Discovering the outdoors - Asa Wright Nature Centre
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reservations@asawright.org Tel: (868) 667-4655 March-April 2020
Discovering the outdoors
By Rebecca Boden
In early March, just before COVID-19 turned the world
into a standstill, four faculty members and ten students
from Haverford College, enrolled in a semester-long
course called Plants and People/Economic Botany,
embarked on a 10-day field study traversing, learning,
and tasting their way through Trinidad and Tobago.
With only two days at the Asa Wright Nature Centre,
our schedule was packed. We took advantage of every
moment we had in this hidden haven of biodiversity,
serving as an outdoor laboratory to learn about botany
and ecology.
After settling in, we were led by Caleb Walker on a tour
of the grounds, seeing the green house, coffee grove,
and cocoa house where coffee beans are dried (yes,
they make their own coffee from coffee trees down the
road, providing a never-ending source of fresh robusta
coffee in the dining hall every morning!). We then
received an introduction and history of the centre by
General Manager, June De Gale-Rampersad, followed
by a talk with Conservationist/Researcher/Consultant,
Darshan Narang.
With a bit of free time before dinner, we decided to
explore the natural pool down the road from our Waitress, Brittney Walker gives a birthday treat, AWNC
house. Laughing as we doused ourselves under the style, to the youngest member of our group
waterfall one by one, we were lost in time until the Photo by Rebecca Boden
sun began to set and knew it was time to leave. After
dinner, we took a night walk along the paved road to
see what creepy crawly insects, plants, and animals
came out after the sun went down. This included many
tarantula sightings.
After a good night’s rest, we started bright and early the
next morning, making sure to drink some fresh coffee
at breakfast, and went for a walk on the Discovery Trail
with Caleb, learning about the symbiotic relationship
between leaf cutter ants and fungi, the morbid way
a tarantula hawk (a type of wasp) kills tarantulas,
the dramatic mating dances among white bearded
manakin males, and much more. In the late morning,
we heard about the educational programming and
monitoring led by AWNC from Conservation Officer,
Johanne Ryan. Following lunch, we received a lecture
Guide Supervisor, Caleb Walker, leads a walk on the
on urban ecosystems from Samantha Chadee, an
Discovery Trail
Assistant Professor in Environmental Studies at the
Photo by Stephanie Zukerman
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M A R C H - A P R I L • PAGE 2 March-April 2020
Discovering the outdoors (continued)
University of Trinidad and Tobago, and listened to
Trinidadian folktales from the famed performer, Finbar
Ryan. We finished the afternoon with a hike to the
second, supposedly more secret, natural pool on the
property. Later that evening, as we finished dinner,
the kitchen staff surprised our table, bringing out a
homemade birthday cake for the 19th birthday of the
youngest member on our trip!
Although the status of our semester seemed to be
ripping at the seams, we were able to enjoy two full
days of peace and serenity at AWNC, listening and
watching from the veranda as the hummingbirds
zipped from one feeder to the next, hiking various
trails, consuming vast amounts of delicious Trinidadian
foods, and most importantly, expanding our knowledge
beyond our awkwardly configured classroom back in Assistant Professor in Environmental Studies at the
Pennsylvania. Thank you for everything! University of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Samantha Chadee,
presents on environmental issues in T&T
Photo by Jonathan Wilson
AWNC’s Conservation Officer, Johanne Ryan, shows a
photo taken from a camera trap at Asa Wright
Learning about the process of making coffee Photo by Jonathan Wilson
Photo by Allison Carpenter
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M A R C H - A P R I L • PAGE 3 March-April 2020
Goodnight Scholars at Asa Wright
The Goodnight Scholars on the veranda Photo courtesy Emma Elridge
By Emma Eldridge For many of us, it was our first time visiting Trinidad,
In March, a group of Goodnight Scholars from North Carolina and for some, their first time leaving the United States.
State University visited the Asa Wright Nature Centre as an Within minutes of stepping off the maxi, we saw dozens
Alternative Service Break experience. This trip marked the of bird species, curious agoutis, and a massive Golden
sixth consecutive year that Goodnight Scholars have visited Tegu lizard. As a zoology major, I was instantly drawn to
Asa Wright, and it has been the experience of a lifetime for the rich tropical ecosystem that surrounds Asa Wright.
so many of us. We spent a week in Trinidad, and two days at There were hundreds of species of plants and animals
Asa Wright exploring the grounds, watching birds from the that I had never seen before, very different from the
veranda, and helping design and construct a “cocoa shed” deciduous forests that I call home in North Carolina.
