeds were mostly brought by visiting ships and from people’s gardens. They don’t belong here and, as they compete with other vegetation for sunlight, water and nutrients from the soil, some take over the food source for endemic, flightless, Lord Howe Wood Hens.

We break for tea and lunch, eating our packed snacks and sandwiches under the jungle canopy (mostly) hidden from the sudden rains. While sitting there, we report the number of each type of weed, and its stage of development to the team leader. After thirty-minutes, we’re back at it, on our hands and knees, using our knives to dig out the unwelcome weeds.Though the Weed Team is normally out there until 3:00pm, today is a short day in the jungle as they need to report to the museum for a required class. We hike out of the jungle, this time down slippery rocks, up hillsides, and through the jungle plants, which continuously tangle in our legs, before finally reaching the pick-up which has been moved to meet us.

Besides it’s UNESCO World Heritage designation, why is LHI so committed to this weed eradication? Well, again, there’s the protection of the Wood Hens. But there are also 238-native plants here and 113 of them exist only on Lord Howe Island. That’s pretty amazing in its own right and, considering the size of the island, well, it’s quite remarkable. The goal of the Weed Eradication Program is zero-weed density by 2034. Being an island, there is a very realistic possibility of complete eradication of non-endemic species.

You can volunteer on the LHI Weed Team, but there are things to keep in mind:

First, this is not a vacation. Sure you’ll get to enjoy the incredible scenery of this unique island, and even meet many of the 350 locals. And you’ll learn so much about the native plant and bird-life. But, make no mistake, the work is physical and you’ll work your butt off. Still, your three-week volunteer experience will include your lodging and a small food stipend. And you’re sure to be in great physical shape after this. If you’re interested in the Weed Eradication Program, or in volunteering, or in any other LHI information, please visit http://www.lhib.nsw.gov.au/ for more information.

 

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Going Head2Head to Combat Childhood Poverty in New Zealand

Finally, after much searching, I found a wonderful volunteer project in New Zealand. Due to the dates I’m here, and most requirements by local agencies and organizations that I commit six-months to their project, well, it’s been a challenge. So while I didn’t get hands on this time, Paul Dickson from Head2Head Charity was nice enough to take me on a tour of one of their projects and tell me more about the organization which he founded.

On the day Paul and I met he took me to meet the folks at Papatoetoe-West School, an elementary school catering mostly to students (ages 5-11) from lower-income households. It was there that I met 10-year-old Oscar who, along with some friends, proudly showed me the mock-up of a hen-house which he designed. Oscar’s class was challenged to design the perfect hen-house (also known as a chicken coop) and draw the plans. The next step was to go home and gather materials lying around and build their hen-house. Oscar worked hard gathering materials and working, through trial-and-error, to construct his house. His materials included an empty cocoa powder carton, plastic from a water-bottle, wood, a tin can, and discarded plastic tubing. The kids all brought their hen-houses to school, voted for the best design, and Oscar’s won. Once the school can gather the materials, including obtaining some donated lumber, they’ll ask the school’s grounds-keeper to build it to house the hens which they hope to get. Oscar’s hen-house design includes a rainwater gathering system, a comfortable indoor area, and even an outdoor play area with a retractable cover so, as Oscar explains, “the hens can play outside even when it’s raining!” It’s important for hens to play.This is all part of a national environmental studies program, called Enviroschools, which Papatoetoe joined approximately a year-and-a-half ago. With the help of Head2Head Charity, the school now has garden-beds located around the grounds, as well as a greenhouse, gardening equipment, a composting box and more. The kids spend time tending their gardens each week while learning about horticulture. “Kids love getting their hands dirty,” says Paul Dickson, founder of Head2Head Charity.

Head2Head raises money to sponsor deserving and under-supported organizations and projects. It began in 2012, when Paul organized a simple fund-raising walk to combat childhood poverty. Paul was working in the Geo Thermal field when he and some work colleagues decided to organize the 125km walk around Manukau Harbour in Auckland, New Zealand. With the success of the first walk, Paul became hooked on being a do-gooder and quit his job to establish Head2Head Charity. The next year, in order to draft more participants, the 125km was changed to a relay.

Thus far, the Head2Head Walk has raised over NZ$40,000 by over 150 participants. And Papatoetoe has isn’t its only benefactor. Head2Dead is committed to helping with creative solutions to child poverty in New Zealand wherever they may be. The next step for the Papatoetoe-West School, its Garden-to-Table program, will be implemented soon. A kitchen is being built and the kids will learn how to harvest their fruits and vegetables, and prepare and cook them. Not only will they learn about cooking, but also table manners and social-skills. Head2Head could sure use some volunteers to help with this part. As Paul says, “There’s almost no point growing all this stuff if there’s no one around to help teach them what to do with it.” As well as volunteers, donations of kitchen equipment will gladly be accepted.

It’s clear to see the pride the kids take in their gardens. Gardening is just a part of what the kids learn in this program. They also learn patience, a sense of ownership, teamwork, and follow-through.

When I asked Paul what Head2Head needs most he told me, for now, it’s volunteers. While Paul quit his job to establish Head2Head, he takes no salary (other than the 100 hours he’s billed at $10 per hour to cover a small part of his time), as he wants as much as possible to go to the projects. But he’s a one-man show and could really use some helping hands. Donations of cash and supplies would also be fantastic. Hubbard Foods has become a corporate sponsor for the Head2Head Charity Walk but there is room for many more.

Head2Head is the little fish in a big pond of much larger charities. What sets it apart from many is that you can actually see the difference your money and assistance are making. Another difference is that Head2Head is committed to two major issues; childhood poverty and environmental education. It’s a worthy charity which could use, and would greatly appreciate, any help offered.

