Our highlight of the week from the Amazon rainforest was planting native tree saplings in our wetland to encourage wildlife.
The team here at the Manu Learning Centre (MLC) has been working to improve the wetland habitat for wildlife. This week we planted native timber and fruiting tree saplings that will eventually attract more birds and monkeys to the site.
We will also use the trees as an educational tool, teaching our visitors about the ecology of the forest and the different types of tree species that are commonly used in Peru for food, building materials, and products.
The wetland was once a watering spot for cattle when the MLC nature reserve was farmland. Now the forest is regenerating and is home to a wealth of wildlife, from jaguars and pumas to Bolivian red howler monkeys and two-toed sloths.
Patrick Rutledge, who is an intern here at MLC and has a degree in environmental management, was responsible for coming up with a six month management plan for the wetland. He explained:
“The aim of the wetland restoration project is to encourage a greater assemblage of species. For example, we’ve recently been clearing some of the ferns that have dominated this habitat in order to encourage grasslands that will attract grazers like the tapir and capybara.”
The team will also be creating pollination pathways to encourage wildlife like hummingbirds, bees and bats, as well as establishing habitat corridors to allow amphibians, reptiles and small mammals to move around the wetlands without the fear of predation.
“By the end of August,” said Patrick, “our role will change from active restoration to passive observation. At this point, we will simply survey and monitor the wetland species and the expectation is that this improved habitat will attract much more wildlife.”
Here at the MLC, we wait in anticipation for the results.