that will contain educational signs about the Centre’s history My mental list of new species only grew as we did
as a cocoa and citrus plantation, as well as the significance of maintenance on trail cameras and began construction
today’s cocoa farms in Trinidad. on our cocoa shed. As a hobbyist herpetologist, the
absolute highlight of my animal experience came in
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M A R C H - A P R I L • PAGE 4 March-April 2020
Goodnight Scholars at Asa Wright (continued)
Students proudly show the completed cocoa shed which stands on the Bamboo Valley trail
Photo by Johanne Ryan
the form of a Red-tailed boa crossing our path as we trekked surrounding COVID-19, I am forever grateful that I got to
up for dinner. Not only did I get to see one of these amazing experience the Asa Wright Nature Centre when I did. The
animals in the wild, I also got to hold her for a few minutes conversations I had during my two days there have forever
before releasing her back into the jungle. shaped my thoughts on conservation and broadened my
Afterwards I rejoined the group for an amazing dinner with perspective to a global scale. Although travel is halted
all the Centre’s guests. As we ate, I enjoyed conversations for the time being, I know there is a huge community of
with staff, students from other universities, and birdwatchers like-minded individuals out there, with fresh new ideas and
from around the world. The community I discovered at Asa information to share. The people I met in Trinidad took an
Wright stands out in my memories as clearly as the animals amazing trip and made it unforgettable, and I look forward
I encountered. Especially with the current circumstances to returning next year as a trip leader.
YOUNG ENVIRONMENTALIST
OF THE MONTH
If you think your child, aged 5-16, has done something
helpful to preserve the environment, please feel free to share
it with us. Either write a short story or send a few pictures to
asawrightconsedu@gmail.com. He/she may be selected as our
Young Environmentalist of the Month. Once your child is featured
in our monthly newsletter, he/she and two adults will be given a
complimentary day visit to Asa Wright Nature Centre, which includes
viewing birds/animals on the verandah, a nature tour and use of the
clear water pool.
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M A R C H - A P R I L • PAGE 5 March-April 2020
Connecting the Dots at Adopt a
River’s 3rd River conference 2020
Members of the Adopt A River Implementation Unit
Photos courtesy the Adopt a River Programme
The Adopt A River Programme Implementation Unit of and address by the Adopt A River Programme’s Youth
hosted their 3rd River Conference on Friday March 6th, Ambassador, Luke Pounder.
2020, at the Trinidad Hilton and Conference Centre. Under The afternoon session featured the Cunupia Business
the banner, “Connecting the Dots…Mentoring Towards Chamber’s Zaheer Ali offering a Stakeholder’s Review
Sustainability,” the one-day event was youth focused with and Dr. Ronald Roopnarine, Lecturer at the University of
representatives from various Secondary Schools across the West Indies, presenting on ‘Water, the environment
Trinidad and Tobago in attendance. The program began and sustainability’. Avril Alexander, Project Manager,
with a welcome address by Mr. Rajindra Gosine, Head gave a projection of the future of the Adopt A River
of the Water Resources Agency, with greetings from the Programme and prizes were distributed to winners of the
Water and Sewerage Authority’s ( WASA) CEO (Ag.) Alan Programme’s Spoken Word Competition, “Riverspeak”. Dr.
Poon King. Ms. Beverly Khan, Deputy Permanent Secretary Sharda Mahabir, who served as the Implementation Unit’s
in the Ministry of Public Utilities delivered the feature first Project Manager, was also acknowledged for her
address, opening by acknowledging the young attendees contribution, and presented with a Legacy Award.
and thanking them for showing an interest in becoming
better stewards of their environment. During the day, the school students learned about the work
of different environmental organisations at display booths.
The youth commanded center stage on this occasion with Organisations who participated in these youth sessions
presentations from the National Scout Association of Holy included Fondes Amandes Community Reforestation
Cross College, Match Me Project OJT, Jenelle Seepaul, Project, Asa Wright Nature Centre, the Adopt A River
Youth Speaker, Curmira Gulston and the presentation Programme, Siel Environmental Services Limited, the
Design
Design and and Layout
Layout courtesy
courtesy Lonsdale
Lonsdale Saatchi
Saatchi & Saatchi
& Saatchi Advertising
Advertising Ltd, Ltd, a friend
a friend of Asa
of the the Asa Wright
Wright Nature
Nature Centre
Centre
M A R C H - A P R I L • PAGE 6 March-April 2020
Connecting the Dots at Adopt a
River’s 3rd River conference 2020 (continued)
Institute of Marine Affairs and the Environmental Policy and
Planning Division of Ministry of Planning and Development.
The young persons in attendance were certainly inspired
by the wealth of knowledge and experience in the room
as they all pledged to accept their role in managing their
precious water resource.
We look forward to our continued partnerships with all
attendees and other stakeholders that we are sure to
encounter as we continue our work at the Adopt A River
Programme. We look forward to another successful
conference in 2021.
Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Utilities,
Ms. Beverly Khan, addresses the conference
Dr. Sharda Mahabir receiving the Legacy Award from
Mr. Rajindra Gosine, Head of the Water Resources Agency
Greetings by WASA’s Chief Executive Officer, Alan Poon King (Ag.)
