Forest Ecology: A Journey of Many Species and Issues

The week of September 20th was Forest Ecology. We may have started in the Nabitunich classroom, but class brought us to the depths of Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (Named after the rooster-like crest in the mountainous horizon). Day and night hikes, birding, field notes, generator-powered classes, independent projects, and even swimming under pristine waterfalls were all in a days work at Cockscomb. It was a very big week for students, and certainly had its share of challenges to dish out. Ranging from a deep sense of awe to the utter annoyances of gnats and mosquitoes, we leave Cockscomb with a deeper understanding of the realities of tropical forests.

Led by our fearless leader Dr. Randy Van Dragt, we strolled the trails of Cockscomb absorbing everything we could along the way.

Awaiting at the end of the trail were the Tiger Fern waterfalls.

Our class learned the history of Cockscomb through Mr. and Mrs. Saqui, leaders in the Maya Center community just outside of Cockscomb. Mr. Ernesto Saqui was the first director of the sanctuary in the mid '80s. The development of Cockscomb contained many conflicts between the conservation of nature and the displacement of a local Mayan community. Jaguars versus people? Something just wasn’t right. Yet through creativity, difficult meetings, and much will power, a balance in job opportunity, control, and access now exists between Maya Center and Cockscomb Basin. However, this balance is still requires fine tuning today. It is here within this history and in this land we had the amazing chance to study with Dr. Randy Van Dragt from Calvin College, MI who has spent quite a bit of time teaching in the forests of Belize and Costa Rica.

Jaguars being solitary hunters, this rare moment captured an entire family!

Randy took us on a journey through the rainforest. Well, is it a rainforest, or a jungle? What’s the difference? Cockscomb contains elements of both. A jungle being the classic movie scene of machete slicing through the thicket, a secondary forest with a history of disturbance and therefore an abundance of rebounding growth. Yet the rainforest, tropical broadleaf lowland forest, contains layers upon layers of canopy and little light left at the bottom under story. From the details of learning the plant families (Araceae, Aracaceae, Bromiliaceae, Heliconiaceae…) to contemplating our place in the forest, our journey through Cockscomb stretched us into new heights. Every morning gave us the opportunity for birding, a total of 60 species during our time there. Hummingbirds and manikins were exceptionally active at this time of year, allowing us to glimpse a variety of stunning courtship dances and displays in forest clearing and along misty river banks.

The Red-rumped Tarantula (Frightening yet harmless when space is respected) is one of many species especially abundant in the refuge of Cockscomb.

After Cockscomb there was still more to discover for our class. Randy took us up to Mt. Pine Ridge to behold the controversial Chalillo dam. This dam serves as a reservoir for two other dams down stream on the Macal River, all producing hydro-power for Belize. As the dam was built on a seasonal flood plain (Ideal for a dam that creates a large reservoir), the floodplain also served as a rare refuge for the beautiful and in Central America, endangered Scarlet Macaw. The flooded reservoir of the dam is also some of the last key nesting grounds in Belize. From the Belize Ministry of Forestry, we learned the history of forestry in Belize and heard about their current challenges and aspirations. As the human imprint in the area takes its toll, we also saw the efforts being made to sustain wildlife. Can Macaws coexist with the dam? The timing of our visits to these places showed us the critical times in which we live and how critical it is to understand both the needs of human beings and that of nature to sustain themselves.

Atop the dam with the reservoir at our backs.

On the way home from Mountain Pine Ridge, we stopped at the behemoth Rio Frio cave.