Adventures in Agroforestry

Since early June 2012, two recent Harvard University graduates, Julian Moll-Rocek and Janie D’Ambrosia, have been visiting EcoLogic’s agroforestry plots in Guatemala to observe, gather data, and provide “tips and tricks” to our EcoLogic field technicians and community farmers on ways to measure and track the progress of their agroforestry efforts. 

Hi all!

Janie and I arrived in Guatemala City on June 13th and headed to EcoLogic’s regional headquarters in Quetzaltenango (affectionately known as Xela, by its Mayan name). While crashing on the floor of an extra room in the EcoLogic office, we spent about a week and a half re-familiarizing ourselves with the work EcoLogic is doing in agroforestry—which involves planting trees with corn, I’ll get to the details further down the page.

Home Sweet Home - at least for a few days.

We became interested in EcoLogic when we wrote a case study on the organization for a class on climate change and the global food system. We worked closely with Senior Program Officer David Kramer and to gained an understanding and appreciation of EcoLogic’s mission, goals, and projects. We are particularly interested in helping establish an effective monitoring and evaluation (M/E) system for EcoLogic’s agroforestry project. In essence, we’ll be keeping track of progress, measuring success (or failure), and trying to get a sense of what should be changed. So now we’re here in Guatemala for three months speaking to people in the fields—quite literally—and coming up with a set of recommendations for project modifications.

That's Don Augustín to the left, the greenhouse manager in Totonicapán with técnico Fernando Recancoj and Janie showing off some saplings in a newly constructed greenhouse.

The agroforestry system that EcoLogic promotes is based on the research of the Inga Foundation, which employs a nitrogen fixing tree, Inga edulis, planted in alleys between rows of corn (known as alley-cropping). This technique provides farmers with several advantages: shade from the trees reduces the amount of herbicides they need to kill weeds, the dead leaves from the trees decompose to provide a rich layer of nutrient-rich humus or compost, and finally before the corn is planted, the trees have their branches cut which is often used for firewood, reducing the need to take fuel wood from neighboring forests.

A farmer standing proudly by her agroforestry plot in Guatemala.

After our stay in Xela we headed up to Ixcán, about an hour south of the Mexican border, to see this agroforestry system firsthand. After 9 hours crammed into a minivan, we finally arrived in the town of Playa Grande, where we were welcomed by EcoLogic’s técnico, Antonio Chipel. Nursing our bruised knees and aching backs, we plunged right into work the next day. Bumping around in the back of a pick-up truck, we drove out to a community called Santa Maria Dolores. There, we spoke to farmers who have started working with Inga, visited plots of different ages, and tried out some of the measurements we had come up with to get a better idea of how things were going in the plots. Everyone we met was incredibly warm and open. Even though everyday left us drenched in sweat and dead tired. 


Now, we've arrived in Livingston, Izabal where we will try to use what we learned from Antonio and the farmers in Santa Maria Dolores, Ixcán, to come up with a straight forward set of measurements and questions to keep track of how agroforestry systems are working here.

The food here is unbelievable!

I have to make a brief mention of the food here: it is absolutely UNREAL—fresh corn tortillas mixed with beans and cream and perfectly cooked scrambled eggs for breakfast; a hearty vegetable stew for lunch with corn tamales; maybe a cheese and chicharron filled pupusa for dinner. Everything prepared fresh as you watch!

- Julian

Julian Moll-Rocek has done research in the Amazonian rainforests of Madre de Dios, Peru and Janie D’Ambrosia has previously worked on a national reserve in Southwest Kenya. Both Julian and Janie have degrees in organismic and evolutionary biology, a field that looks at the function, evolution and interaction of organisms—or in this instance, how crops and trees can work together and integrate beneficially into the broader natural ecosystem. They are also showing our field staff techniques to use new technology (such as GPS) to create more accurate maps and georeference the agroforestry plots of the farmers we work with.

