Exploring nature to protect it
Ellen is an avid birder. Her binoculars hang over her neck, and she scans the surroundings, looking for the next species to add to her trip list. She can tell birds apart by their characteristics like their size, color, flight, or song. She will consider the specific habitat and range and produce a number of possibilities. Ellen is very patient and committed when she wants to find a bird. She will gently stroll the trails, sit tight by the feeders, and rise early or stay late if needed. Her mind is incredibly sharp, a living bird guide for all that accompany her. What is most remarkable is that Ellen is 90 years old and continues to travel the world in search of adventures.
In the 1990s, Ellen joined a birding trip led by Robert Ridgely, Jocotoco‘s co-founder and discoverer of the Jocotoco Antpitta (Grallaria ridgelyi). Birding strengthened their friendship, and they shared many birding adventures, including several expeditions in Ecuador. Ellen and her late husband, Jim, have visited all seven continents, looking for unique birds and other wonders, such as solar eclipses. Roughly ten years after her last trip to Ecuador, she returned to explore several Jocotoco reserves on a journey that Jocotoco US organized for various supporters. I was delighted to join the trip with my colleague Jajean—promoting our conservation work—enjoy the vast wildlife at our reserves, eat delicious food, learn from our park guards, and entertain our guests. The itinerary included Yanacocha, Chakana, Narupa, Jorupe, Buenaventura, and Cerro de Arcos reserves. Ellen is a long-term contributor of Jocotoco and recently sponsored the creation of the Ridgely Reserve that protects the Red-Faced Parrot (Hapalopsittaca pyrrhops). I was particularly impressed by her knowledge of Ecuador’s birds and her passion for birdwatching. Jajean is also a great birder, unlike me, who prefers insects and plants but will marvel at nature. Our supporters, physicians Jon and Sue, were interested in all kinds of things, not just birds, and we had very interesting conversations about diverse topics. David and Charlotte only joined the first part of the trip, where we visited the Narupa reserve and hiked to the plot of land that David helped fundraise for in honor of his late wife, Nawzat, a Jordanian princess.
Since I joined Jocotoco four years ago, many people have asked me how we fundraise and manage our conservation work. Well, it involves a lot of compelling grant writing, strenuous field work, skilled data analysis, engaging storytelling, consistent project reporting, and meticulous bookkeeping. The easiest way to support our work is to visit our reserves because your entrance fee funds our projects. Furthermore, if you book a tour with Jocotours, our sister company, stay at our lodges, and add other services in Ecuador, like a Galapagos cruise or an Amazon lodge tour, the profits are reinvested in conservation. Also, tourism revenue trickles down to service providers that work with us, including small local businesses and communities. Many travelers have become benefactors after they visit our reserve network. All guests already make a difference when choosing us as their destination. We hope everyone learning about Jocotoco will be motivated to be more eco-friendly and environmentally aware. By protecting natural habitats, rural areas, and urban spaces, we will have a nicer planet to live on now and in the future.
If you are a sponsor or a nature enthusiast, I encourage you to come and see our work. Ask questions, provide feedback, challenge us to move forward, and feel proud about our common cause: preserving biodiversity to secure human welfare.
