News

Thursday 31 July 2008

Lecturer set for Amazonian adventure

An ancient Amazonian tribe trying to protect its way of life from being destroyed by ongoing forest clearance will receive vital support as part of a scientific expedition involving a Nottingham Trent University expert. Land and engineering surveyor Phil Sargent is heading deep into the Amazon jungle in north-east Ecuador as part of a Scientific Exploration Society (SES) mission to help the Cofan Indians to safeguard their habitat.

The Cofan community – one of the oldest intact cultures in the Americas – says pollution from oil exploration and extraction, coupled with the influx of settlers engaging in forest clearance, is threatening their self-sufficiency. They need the forest’s natural resources for essentials such as food, building materials and medicines and have launched an integrated approach to conservation to research and protect their surroundings and its biodiversity.

To aid the Cofan villagers, the SES expedition team, being led by explorer John Blashford-Snell, will produce an eco-tourism guide which will be used to attract eco-tourists to the area who can further support the community – either through much-needed funds or research and conservation efforts.

The guide will involve recording in precise detail the habitats of the Cofans in the village of Zabalo and the Kichwa in Zancudo, giving comprehensive information on archaeology, anthropology, botany and wildlife. Expedition members will identify and list several thousand species of plant life – many of which are used as herbal remedies by the local shaman – along with animals such as birds, fish, mammals and reptiles.

Phil, who will be producing maps of the villages and forest trails for the guide, said: “Along with caiman, pink dolphin and tortoises, about 800 species of birds and 150 species of mammals are thought to live in the Zabalo area alone, so we will definitely have our work cut out.”

The School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment lecturer added: “The agricultural methods of the tribes will also be studied. Archaeological sites and artefacts will be recorded and photographed and a brief study will be made of the people and their history for inclusion in the guide. The villagers are keen conservationists who want to promote eco-tourism, fully aware that they are surrounded by uncharted forest.”

The team’s engineers, including Phil when he’s not mapping, will work to provide a supply of clean water – vitally important for the communities, as the nearest drinking water is two kilometres away – and basic sanitation, along with repairing and providing materials for the village schools. Doctors, a dentist and an optometrist will also provide aid to the villagers, and there are archaeological sites believed to have been part of the Omaguas culture, which will be examined if found.

The team will cross the Andes at 13,200ft, drop down to the Amazon jungle and head south-east by canoe for five hours along the Aguarico River to Zabalo, where base camp will be established. The team will be taking care to avoid native rabies-infested vampire bats, snakes, scorpions, spiders and frogs, some of which are highly venomous.

Phil said: “We need to be extra careful not to camp in riverbeds or beneath high banks that might collapse, and a head-net has been recommended to protect against bees and other insects. We will also need to examine the trees above for signs of dead branches, insect nests and large nuts, as high winds can often bring these down.

“This is an extremely important expedition. The 130-strong Cofan community are the last surviving members of their tribe in Ecuador, and their culture, livelihood and even existence are constantly under threat.”

ENDS

Notes for editors:

The SES expedition will last for three weeks from 31 July.

For more on the Scientific Exploration Society visit www.ses-explore.org.

Press enquiries please contact Dave Rogers, Senior Press Officer, on telephone: +44 (0)115 848 8782, or via email dave.rogers@ntu.ac.uk, or Therese Easom, Press and Media Relations Manager, on telephone: +44 (0)115 848 8774, or via email therese.easom@ntu.ac.uk.