Taking Care of (monkey) Business

I grew up in Venezuela and I understand personally how important it is to help rural communities that are usually neglected by governments and the private sector. I joined EcoLogic as a Communications intern nearly five months ago, because I can see how EcoLogic’s work creates opportunities for people and places that are usually overlooked because of a history of exclusion and political turmoil.

Before joining EcoLogic, my experience in environmental conservation projects was very limited. I did a summer internship at an environmental organization based in Washington D.C that focused solely on ocean conservation through research and advocacy. It was an eye-opening experience and my interest in environmental causes started to grow. I started gaining an understanding of how environmental policies are intertwined with economic and social ones.

A howler monkey in Honduras. This picture was taken by a staff member on a trip in January. Pictures like this are what has made working on the biodiversity catalog so fun!

The first project assigned to me at EcoLogic was to build a biodiversity catalog. My job was to research and compile a list of the threatened and vulnerable species in our project sites. Although I did not have any experience with this subject before, I thoroughly enjoyed this project! I learned, for example, about the important role that spider monkeys play in spreading seeds of trees through jungles, how the temperature of the sand where leatherback turtles nest determines the sex of the turtle hatchlings so climate change is dangerous for them, and how many species of frogs in Central America are dying and threatened with extinction because of a fungus introduced to their habitats by humans. I have been introduced to many species that are found in Venezuela as well, and yet before I started working here I did not have a clue about their existence.

The flower of the guiana chestnut tree, looking like a beautiful firework! 

Peaceful water flowers with a backdrop of a mangrove forest on the Sarstún River.

This last month I have been working on the creation of EcoLogic’s brand new website. It has been a team effort among staff members, interns and collaborators. I am one of two interns responsible for the content for the Spanish version of the site. The process has been fun, exciting and overall very instructive. I encourage you to keep track of the launch of the new website. I think it is going to be great!

- Daniela Guerrero, EcoLogic Intern
Daniela recently graduated Northeastern University with a Masters in Public Administration and has an undergraduate degree in Journalism from Universidad Monteavila in Venezuela. This fall she will begin work at ACCION, an international non-profit organization specializing in microfinance.

Técnico speaking

Who are these guys, or gals as the case may be?

They are the links that turn EcoLogic agreements with partners and communities into reality. A “técnico” — field technician in English — is an EcoLogic team member that works most closely with the communities executing our projects.

Jose Domingo Caal, EcoLogic's Guatemala técnico in Honduras

When EcoLogic begins a relationship with a local partner based on the social and environmental needs of the area, two steps are critical: a community consultation and the development of a project design agreement. After the initial step of community consultation, this is when the técnico becomes the driver of the commitments. They are the team members who keep the momentum generated during the community consultations moving forward and lead partners in the day-to-day work of the project. They are the human face of this support and bear the EcoLogic "banner" in community interactions. They also relay the project’s needs, progress, successes and setbacks to EcoLogic staff and local partners.

Técnico Reina Cruz, on the left, talking to AJAASSPIB members in Honduras.

Besides working with the communities directly, the técnicos also draft the project profile, a tool that is incredibly important and used for data collection and evaluation by the EcoLogic team. It covers science, finance, mapping, and photography. The técnico has to know something about everything. 

From what I have seen, what really drives the técnicos is a strong sense of community support. This support is what makes it more than just a job to them. They leave much of their lives unscheduled in order to be flexible and best serve the needs of communities, whenever they may arise. They work nights, Sundays, holidays; they travel by motorcycle, car, boat, or on foot for hours on end no matter the rain or struggles. If there is something to do, they do it.

When I've been with them in the communities, I realize how much I can learn from them.

Thank you for reading and regards, wherever you are!

- Rodrigo Morales, Regional Project Officer for EcoLogic
Rodrigo is conservation biologist with particular expertise in protected areas monitoring and management. He works closely with EcoLogic country program officers identifying potential project sites and monitoring existing projects. Rodrigo works out of our Regional Office in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.  

