PalmsNorth.com

This is for Jesse, and Jason in a decade. Or anyone who wants to really learn about tropical plants.
Volunteer at the Belize Botanic gardens!

Here is their blurb on FB:

Any one need to get away for while come stay and volunteer at Belize Botanic Gardens. Stay anywhere from 2-8 weeks and learn all about the garden, tropical plants and Belize native plants. You also can see everything else Belize has to offer cave tubing, Mayan ruins, fishing, horse back riding, birding, and much more while here. If interested email me at jon@belizebotanic.org for more info and pricing.

Erik, if you need a volunteer with a very good biodiversity background and the UNEP/UNDP/GEF Volunteer credentials I would be happy sending my CV to you. No vocation for the last three years....

OK, I'll bite...what's/who's a CV?

Barb

Curriculum Vitae (or Resume) I guess? Barb, you know I forgot about this North America/Europe notions contradiction...

Funny there is no English word -- we use French (resume) or latin (CV).

Igor, send it directly to the email I gave in my post, not to me.
Their webpage is: http://www.belizebotanic.org/

They cannot afford to pay you (Belize is a poor country) so think of it more as a holiday that will be interesting and where you can be useful.
Plus you'll get to add a line to your CV!

In Russian it sounds like "aftobiografiya" or "auto bio graphic" in Latin or "self written life history". But we use a term "CV" for some convenience.
OK, I understand what the "volunteering" means... I'll send my CV on Monday.

Let me know when you do so I can message them on FB to expect it.

The adjacent resort is quite nice:
http://www.duplooys.com/

and hopefully volunteers can stay and eat there at a discount. It is a very nice place. Not super luxurious, but out of my price range. I alway eat lunch there after touring the botanic garden. They don't serve beef as they worry about cattle in the rainforest, but the lamb is delicious.

Thanks for the explanation folks...how can you tell I didn't go to university?

Wouldn't that be exciting if you ended up in Belize, Igor?

Just a pipe dream for the rest of us, I think.

Erik, are you still in contact with the people that implemented the manatee protection?
If memory serves, that was Belize?

Barb

Barb,
you would be a perfect volunteer for Belize botanic gardens. How about spending a month in Belize this winter? I lot of Canadians do just that, but most just sit under a palm on the beach and drink beer. You could be planting palms instead!

CNN did a video recently that devotes a minute to the manatee work of "Chocolate" Heredia. I know him as a gardener with great cycads and a superb knowledge of coconuts. The whole video (~4 minutes) is worth watching:

http://www.cnn.com/video/standard/index ... =allsearch

--Erik

Barb, I'm a Master of Biology (Ichthyology). I'm looking for a right destination for my longtime waiting vocation... In the past, being the UN Biodiversity Convention Kazakh National Focal Point I had a chance traveling to some Latin America countries like Bahamas, Mexico, Argentina and Costa-Rica. I love travelling (I've visited about 50 countries), I love doing good things for people, sharing with my knowledge and experience, discovering the Nature and the PEOPLE. That is it! Now I had a choice either to go to Montenegro for a beach tourism or to Kampuchea/Indonesia for wild travelling. Why not going to Belize?

Igor,
definitely Belize!
Marine fisheries is vital to their economy. This website and links will get you started:
http://biological-diversity.info/Fish_marine.htm

Freshwater fishing is mostly for subsistence. Tilapia farming is getting started.

So, how about you use the plant volunteering at BBG to get started, and then while there investigate fisheries opportunities?
--Erik

TerdalFarm wrote:Freshwater fishing is mostly for subsistence. Tilapia farming is getting started. Erik

I believe every money holder could start Tilapia farming in tropical climate. I wary very much about the invasive species. Tilapia would be one of them if people start farming it. Central America has it's unique ichthyofauna. I understand Tilapia belongs to the same fish family (Chihlidae) as the most Central America perches belong to. But who knows what would be happened.

Erik,

You could be planting palms

I'd have trouble planting--versus--digging them up to bring home.
Thanks Erik, that video was soooooo nice, crystal clear blue waters...and yup, Nypa palms!!!!!!!
Great that Chocolate was featured as well with his manatee protection.
"I do it for my country", he said.
He deserves to be widely-honored for his work.

Igor, thanks for the insight into your future plans.
You've seen beautiful countries everywhere, and met a lot of people.
Maybe Belize is where you'll find your dream after all.

Montenegro or Kampuchea both sound exciting...but maybe you'll select Belize.
Especially before winter sets in

Barb

Yes, conservationists in Belize are worried about just that.
Other issues: coastal mangroves are being cleared for shrimp farming.
Belize drills for oil in the rainforest now, and plans to start offshore soon. Will that impact marine fisheries? Tourism?
There is so much for you to do there....

Barb,
I'm glad you liked it.
The weather is delightful; 30 C right now vs. 42 C here:
http://cayecaulkerweather.com/weatherda ... r-data.htm

Here is the photo of Chocolate by his favorite coconut (1st below)


And to interest Igor, here is another photo from Belize that has palms in it, I think (2nd below)

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/L ... site"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-hjvb ... CT0030.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/terdalfarm ... te">Belize December 2010</a></td></tr></table>

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/g ... site"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NIzG ... aulker.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/terdalfarm ... te">Belize December 2010</a></td></tr></table>

Nobody could stop oil drilling. We have the same situation in Caspian sea. Nobody cares about sturgeons and the black caviar. I know those guys will drink champagne either in Belize or in Kazakhstan. You are right Tilapia farming wouldn't able impacting a biodiversity in a range the oil drilling will do definitely. Poor people!

Oh, no! That white bikini Palm is nice but I couldn't afford it! I like guppies and Mexican Gulf sunset, no more!

Yes, I remember BOTH photos...Igor is probably booking his plane ticket now
White bikini palm, that's funny!

Reminds me of a joke...an older gentleman-unaccustomed to fitness-decides to buy a gym membership and get fit.
During his first session, he sees a lovely young thing walking through the gym.
He asks the trainer "what machine would make her notice me?"
The reply: "The ATM in the lobby".

Thanks for the pic of Chocolate.

Barb

[quote="lucky1"The ATM in the lobby". Barb[/quote]

Barb,
I think Chocolate rents a couple of rooms to tourists. I could check--he doesn't do the web, but he has friends who do. How about you and H spend some time there, say, all of January?
Igor,
the "white palm" photo was funny to me as I took it in late December as Belize suffered through a cold front. Local Belizean men were shivering in jackets while admiring Canadian women soaking up the winter solstice sun.
--Erik

Barb,
Got to love google.
I found this listing:
http://www.cayecaulkerbelize.net/show_l ... ness_id=71
I doubt he checks email, but I bet his wife answers the phone!
--Erik

Thanks Erik, maybe another winter.
You'll recall there's a wedding soon ... already dust in my wallet.

Igor, yes, that would bring tears to most guys' eyes.

Sorry to derail from the important topic of oil development in the Caye/Belize.

Barb

I admit it--way too much time on my hands.
Doing the staycation thing, yet it is too hot to enjoy my garden. W is sleeping as she works nights.
Anyway, here is another site for Chocolate that has a photo of his house and another email he probably won't reply to, but I'm sure his wife answers the phone:
http://www.travelbelize.org/index.php?o ... ndiv&id=56

Great cottage for guests...
I certainly hope he does well, he deserves it.

Barb