Today we left Cuenca for Mindo. One the way, we stopped at Mitad del Mundo (middle of the earth) otherwise known as the real equator. The more popularly visited equator was not very far, however that monument is technically incorrect as the French made a mistake when attempting to document the location of the equator.
Before seeing the real equator, a guide gave us a walk-through and discussed tribes of the Amazon including the Huaroni, which means free people. This tribe is known to have 20 people in one house and the doors are visibly small,due in part to the smaller stature of the tribe, but also representing a bow when walking in. The Huaroni still live in the jungle with a population of about 3000 people. A Tola tomb, meaning earth mountain, is made for people of higher status. Typically, members of the tribe are buried in fetal positions to return to mother earth as they came. Ancestors knew the middle of the world because of position of sun and because all fo the constellations are visible.
The guide explained how there are no cyclones here cause they are neutralized. She then went on to demonstrate the rotational flow of water on both sides of the equator and we all attempted to balance an egg on a nail and walk the line of the equator with our eyes closed. Both tasks proved somewhat difficult for our group but to be at the precise location of the equator was pretty unique.
After our stop at the real equator, we traveled from Quito to Mindo. Along the way, you could see the visible change in vegetation due to the humidity and decrease in altitude. We arrived at the Sachatamia lodge in Mindo and then went straight to lunch before going ziplining. Ziplining in Mindo was really unique and such a freeing experience to be up above the canopy and see the amazing views. After ziplining, we saw a yellow-throated toucan (which really excited us all) and the common potoo, which is a bird that can stay in a camouflaged position for up to 5 days. After dinner that night, we had a presentation on the Cloud Forests of Mindo by Cass and Nick. Cloud forests lie around the equator often south of it, with the exception of the Canary Islands. These forests are located from 3,000 to 10,000 ft and are associated with mountain ranges and produce nearly constant thick clouds and mist with no dry season. The temperature drops in these ecosystems because of precipitation. Prevailing winds trap clouds, causing heat to get blocked off, and water to stay within the trees and biomass, creating a cycle, Prevailing winds travel across South America and carries moisture from the ocean up the mountains. As it does so, the temperature and pressure changes resulting in the cooling, condensing, and precipitation that the cloud forests are known for. The average rainfall is around 99 inches per year with an average temperature of 66.74 F. Mindo is the capital of bird watching, and contains 170 diff orchids and 101 species of reptiles and amphibians. Cloud forests typically consist of single story trees. The plate-billed mountain toucan, Andean cock of the rock, and Andean (spectacled) bear are some popular wildlife species in the area. Volcanoes result in eruptions that release CO2 and CO2 as well as ash deposits, which impact air quality and water quality. The tourism industry in Mindo is making strides towards ecotourism including hiking and biking, however these activities can degrade the soil and affect the presence of flora and fauna. Increased pressures on infrastructure and development also cause habitat destruction, increased waste, and air pollution. Logging in cloud forests also contributes to habitat loss, degradation, and mudslides. Climate change can exacerbate these and result in the extinction of these forests, loss of cloud presence, and increasing temperatures. The Mindo Cloud Forest Foundation works for education, restoration, reserves and sanctuaries in the cloud forest. Victoria’s presentation was next on the Treadmill of Production. She began by explaining how the theory describes the relationship between corporations, citizen-workers, and the state and their influence on sustainability. The three pillars include the economy, society, and environment. Corporations have the goal of increasing profits through the increased exploitation of resources and reduction of labor costs. The state has the goal of increasing the base of power and providing jobs and safety for the citizens through taxation on corporations. The citizen workers, including NGOs and SMAs work to prevent environmental degradation by putting pressure on the state, which can slow the treadmill. Ecuador currently uses transnational funding as well as NGOs and SMAs for their sustainable initiatives and to avoid exploitation. However, Ecuador is economically unstable resulting in both frequent debt and difficulty executing social and environmental goals.