Rio, Bravo!

I'm back from Rio and have almost recovered from the whirlwind of activities going on there. A good whirlwind, don't get me wrong. I had an excellent time and learned a ton.

No, that's not airport security - that's the entrance to the conference.

I was in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the better part of six days attending the Rio+20 Earth Summit, a United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. Each day had at least 50 panels I could attend on topics including land rights, climate smart agriculture, community forestry, payment for ecosystems services, integrated water resource management, you name it. Let's just say I attended a lot. Panels and smaller side events were great places to learn about others' work and various issues, as well as to meet representatives from other NGOs. Thanks to friends at the Equator Initiative, I was able to stay at an apartment only a 3 minute walk from the conference center. Without getting into details, I'll just say that most conference-goers did not have this luxury and had long, traffic-laden trips to the conference center (well, I think the heads of state took helicopters so they probably avoided the traffic, too). Anyways, because of my close proximity I was able to take full advantage of everything that was going on.

Sure, it was all business, but there were also really cool exhibits from the United Nations like this one showing faces of children from all over the world.

I was in Rio for two reasons: the first is that just like 20 years ago during the first Earth Summit, the conference was addressing some of the founding principles of EcoLogic - that for long-term conservation strategies to be truly effective, rural peoples must be included and their contributions given priority. The other reason for my attendance was to support and honor our partner, AJAASSPIB, which was being recognized as one of the winners of the 2012 UNDP Equator Prize. It was amazing to spend time with the 25 winners who were from around the world, and it was quite valuable to learn about the various initiatives they represented. I encourage you to check out the work of the different winners here. On the last night of my trip, there was a sold-out award ceremony to recognize the winners. Special guests included, Mohammed Yunis, Helen Clark, Richard Branson, and Edward Norton. Also, because of her attendance at Rio+20, Zumilda Duarte, an AJAASSPIB leader who was representing her organization, was able to attend a side conference by the Avina Foundation, Skoll Foundation, Ashoka, and others. Zumilda was all over Rio talking about AJAASSPIB!

That's Zumilda on the left accepting the Equator Prize from a United Nations representative.

Another big part of the conference was what was called "Dialogue Days." These were long sessions where a panel of high-level experts discussed a major theme being covered at the conference. I attended the Dialogue Days on the themes of "Sustainable Development for Poverty Reduction," and "Water." The purpose of these dialogues was to choose language that would be presented to the country delegations at the conference. The panelists discussed the options and the audience - filled with civil society representatives - voted at the end.

That's Zumilda right in the middle. She's on stage accepting the AJAASSPIB's award with some of the other finalists.

Although there is a large sense of disappointment about the outcomes of the conference, I'm glad that EcoLogic had a voice in the process.

As hard as it is to do, that sums up my time in Rio in broad strokes. As you may have noticed, there's been a lot of talk in the media about the conference outcome. What people are referring to is the agreement that participating governments signed, which is supposed to hold governments accountable to the concepts of sustainable development. The problem is that the agreement that was signed is extremely weak and does not push hard enough to bring about change at the policy level. That said, for the smaller NGOs of the world, like EcoLogic, and for grassroots groups like AJAASSPIB, the conference was undeniably valuable. I was able to talk to many people about our work and establish and/or strengthen relationships with new and existing collaborators, allies, donors, and friends. And I learned so much that I will be able to use to help EcoLogic help our partners throughout Central America and Mexico!

- Chris Patterson, Program Officer for EcoLogic
Chris collaborates closely with the senior program officer by writing grant proposals and project reports, and following trends in philanthropy, conservation, and international development.  

Mi vida en Totonicapán

On several occasions I have been asked how I came to work with EcoLogic. This is my story.
In 2007, there was a call for work in Totonicapán that caught my attention because it was where I had grown up and, well, it was time for me to return home. It was time for me to use my knowledge, experience, and support for innovative projects for people and families as part of my goal in life, which is to help others.