Want to help out? Contact Paul at Head2Head at this E-mail address: paul@head2head.org.nz

If you want to donate some kitchen equipment to the school, please contact Principal Diana Tregoweth at dianat@pap-west.school.nz

 

 

Helping the Environment and Sea Turtles – Easy as a Walk on the Beach

Guillermo and a sea turtle nest

On the most recent Drop Me Anywhere trip to Mexico, I had the opportunity to walk the beach in Akumal with Guillermo, from Centro Ecológico Akumal (CEA). No, we weren’t just walking for exercise, or to enjoy the beautiful view (which it was), we were inspecting the nests filled with sea turtle eggs which are scattered along the beach just waiting to hatch. Along the way, I learned about the great work CEA does, the disagreements amongst environmentalists about the best way to help the sea turtles, or even if they need help at all, and how regular people can get involved. We even saved one from a crab attack!

Who are they? CEA was formed in 1993 by the Akumal Yacht Club, whose shareholders put their four hectares of property on Akumal Bay into a trust to generate funds and provide infrastructure for environmental initiatives to protect Akumal’s coastal and marine ecosystems and biodiversity. Different than many other conservation organizations, CEA rents out some of its property to local businesses and, therefore, retains administrative control of the property, which also allows for donations made to CEA to go directly towards conservation.

What do they do? CEA’s mission is to produce and promote strategies for ecosystem management in Akumal, through research, education and policy, for sustainability in the Mexican Caribbean. These programs include:

–      Coastal Ecosystems Program – the objective is to promote the protection and conservation of the coastal ecosystems through ecosystem monitoring, information sharing and management. It consists of Reef Monitoring and Research, Bay Monitoring and Patrol, Management and Maintenance, and Outreach and Environmental Education.

–      Sea Turtle Program – the objective is to protect the nesting female turtles and their hatchlings, raising awareness among visitors and residents on sea turtle biology and conservation measures. As Akumal means “Place of the Turtle,” this program is a huge focus of CEA. The sea turtle population is of vital importance to tourism, as many come to Akumal in order to snorkel with the sea turtles (in their natural habitat). It’s a delicate balance in which CEA works as a go between in order to ensure a fun and educational experience for tourists, as well as protecting the sea turtles from negative human behaviors which may endanger their future well-being. During nesting season, CEA staff and volunteers patrol the beaches of Akumal in search of nesting females and hatchlings. Their activities include protecting and tagging females, obtaining scientific data, in extreme cases, relocating eggs to more favorable locations, and hatchling releases. The data collected is used to determine how many nests were achieved, behavior, distribution and abundance. Their work includes taking tourists and visitors on these walks visitors to help teach them to respect nature and the life of sea turtles, to be more aware of other species, to learn to cohabitate with them and to help take care of their habitats.

Sea turtles hatching

–      Water Quality Program – the objective in addressing the water quality issues in the region is to dramatically reduce the amount of waste water reaching the sea. CEA works in watershed research and protection, and promotes improved wastewater treatment technologies. This is important due to the area’s highly-porous limestone rock, which is riddled with many fractures, underground rivers and caves. These are interconnected and, in some cases, channel fresh water out to sea, much like an above-ground river might in a coastal region. This is a very fragile aquifer and the quality of its waters has a direct impact on the Caribbean Sea and the coral reef ecosystem.

–      Sustainable Development Program– the objective is to influence development and lessen its impact on the local environment. CEA works with local hotels, condominiums and businesses to apply best practices for resource management. Business can become certified in Akumal and then may be listed on CEA’s website.

–      Environmental Education Program – the objective is to raise awareness among locals and visitors about the fragility of our ecosystems. They provide ecology classes in schools, summer school courses and visitor information in addition to the sea turtle beach walks.

–      Communication Program – Providing outreach to tourists, locals and the tourism sector, the Communication Program helps accomplish CEA’s mission by disseminating their research findings and information in order to be able to influence public policy and to help preserve the coastal environment. Through their Communication Program CEA works with writers, photographers, filmmakers, graphic artists, and anyone who can help getting word out about their important organization and programs.

Sea turtle nest

How can you help? With office space and overhead provided by its property, CEA can dedicate funds from memberships, donations, and grants to cover expenses related to its specific conservation programs. Any donations are gratefully accepted. They also depend on volunteers, students and partnerships with many other organizations to carry out their work. If you’re planning a visit to Akumal, or the nearby cities of Cancun, Playa Del Carmen or Tulum, you can arrange a visit to CEA to learn more about the sea turtles and environmental issues in the area. If you’re there at the right time of year, you may also be able to participate in a nighttime beach walk where you may run across a sea turtle and have the chance to assist in nesting, tagging, or collecting data. At other times of the year you might have the chance to walk the beach with A CEA employee or volunteer in the morning in order to check on the up to 170 nests which are laid throughout the season.*

During your next trip to this area, I’d highly recommend a stop at Centro Ecológico Akumal. Please contact them through their website listed below and ask about their educational programs or even a beach walk. It’s a great family activity (they may even be able to arrange assistance for accessibility issues) which will make a positive impact on you, your kids, and the environment.

*Note – while walking with my guide Guillermo, we noticed some holes in a nest. Suddenly, Guillermo dropped to his knees and began digging. Once he’d dug a few inches down, a crab scurried out of the nest. We dug further and saw that the eggs were intact. If the crab had made it to the eggs, it would most likely have punctured at least one, which would then attract ants that would demolish the shells and make their way into the eggs and destroy the developing turtles inside.

To learn more about the great work that CEA does, or to learn how you can help by donating or volunteering, please visit their website: http://www.ceakumal.org/