Nam Kading Biodiversity Project

After the trek, we went straight to a city called Pak Kading, which is even further north than Thakek. On the Kading river there is a center operated by the Wildlife Conservation Organization that we would be doing our second service project at. Good lord it was hot. We wanted to get there quick because it was sure to be cooler in the forest than in the city. After a quick boat ride up the river, we reached the center. It was very comfortable. They set it up so the staff had their own cabin, the volunteers had their own, and then there was an outside kitchen and work room. The river was very low. So low in fact that the boat got stuck on the sand sometimes and we ahd to get out to pull it into deeper water. The dry season and wet season have very dramatic changes in terms of water. So after getting settled in we met the guy who is a part of the WCO and has been working in Laos for four years. Our tasks for the week was to help build some of the road that leads into the center, capture and track butterflies, and help clear a nature trail.

Over the next few days we were able to complete all of those tasks. During the wet season the rain makes it nearly impossible for cars to get in because it floods the dirt road, so one day we gathered rocks from a quarry and carried them over to spots in the road that needed help againt flooding. It worked really well. We layed out big flat rocks and even did a test drive with a truck and it seemed to hold. So hopefully in the rainy season it will make a difference. Side note: we were only able to find rocks so easily because a dam was supposed to be built right where the research center is on the river, and they actually began to build it before they were put on hold. So in that time they had dug up rocks and when they stopped they left everything where it was. So thanks to the dam project we were able to get rocks. But the WCO prays that the dam will be stopped forever and not just put on hold because if the dam goes in they will have to leave the center. And the surrounding forest will have many repurcussions from the dam, so trying to save it would be nye impossible.

Each day we set our traps for our butterfly friends. To lure them in, the staff makes this fermented banana mix that the butterflies love. We also found out that this banana stuff is an explosive. They figured that out the hard way. When they were fermenting it, they closed the lid to the container all the way and left it out in the sun. A couple of days later they came out to yellow goo all over the walls and trees. So if your trying to ferment a banana, leave the container ajar. We also caught butterflies the good old fashioned way. With nets. It's much more difficult than one would think. Those butterflies know how to dive, dip and dodge pretty well. But in the end we caught many. Unfortunately, we had to kill them. We had to kill them so we could keep them to identify. This is one of WCO's big projects at the moment. They are identifying butterflies to get a better look at the biodiversity in the area. Butterflies are a good biodiversity indicator because they have short life cycles and therefore react quickly to environmental changes. Their limited dispersal ability, larval foodplant specilization and close-reliance on the weather and climate make many butterfly species sensitive to fine-scale changes. So after catching them, we had to identify them from huge volumes of pictures of butterflies and record their species, genus, sex, day, time, and other facts. That part was grueling work. I think we made a big start for WCO.

We also cleared a nature path for future visitors. It was already tread on, but it needed some maintenence, which we were happy to provide. It was fun weilding a machete. Overall, I loved the service work and felt that I was actually helping an organization that has a definite purpose and is dedicated to help the forest in the long run.

In our free time we swam in the river, played volleyball against the staff, went for runs, and napped. Playing volleyball and soccer with the staff was really fun. We would swim to the other side of the river where there was a bigger sand bank, set up a net, grab a ball, and get our games faces. We always bet for Pepsi. Three games equaled one set and whoever won best out of three got the Pepsis. We never won. It was always close, but somehow the staff always beat us. Just playing and being active was so fun though. And it's also fun to watch how into the game the locals get. We did beat them in soccer though. Probably because it's a sport their not as familiar with. Sand soccer is really hard haha. What a workout. And the road that we helped fix was really nice to run on. Most mornings Kim and I would end up having to stop for a herd of water buffalo that was crossing. It was a nice way to start the day.

We also did a short trek here too. One of the days we hiked into the forest to get the heat sensored cameras that the staff puts near this mineral tap to track the biodiversity of larger animals. If anything with heat moves in front of the camera, the camera takes a picture. We got to see some past pictures, and they are really cool. It's surprising seeing that elephants, deer, wild cows, and other animals actually roam the forests that you never see during the day. So we spent the night in the forest with tents and hammocks. We built a bonfire, told ghost stories, and had a good time. I think everyone loved waking up to the river and the trees in the morning. A real camping experience.

One quick fun fact: Laos made a deal with Pepsi that they would get discounts with Pepsi if they banned Coca Cola from the country. So you still see Coca Cola here, but people only get it from the balck market. So the big drink here is Pepsi, unlike Cambodia, where Coca Cola was dominant.

This service project was great. Really great. We all had a fantastic time and none of us really wanted to leave. But, as always, we keep moving. We spent a day in Thailand to renew our visas for Laos, but I didn't see much of the country. Then we spent a day in Vientiene, which was a wonderful city that I wish we could have seen more of if we had the time. And now we are in Luang Prabang!