Life at NRCP
Added to website: 19 July 2003
What’s life really like on a forest expedition? Volunteer Luke Jones reveals all.
In a nutshell?
Life at NRCP (Negros Rainforest Conservation Project, Philippines) is a contrast between the relaxed atmosphere of Campuestohan (project base) and the fast and furious affairs of survey work in the rainforest.
What’s trekking like?
At first trekking seems to be hard work and little else. You realise how unfit you are after climbing a mountain with a 10kg rucksack on your back. At first you are out of breath and constantly stumbling about. The more you walk, the more sure-footed you become and you build up strength remarkably quickly. After going on a few long treks your fitness increases greatly and you start to find the shorter ones insignificant.
How about the surveys?
Surveys are exhausting. Learning all the methods we use to survey biodiversity in an area is challenging but rewarding. Some of the survey work is incredibly boring and monotonous but that’s an unfortunate necessity in data collection. Catching and measuring mammals is good fun though and the butterfly transects are a welcome break after a fruiting and flowering survey.
What’s life like at camp?
Back at camp we occupy ourselves with a variety of racket sports and intellectual board games, as well as teasing one another. You’ll be a competent table tennis player by the end of your stay. Some of my best moments have been on the volleyball court playing with the local lads.
How about the evenings at camp?
After a hard day’s work, good humour prevails and as the Volunteers prepare food for dinner, we laugh about stupid things said and done during the day. After a remarkably good meal (spaghetti bolognaise), we catch bats until 10pm. It’s good fun, albeit tiring. Come 10:30, we’re all dozing in our hammocks, thankful for a well-earned rest.
What’s the local community like?
The project is totally integrated with the village and the locals treat us as their neighbours. I’ve made some great mates with loads of people here from the village and the project. I’d say the best thing about this place is the people you’re surrounded with who make the project run day to day.
Highs and lows?
The rainforest itself holds a unique beauty such as the incredible views of the crater, and sulphur vents. The rainforest is not the inhospitable, insect ridden, leech infested jungle I imagined, but having spent a few nights out here, I’ve started to warm to it. It’s calming - falling asleep to the sounds of frogs and insect calls or waking up to the soft patter of rain against my flysheet. Despite how much some people complain, the leeches aren’t that bad!
Luke Jones, Philippines 2003
