Adventure Tourism Ecuador

Cute little guy

Permaculture Internship at the Jama-Coaque Rainforest Reserve

An hour and a half north of Canoa, the Jama-Coaque Reserve has been established as a haven of conservation in a countryside subject to rampant deforestation from the logging and cattle trades. The Third Millennium Alliance, an organization dedicated to the principles of conservation and permaculture, purchased the reserve to conserve the existing virgin rainforest, expand degraded lands through reforestation and work with the surrounding communities to develop and incentivize economically viable and ecologically sustainable alternatives to land use in the area. 

3MAlliance’s Jama-Coaque Reserve in western Ecuador is the last line of protection of one of the most biologically valuable and endangered ecosystems in the world. With 275 acres of tropical rainforest and cloud forest, the reserve is part of the last 2% of rainforest in a bio-region that once spanned the length of three countries.

What is Permaculture?

Permaculture is an approach to designing human settlements and perennial agricultural systems that mimic the relationships found in natural ecologies. The name derives from the terms  permanent agriculture, and permanent culture.  Permaculture design principles are based on the concept that the only ethical decision in land use is to take responsibility for our own existence and that of our children. All of the decisions at the Jama-Coaque reserve are made under the umbrella of permaculture principles.

Bamboo House & Permaculture Development

The Bamboo House serves as the reserve headquarters, volunteer accommodation, research center, and living laboratory of permaculture development techniques. Potable water is harvested from nearby natural springs and rainfall, and a long-term goal of 100% food self-sufficiency is underway.

A mix of local community members, university interns, ecology professionals, and traveling volunteers are working together to convert tracts of previously-degraded forest into an edible ecosystem. Wild orchards are already scattered throughout the forest, such as banana, orange, coffee, and cacao groves hidden beneath the canopy.  Much work needs to be done, and we need as much help as we can get.  Those who are interested in or who practice permaculture are welcome to work and study with us.

Scientific and Academic Research

The land in and around the Jama-Coaque Reserve is, from a scientific perspective, virgin and unexplored terrain. The extravagant ecology, its biological “mega-diversity” and endemism is matched by very few other places in the world, and yet very little of this ecosystem has ever been studied. 3MA extends an open invitation to any and all biologists, ecologists, students, and academics to explore, study, and document the life and natural systems that abound in this forest.

Short-Term Volunteer Program

The Jama-Coaque Reserve in cooperation with Canoa Thrills has developed a six day volunteer program for travelers who want to truly experience eco-tourism.  The reserve experience includes five days of project collaboration with other volunteers and locals in and around the reserve, as well as an education in permaculture, rainforest ecology, conservation and reforestation.  Projects will vary depending on need at the reserve as well as the interest and aptitude of the volunteer, but may include construction projects around the Bamboo House, work in the orchard or garden or planting native crops in the surrounding community.  During the six day period, volunteers will choose a free day to relax at the Bamboo House or lounge around in a nearby waterfall.

The swell is continuing to come in at waist to chest high today, and while we’re not seeing many of the overhead monsters on the outside that we’ve had the last couple days, it’s still a clean and rideable wave. Looks like more of the same to come with waves around 4 ft. forecasted for the next few days.

This week’s tip: during Carnival nobody gets up early so if you want a nice clean break to yourself, have some self-control and take it easy tonight to get ready for a killer morning surf session.  Ha!  Not likely. But we can still let loose and stay up for a drunken first light paddle.

In other Canoa news the Carnival festivities have been ample and well-received.  Suffice it to say that there may or may not have been partial nudity, incarceration due to the unlawful spraying of police officers with water guns, and a generally good-natured, booze-fueled time had by all.  Surf Shak, being a reputable and upstanding establishment with a classy cliental, does not care to comment on such goings on.

We’re still seeing the extreme tides from the moon cycle and the powerful surf to match.  With an ultra low this morning and a light off shore breeze, there were clean peaks popping up from The River, south through Gringo Central and beyond.

An onshore breeze at 10mph in the afternoon brought in semi choppy faces, but at five feet plus it’s still very rideable and the shorter wave period means more waves for everyone and less surfing over top of the mini local speed bump troop… as if they wouldn’t surf over you first.

The outlook for tomorrow is even better with bigger surf and a lighter breeze, so we should see slick faces all day.

In other news we’ve seen the triumphant return of Team Surf Shack from nationals where they cleaned up… unconfirmed reports have been made that Leo severed his face and still went on to win the title of  “Surf God of The Universe.”  More to come on that when we separate fact from fiction.

We also saw the triumphant return of Frans from his mission to Quito to spread the good word of the Surf Shak to the city’s wayward beach-bound disciples.  The Dutchman said unto the lost city dwelling souls, “when thou regainith thou’s good sense, come unto Canoa.  Here is a free drink ticket,” and it was good.

Woe to those who don’t come by tonight to celebrate Team Surf Shak’s sheer dominance and the unlikely, yet successful completion of 21 years of life by the resident Norwegian, Christian  (at least it certainly seems like he lives here.)  Rumor has it that there will be free shots floating about and with a little luck and a lot of rum we can probably coax Drew into dancing on the bar.