Yesturday we spent the day in a fundraising communication workshop run by NZs very own Andy Kenworthy. We went through a process of applying each of the Permaculture Principles to Fundraising Communication. It was fascinating and very effective at making sure we are all on the same page and also deepened the cultural unstandings between all of the parties.
Three new volunteers arrived last night, Lachy, Naiomi and Mark from Australia.
In the evening we went back to our house to back up Andys' photos onto my computer as his laptop died yesturday morning. He noticed a leech on my leg and it proved to be a difficult one to remove. We observed it for a while and it seemed dead keen on having another taste of me. Sky spent the rest of the night worried that leeches would get her from under our mosquito net.
Before we went to bed, Huan took us down to the local hot mineral bathes. They were big enough for Sky and I to share one and it was absolute bliss to soak in some naturally hot mineral water, wash our hair and soak our weary bones for a while. The temperature has been pretty mild lately and we have been getting lots of rain - thus the influx in the leech population.
On the way home in the 4 wheel drive we came across a group of people who were blocking the road. It was dark and as we came closer it became clear that they were stacking logs in the middle of the road for illegal sale. I reached for my camera straight away but luckily the car was full of people with more sense who stopped me just in time. It could have been a dangerous thing to do. They loggers quickly made just enough room for us to squeeze through. It was heart breaking and when we returned to HEPA Rebecca told us that she had heard the trees fall just across the river from us and watched them take the logs across the river at dusk. Each of the logs can fetch between 1 and 2 million dong ($100- $200) which is nothing in comparison to their real value as standing trees.
It would be easy to take the moral high ground about this but it is nothing that hasn't happened anywhere else in the world. Paula just sent me a note that this was happening on the Whanganui River back in the day. Everyone that has ever driven along the Whanganui River bank will know what an environmental disaster this has been. Maybe we can send pictures of the results of this activity has been so that people here are inspired and motivated to find other solutions to survive.
The nutrient cycle is much faster in the tropics and soil loss can happen incredibly fast if the tree cover is removed. This activity is supported by a whole ecosystem of buyers, traders and authorities that overlook the activities of the illegal timber trade. It is difficult to find a way to stop it, where do you begin?
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