These photographs are from my recent work with the Introductory Ecology course that the Organization for Tropical Studies offers to Graduate Students every Spring and Summer. The middle picture shows the typical rig for getting up a fixed line- originally placed by using a large slingshot and fishing line. I had two students successfully conduct work in the canopy using the climbing techniques they learned on the course, but for most students, just getting 60m above the rainforest floor once was excitement enough. I spent several hours in the trees spying on the busy lives of the termites, ponerine ants, chestnut mandabilled toucans, blue morpho butterflies (like the one above) and many others.

I am looking forward to doing more work like this in the future- if you are interested please contact me at.

clews@valise.com