A day in the forest
Added to website: 08 December 2002
The following article, written by the forest expedition leader, is an account of a day on the forest project.
Breakfast
Breakfast at the NRCP is accompanied by the competing sounds of crowing cockerels and a lively dose of European house music - a strange mix for the community of Campuestohan nestling at the foot of Mount Mandalagan. Sleepiness is erased by a large does of local coffee and the ever-present portion of rice. The NCRP team is mobilised into action with a Filipino chorus of “Come on team” from the project’s Mountain Leaders. The survey group of staff and volunteers warily approach the trekking board to discover their allocation of science and safety equipment for the day. Water bottles are filled and boots laced while local guides energise themselves with a rice breakfast. The ritual radio check is carried out with ‘Tango 1’ and ‘Tango 2’ checking in. ‘This is Sierra Charlie reading you loud and clear,’ I respond. Both register operational and I sign off with ‘Sierra Charlie standing out’.
Every trek is different
As we immerse ourselves in the meeting, the volunteers, mountain leaders and science staff will have trekked high in the montane rainforest to their first study site. Every trek is different, not only because you compete such a variety of wildlife survey work, but you are also rewarded with lots of wildlife sightings and fantastic views of the surrounding rainforest. As you look back to where you have hiked from, the sense of achievement is immense.
Tree inventory
Today, the team have set out to complete part of a tree inventory, tagging and measuring individual specimens in one of our six 1ha sample plots. It sounds simple, but often involves scrambling over rocks, and clambering through vines, all under the watchful eyes of our mountain leaders, and organised with precision by the science staff. All of this groundwork will eventually enable us to better understand the dynamics of the forest.
Afternoon
During the afternoon, I make the weekly report to London and order new equipment. The volunteers return from the forest in a variety of states, ranging from exuberant to tired. But all are satisfied with the day’s work, and with abundant energy to re-tell the stories of their wildlife sightings.
Evening
The pre-dinner staff meeting brings everyone up to date with the community meeting and providing me with feedback from the treks and science activities. The Project Scientist puts forward the plans for the following day. Dinner is devoured by hungry volunteers and staff, before they invade the science room, like moths to a light, for a therapeutic session of data entry. This is a vital task that ensures that not an ounce of the day’s effort goes to waste. Every scrap of data will improve our understanding of the forest and help towards the development of a management plan for the NNFR.
As spreadsheets are completed, volunteers and staff take the opportunity to relax, enjoying the distant lightning which dances in the night sky, with the forest inhabitants providing a backing track that can send you into a hypnotic sleep. As the numbers dwindle and sleep sets in, I stave off tiredness to complete the last duties of the day. Shutters down, doors locked, lights off. Sierra Charlie registers ‘over and out’ for another day.
by fran Wallington, Expedition Leader
