Submitted by Sidney vanNeerden on the 2024 Winter PLSC program in Brazil…
Over the weekend I got to go to the Uakari Lodge in the Amazon rainforest. This was one of the most unique experiences I have ever had. The floating lodge is in the middle of a sustainable development reserve which is a protected area in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. The lodge offers a comfortable but hot stay with breakfast, lunch and dinner. Our first night there we had dinner and then class in the main lodge. We talked about all the different flora and fauna the area has to offer and then did some sketching exercises. As we were about to watch a Andy Goldsworthy documentary the power went out so we finished it in the dark and then we all went to sleep. The next morning we woke up at 5:30 to douse ourselves in bug spray and put on long shirts and long pants to get ready for 6:30 breakfast. After a delicious breakfast from the lodge we got in boats and went to one of the 9 communities that support and work with the lodge. Basically the lodge works alongside these communities as mutual help for the communities and the lodge. A few years back the state stopped funding the watching of the reserve so the lodge and communities took it into their own hands. Members from the communities work at the lodge as well as work for surveillance to watch out for illegal fishing. They have a system where each community starts the year with 10 points and depending on if members of the community break the rules and illegally fish they begin to lose points. The more points your community has at the end of the year the more money they get from the lodge. I was surprised how grateful the community was towards us. It was really cool to see how everyone’s main goal was to protect the land. Once we left the community we went back to the lodge, had lunch and class then some free time. We ended the day going to watch the sunset at the end of the lake. We saw a great deal of pink dolphins on our way to the sunset and I got so many beautiful pictures of them on my camera. When we got to the spot our guide brought snacks, we had popcorn, bananas, apples, cheese balls, and fresh juice. On our way back from the sunset it got dark and we used big flashlights to spot all the caman in the water. You could see their bright eyes and as soon as we got close to them they swam under the water rapidly. Once we got back to the lodge we had dinner and then all hung out playing card games and then went to bed. The next morning we woke up at 5:30 to dowse ourselves yet again in bug spray and went to breakfast at 6:30. We went on a hike in the forest and did some field sketching which I thought was really cool. We ended up doing 4 miles and then went to the lodge to pack our things and get ready to leave the Amazon. My weekend at the Uakari Lodge in the heart of the Amazon rainforest was nothing short of extraordinary. The floating lodge provided a blend of comfort and immersion in nature that I will never forget. From the engaging classes on local flora and fauna to the connection I got to experience between the lodge and local communities, this trip showed me how much power community led conservation has. Overall, I feel a deep sense of gratitude to be able to experience such connectedness with nature. (Submitted on January 10, 2024)