Asa Wright Conservation Officer, Johanne Ryan (left),
teaches about wildlife and its conservation
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M A R C H - A P R I L • PAGE 7 March-April 2020
Photo Tips
One Word...BACKUP
By Hugh Simmons There are many external hard drives difference is somewhat justified
on the market and the standard by the fact that these are not just
If you cherish the photos you take
ones are really inexpensive but passive devices. They have a built in
while traveling, backing up your
I recommend paying more for a SD card reader and USB ports and
memory cards is imperative. Memory
solid state drive. A standard hard will copy your memory card with the
cards can fail, a bag or camera can
drive contains a spinning disk and push of a button, no laptop or tablet
be lost or stolen and your once in
even the most robust ones can fail needed. You can also connect via the
a lifetime shot of that Resplendent
if they get a solid knock while they device’s own wifi to a tablet or smart
Quetzal is gone.
are running. While this may seem phone to view and even download
At a minimum you should always unlikely, it happened to me when and edit files. On the downside it is
have two copies of your photos and someone bumped the table I was physically quite a bit larger, the user
you should back up your photos working on and the hard drive fell off interface is a bit cumbersome and
every evening. The easiest way while it was running. The drive was there is no way to confirm that the
to achieve that is to take enough ruined. Solid state drives contain no file copy worked unless you connect
memory cards that you never have moving parts and so a failure is far to a tablet or smartphone to view
to erase one and then copy your less likely. I use a Samsung T5 that is the files. But if you do not want to
photos (did I say every evening?) tiny. It is 3 inches by 2 inches (7.5x5.5 carry a laptop there isn’t another
to an external drive. You could cm) and weighs only 2 ounces (56 good option except the Gnarbox but
use your laptop if it has enough gm). Similar drives are also made by it costs nearly three times as much as
memory but consider that a laptop Western Digital and SanDisk which I it is designed to withstand extreme
is more of a target for a thief than am sure are just as good. conditions. If you are going back to
a nondescript little box that can be a hotel every evening then you do
I only use my Samsung for travel so
stored separately from your laptop. not need to spend the extra money
I find 500GB to be enough. It will
Some pros go a step further and on something that is practically
hold 5,000 46 megapixel RAW files or
copy to two external drives keeping bulletproof.
50,000 full size 24 megapixel JPG’s.
them in separate locations. Keep
If you shoot video, go bigger. Adjust
your memory cards with you and
size for your shooting style and trip
keep your backup drive in another
length.
location such as locked in the safe in I would like to know what topics you
your hotel room. If you are between If you do not want to carry a like to see covered in this column?
hotels store your memory cards and laptop, Western Digital makes the Please write to lensonnature@gmail.
your backup in different bags in case My Passport Wireless SSD. These com with your questions or topic ideas.
one gets stolen. more than double the cost but the
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M A R C H - A P R I L • PAGE 8 March-April 2020
Remembering Tom Bearss
By Johanne Ryan weekly blog sharing beautiful photos,
information on birds and other news of
Tom Bearss was Canadian born but had
the Delta Naturalists.
lived and travelled all over the globe,
including Trinidad and Tobago. He had Tom was an avid reader of the Bellbird
served on the Board of Management and showed a true love for birding
of Asa Wright Nature Centre and was a when he wrote to AWNC on 29th
retired Canadian Trade Commissioner/ March 2020: “ I still enjoy very much
diplomat. Tom was an enthusiastic reading about the Centre in your
naturalist and birdwatcher for monthly newsletters, especially now
decades and was President of the from my 5th floor room in the Surrey
Delta Naturalists Society. He was an Oncology Hospital. It was a beautiful
active participant in the group and Sunday in “lockdowned” BC, but I
had an excellent record of recruiting enjoyed seeing a Peregrine Falcon
volunteers. Tom participated in chasing the Pigeons and a Red-tailed
Christmas bird counts and launched Hawk mobbed by Crows as I birded
a Casual Birders group which led over the Surrey trees through my
weekly birdwatching outings to areas window.”
mainly in the British Columbia Lower We pay tribute to Tom Bearss, a leader Photo credit:
Mainland. The birding group grew and cheerful spirit, who passed away
to be quite popular as many wanted https://dncb.wordpress.com/
on April 10th, 2020. May he rest in
to join in the fun. He also wrote a peace.
Share your sightings on iNaturalist
Connect with Asa Wright Nature Centre wherever
you are! Submit photos of animals and plants you
have photographed at the Centre to our project
called Asa Wright Nature Centre Biodiversity at
iNaturlaist.org
Simply visit the website and register, select the
location of your sighting(s) as Asa Wright Nature
Centre, and your observation(s) will be added to
our project. So far, we have recorded 306 species
on our project.
Mania lunus, a Corkscrew moth, belonging to the family Sematuridae.
This moth was photographed at the Centre. Photo by Johanne Ryan
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