Time in the Forest of Hope
October 06, 2011
Written by Peter Clay, Senior Advisor to GACP
Almost endless rain at Kinihira. We succeeded in visiting maize fields around Bitenga with Patience and also succeeded in seeing three of the chimpanzees.
They were very near Bitenga and right by the forest edge, feeding on a parasitic plant growing on a Macaranga tree (that info is from the Gishwati Area Conservation Program's field assistants). Not terrific viewing but still very lucky because they are now spending much time searching for the new bamboo shoots, which means that they are on the ground. As they are not comfortable yet with observers nearby while they are terrestrial we lucked out. In the past, only two or three would have probably fled even from the trees (too small a group for their comfort). Now it seems the habituation program has changed that, at least for some individuals. Saw Rukara (male) and Mahoro (adult female) with her infant Mahirwe.
On Friday (original day for visiting maize fields on our tentative schedule) we ended up watching an exhibition football match and many good performances at the concluding ceremonies of this year's eco-club competitions. Drake University Professor, Michael J. Renner enjoyed the football. He is a "soccer dad," spending much time watching his 11 year old son play. The performances made clear that many people (at least the kids in the eco-clubs) see the potential for Gishwati to bring revenue and opportunites to those living near the forest. The unfulfilled aspirations of the communities around the forest to welcome tourists will threaten all we have achieved.
Afterwards, there was the obligatory reception for the "animators" of the 15 (yes, Madeleine Nyiratuza, GACP's in-country director, told me it is now 15) eco-clubs, along with other local leaders. Reception was at Kinihira School. In the end, just not time to go to Bitenga.
Today, Michael got to help push the old Land Cruiser when it got stuck in the mud en route to Bitenga. We made it through the first mud field (passing a large lorry that looked hopelessly stuck). However we could not get up the next hill so we walked the last 45 minutes to Bitenga. After viewing maize fields and chimpanzees, GACP Research Manager Sylvain Nyandwi (working from Gisenyi) arranged for motos to come pick us up at Bitenga and take us to Gakeri, where Steven met us with the project vehicle. Apparently the 4-wheel drive no longer works on it.
Tomorrow we will hike the forest trail. It really did not make sense to try to hike from Bitenga through the forest back to Kinihira today. What with being stuck in the mud and exciting moto rides back it was an adventurous day! Somehow, that lorry was gone as we went by worst muddy areas on our motos. Must have required many people to to that!
