Cloudbridge continues to work at building bridges with communities, schools, and groups both locally and internationally for shared meaning and to learn to collaborate in powerful ways. The learning curve towards sustainable reforestation is achieved with the help of many participants. Cloudbridge is about positive action and commitment to renewal of a complex ecosystem and its biodiversity within the cloud forest.
The Grand Opening of the Giddy Environmental Learning Centre
On February 19th the reserve celebrated the opening of the Giddy Environmental Learning Centre. This is a beautifully constructed facility that includes a classroom area, kitchen, research lab, washrooms and plenty of covered outdoor workspace. The inauguration was attended by community members, tourists, and past and present Cloudbridge participants. Upon arriving guests were invited to enjoy the food and drinks, informative displays, a slideshow of photos, and an organized hike on one of the trails. In the future this centre will be used for research activity, student education, and community events.
Owner and Founder Genevieve Giddy spent the month of February at Cloudbridge. She has been a busy lady – attending Linda’s art exhibition, chairing the Cloudbridge board meeting, helping organize the grand opening of the Giddy Environmental Learning Centre, shopping for supplies for the new kitchen area, meeting and socializing with friends and folks in the community, and of course hiking the trails. She also managed to have a little beach time. Her presence has helped to solidify new plans and to reaffirm the direction of our present activities.
Marloes is a Dutch student in tropical forestry, who is researching a variety of weed/grass supression technics that can be used in preperation for tree planting that are effective, cost efficient and environmentally safe. Marloes is at Cloudbridge studying for 6 months.
Kat Taylor
Kat is and environmental scientist volunteering until late March. She is working on a risk management plan for Cloudbridge’s drinking water. Her colleague, Stephen Purvis, will be providing extra technical support from Alice Springs, central Australia. After working on drinking water management plans with Aboriginal communities in Western Australia, Kat is on holiday but she just can’t stay away from agua potable!
Liam and Laura came from England to Cloudbridge as volunteers. Liam’s carpentery skills helped us finish the Environmental Learning Center with new wood doors on the bathrooms and in the kitchen. Laura is an environmetal journalist who revised notes for our new signage on the reserve trails. Thank you so much for all of your help. We enjoyed having you here.
The art exhibition ‘Portraits of Survivors’ by resident artist Linda Moskalyk received positive feedback and some media attention from the national Costa Rican newspaper ‘La Nacion’. The link to the article is http://www.nacion.com/2012-02-12/Ancora/Longevos-colosos-de-la-naturaleza.aspx
“I hope I can contribute the unique gift of art to global efforts. I have always liked the quote – ’Be the change that we want to see in the world’ by Mahatma Gandhi. Maybe these paintings are the start of my contribution.”
Linda Moskalyk
Tree Rap – by Sophie Rose Anger of Beacon High School
Cloudbridge helps the forest thrive
They plant and keep the earth alive
Primary, secondary, newly planted
Some crops grow on land that’s slanted
Victor bought the land for free
They told him chop down every tree
There were no animals, the water was dirty
But Cloudbridge came and made it purty
They weeded, planted, went to work
So now it’s a place where pumas lurk
Beacon brings their students here
Explaining what they do so clear
When you go home you better tell
Everyone what you learned so well
Plant a tree, get friends into it
You know now that we all can do it!
Laura Giddy came for a visit and to participate in the future planning for the reserve. She brought a few friends and the girls enjoyed hiking, horseback riding, and the Carrera fiesta activities in San Gerardo.
The first 2012 board meeting was attended by Genevieve Giddy, Tom Gode, Jean-Guy… , Adam Wicks-Arshack, and special guest Laura Giddy. There was discussion on new research and volunteer activity for 2012, the commencement for construction of additional housing for researchers, future education programs at local schools, and the start up of the www.cloudbridgeadventures.org .