Very few know that these jobs were precisely one of the main reasons for creating our company; Ecologistica Peru. During the years 2000 to 2010 there was a boom in Protected Natural Areas that werecreated in our country thanks to the participation and coordination between foreign organizations, the Peruvian state and local institutions. It was the Filed Museum of Chicago of the USA that financed and directed these studies in that decade and in Peru, there were no more than 5 Peruvian friends who were hired as brigade heads for this purpose.
An IBR is an evaluation of natural resources with rapid standardized methodologies that scientists do, precisely, to have an initial idea of the biological richness of a specific area and, based on that, propose to the state the creation of a Protected Natural Area. To carry out these evaluations, everything begins with an advanced stage in which a brigade leader and 10 to 12 assistants are left at or taken to points of interest to build camps for 25 – 30 people, a system of trails of 15 to 20 km oriented towards the different types of forests present in the area, heliports or air evacuation points in case of emergencies, latrines, work and rest areas, etc.
On this occasion, our friend Alvaro del Campo, logistics leader of the field museum, told us in October 2023 that they planned to hold it in February 2024, but when the date arrived, the tense political situation between Venezuela and Guyana caused the IBR to be postponed to October this year. Time flew and suddenly, our fixer, Aldo Villanueva, was already flying to Guyana to take charge of 2 camps in the upper basin of the Essequibo River for 22 days, accompanied by 12 Way Way natives from the Kaneshen community, an official from the Council of Protected Areas of Guyana (PAC) and mastozoology; Farah Carrasco of the FM.
Without a doubt this has been one of the most rewarding experiences, both business and personal, given the responsibility of doing what we like most; field logistics, in a totally unknown country, but at the same time, a satisfaction that fills us with pride in addition to leaving us images of landscapes and flora and fauna that perhaps we would never have been able to see. Thanks to the Field Museum of Chicago for the trust in our work, to Phillip Suse, Way way leader of Kaneshen and his tireless brigade companions, to Washington Wenceslao of the PAC of Guyana for his enthusiasm and mastery of the reality of his country and to Farah ”Fariña” Carrasco for the incredible empathy during the 2 camps. You already know that you can count on us in 2025… Until next time!!!