For several years I worked outside Totonicapán, now this was my big chance both to return and to help people who had been less fortunate in life.

That's me all the way on the right, with my friends Don Augustin, the Greenhouse Manager in Totonicapán and Técnico Fernando Recancoj.

In Totonicapán, among my first projects working for EcoLogic was training and consultation with the board of the 48 Cantones, an indigenous quasi-governmental structure that has helped govern local communities of Totonicapán for over 800 years. Working with the communities and the 48 Cantones, we were able to create a modern project that used a system of micro-irrigation (a watering system that maximizes water use) to produce more trees for reforestation with less work then had ever been done before in the area.

Greenhouse Manager  Don Augustin showing the rows of tree saplings that, when large enough will be reforested.

I also promoted EcoLogic’s fuel-efficient stoves. With these stoves we give families the hope of an improved quality of life.

A local family showing off their new stove.

Another project of particular significance was collecting and organizing the ancestral knowledge about natural resources, mountains, forests, and water from community elders. This was one of the projects with greatest impact on teachers, students, authorities and the general public.

EcoLogic's Traditional Memory project aims to preserve the values and traditions of the Totonicapán Quiché Maya by inspiring the next generation of leaders to learn, understand, and continue their customary system of forest management. Here, Quiché Maya offer prayers to the forest before reforestation begins.

Working with less fortunate people and families is one of my purposes in life, something that has brought me pleasure, happiness and personal joy. To be someone’s source of hope for a greater tomorrow, to take action to ensure availability of water for children and women, is priceless. Personally, this brings me immense satisfaction.

I was presented a banner by a local group of women and recent fuel-efficient stove recipients to show their appreciation for their new stoves.

With respect to the culture of Totonicapán, I understand that each day is like an experiment with the individual aspects of life, in my case I can say that I have total connection: of thought, culture, language, leadership, love of my neighbors. This connection is not just with the Quiché Maya village, but also with the Keqchi people, the Man, Chuj, and other indigenous communities which have a wealth of ancestral knowledge.

Aside from my work with EcoLogic, for two years now I have been a member of the Board of Directors for the 48 Cantones, as Mayor of my Paquí community. I coordinate volunteering services to the community and to the town of Totonicapán. Here the experience is enormous in regard to leadership, decision-making, management, politics, administration and more.

In Quiché the word chiwimequena means “over hot water”, in Spanish it is totonicapán which comes from the Náhuatl Atotonilco, totonilco means “the place of hot water.” And it’s true, in Totonicapán there are hot springs accessible to everyone. However, I feel like the communities of Totonicapán, and the families I call neighbors are not in hot water – but on the road to a very bright and sustainable future.

- Francisco Tzul, Program Officer for Guatemala
Francisco provides technical assistance to EcoLogic’s Guatemalan partner organizations. He is from the western highlands of Guatemala and has an agricultural engineering degree focused on systems of production. He enjoys working directly with people and looks forward to developing new ways to support EcoLogic’s partners in Guatemala. He speaks Spanish and Maya Quiché. 

Painting the town REDD

It was happening.

After paying my dues for over a year as an intern for EcoLogic, reading stacks of reports and articles about the Lacandón Rainforest and the three Mayan communities that own it, and being just days away from finishing my grad program on sustainable international development, it was actually happening. I was finally getting the opportunity to meet the communities and the forest I had read so much about first hand. This past April, EcoLogic’s very own forest carbon ninja, Bryan Foster (aka CarbonPlus Director), and I traveled to Chiapas, Mexico to collect data for EcoLogic’s Sierra Cojolita REDD+ project.

A landscape view of the Selva Lacandona.

Because you’re all dedicated EcoBlogic readers, I’m sure you remember Dave’s excellent description of REDD+ -- a type of project that reduces the amount of carbon dioxide that’s produced when trees are chopped and/or burned down by working with communities to prevents deforestation. Over the next week, I quickly discover that reading dozens of academic articles and reports does not compare to experiencing the Lacandón Rainforest first hand.

That's me on the left taking notes during our meeting.

We arrived in the city of Tuxtla Gutierrez on a Wednesday, and spent two days meeting with other REDD+ folks, who, like Bryan and I, are crazy enough to dive head first into the complex and at times overwhelming world of carbon.  It was exciting to meet our Chiapas brethren who were a fountain of information about all things REDD+ and Lacandón. But I was itching to get to our final destination, the actual rainforest, which still involved a nine-hour drive along the Guatemalan border.

Enrique Chankin showing off some taro root from his garden.

We met Ricardo Hernández, Lacandón expert and Director of our partner organization -- Na’Bolom, in San Cristobal de las Casas, and began our drive with chilly morning temps and plenty of chatter.  But as the hours went by and the jeep cruised down to lower altitudes, the heat and humidity climbed. We drove through town after town for about 5 or 6 hours until we reached what was supposed to be the edge of the Lacandón Rainforest. Instead, I slowly opened my eyes to scorched trees and oil palm plantations. We were in Marqués de Comillas, a section of the rainforest, which has been settled by farmers who migrated from the center of the country. Oil palm plantations aren’t just bad because rainforests are cleared to plant them and reduce natural biodiversity and critical habitat; the oil palm also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions because of its immense need for petroleum-based pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers.

A couple hours later, we crossed the Lacantún River, and the landscape completely changed. The midday heat had subsided, and we were closer to the Cojolita communities. In this area the forest actually reaches the edge of the road instead of being lost to slash and burn. But this doesn’t mean this section of the rainforest isn’t threatened. Two of the three Mayan communities that own this land are struggling to meet their farming needs with the land they already have, and would like to clear more of the forest.

Enrique Chankin giving us a tour of the rainforest near his eco-lodge, Top Che.

All three communities reside and carry out their farming around the base of the Cojolita mountain range, and the forest on the Cojolita is part of a 35,000 hectare communally owned reserve.  However, the reserve is a source of conflict for the communities. The Lacandones were given authority over the territory by the government over thirty years ago, and they will not grant the Tzetlales and Choles access to the land in the reserve. The Lacandones fear that the other communities will clear too much of the forest in the reserve for farming. The communities show no signs of settling their differences, which, could be detrimental for the rainforest in the Cojolita Reserve. The REDD+ project seeks to help the communities recognize and achieve the economic reward from leaving the rainforest intact as opposed to the current income generating practices such as cattle ranching that require the forest be cut down.

Tzetlal land that was cleared for cattle pasture. Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve in the background.

Driving through Marqués de Comillas provided a frightening peek into what could be the future of the Sierra Cojolita that I would never have seen from my desk in Cambridge. The experience helped me thoroughly understand the critical importance of Na’Bolom and EcoLogic’s role in working with these communities to identify and pursue livelihood alternatives, like REDD+, to help minimize their need to deforest, and allow them to achieve the development goals they are so determined to attain.

A waterfall we came across while touring the area.

We spent the following days meeting with leaders from the Chol and Lacandón communities, two of the three communities that will be managing and financially benefitting from the REDD+ project.  During these meetings we interviewed community members about their land use practices. My prior REDD+ experience took place in Papua New Guinea, possibly the least developed country in the world with the most isolated communities. So I was pleasantly surprised to discover that one of our Mayan interviewees was a social anthropologist and another spoke perfect English.  Unlike their Papua New Guinean counterparts, these rainforest communities are on a well-paved road headed straight for development. This reality check reinforced one of the many lessons I learned in graduate school – there is no such thing as “one size fits all” conservation. Despite the many top-down guidelines that exist for implementing REDD+, EcoLogic and Na’Bolom will have to design a project that is carefully tailored to fit the needs of these unique Mayan communities.

On Monday, as we drove back to the city along Chol territory at the edge of the Cojolita mountain range, Bryan and I saw a plume of smoke drifting over the trees in the reserve – a sign that slash and burn may already be underway. It is clear that Na’Bolom and EcoLogic have an important and challenging road ahead.

-Andrea Savage, CarbonPlus Associate
Andrea works for EcoLogic's CarbonPlus program by writing grant proposals and project reports, and following trends land tenure right throughout Mexico. She recently completed her Master's in sustainable international development at Brandeis University. 

I'm on my way...

Rio+20+Chris!


Quite the equation. Wait, it needs to equal something. How about: Rio+20+Chris = EcoLogic to the zillionth degree!


Okay, let me break the math down (yeah, I called that math). In 2 days I’ll be representing EcoLogic in Rio de Janeiro at Rio+20, aka the Earth Summit, aka the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (another equation: Lots of aka’s = lots of importance). Rio+20 is the most relevant and widely attended gathering of sustainable development practitioners, policy-makers, funders, and thinkers in the world. Why “+20?” Twenty years ago, the UN hosted the first Earth Summit in Rio. Out of that conference emerged the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (which Mexico and all seven Central American countries have ratified) and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. At the conference, I’ll have access to hundreds of workshops, presentations, and policy strategy sessions, interacting with representatives from thousands of organizations from all across the world.

That's me looking very pensive. I was visiting a local farmer in Honduras and listening to his presentation on how  he is working with EcoLogic to incorporate agroforestry onto this farm land.

Also coming out of the first Earth Summit in 1992 was a little NGO-that-could called EcoLogic Development Fund. EcoLogic was founded on the principle, promoted by so many rural and indigenous people at the Earth Summit, that truly effective and long-term conservation strategies demanded the inclusion and prioritization of rural voices – their needs, concerns, and ideas. So we’ve got two good reasons for me to be at Rio this year: 1) it’s an important conference for our work, and 2) it is deeply rooted in EcoLogic’s history and legacy.


But there’s an amazing 3rd reason why I’m going, and probably the reason that personally excites me the most. One of EcoLogic’s partners, AJAASSPIB, a local water council in rural Honduras, was named one of 25 winners of the United Nations Development Programme’s Equator Prize. The way I’ve explained the Equator Prize to others is that it’s the Grammys of the community-based sustainable development world. And AJAASSPIB is Radiohead (got to shout out the world’s greatest band whenever possible). Well, that means that AJAASSPIB gets to send a representative, Doña Zumilda Duarte, to Rio to participate in conference activities, multiple trainings, and an award ceremony. Since EcoLogic nominated AJAASSPIB for this award, I’m able to join Zumilda and representatives of the other 24 winners at some of these events. I truly cannot wait to hear what these rural leaders have to say. What they’ve learned and what they still struggle with. What they need and, just as important, what they don’t need.

Doña Zumilda Duarte , community leader and former AJAASSPIB President will be at Rio to accept the Equator Prize. 

So now you see why Rio+20+Chris = EcoLogic to the zillionth degree. It’s an amazing opportunity for us to join AJAASSPIB on this momentous opportunity, engage with peers, promote our work, and learn new insight to bring back to our network of grassroots partners. On top of all that, it offers a unique opportunity for us to reflect, build upon our roots, and reinvigorate our resolve to create a world where both people and nature can thrive.


I’ll keep you posted on how things go. As you can tell, I’m going to be busy. I’ll be tweeting throughout the conference next week so follow us on Twitter @ecologicdevfund and I’ll give you a full wrap up when I return.

Até logo!

- Chris Patterson, Program Officer for EcoLogic
Chris collaborates closely with the senior program officer by writing grant proposals and project reports, and following trends in philanthropy, conservation, and international development. He is also on his way to Rio+20!