“It is becoming clearer that the most effective way to ensure that persons and countries consider their impact on the environment and consequently proceed along a sustainable path is to have all citizens aware of their interaction with the environment,” Richard B. Olver former Resident Representative, United Nations Development Project (UNDP) Guyana.(A contribution of Okeena Humphrey, Evergreen Nature Study Club (ENSC)

“This report essay is based on the beautiful part of my country, Guyana, following a tour to Hauraruni and Yarowkabra locations along Soesdyke/Linden Highway, on the hilly, sand and clay belt.

The morning weather was fair when we left Georgetown. It was my first trip so it was quite exciting.

The group first went to the Hauraruni Agro-Development Project.
It was an example of how agro-forestry is done. There we saw the cultivation of mixed crops on white sand such as pineapple and citrus (on the upper slope); pawpaw, banana, coconut and peppers (on the lower slope) and even wild pineapple plants as part of natural forested vegetation.
We also saw a thriving pawpaw plant almost without leaves and soon realised that photosynthesis was taking place in the stems and fruits themselves. Different kinds of birds witnessed our presence as they flew by.
Our teacher explained, during observation, that in modern day agriculture, ornamental plants form part of a farm to enhance the aesthetics and attract insects for pollination. We then left the site to visit the main location of Evergreen Nature Study Base at Yarrowkabra

When we reached Evergreen Nature Study Base we settled down and placed our belongings in the hidden bushes. Then off to the nature trail. Along the way, we saw many different kinds of trees such as Wallaba, Mora, Dakama, Duka, Sawari Nut and even Monkey Rope, as it is called, which some of us used to take a swing. There were some labba holes at the base of tree trunks. We heard the sound of a woodpecker pecking at a hollow trunk in search of a home. Large and small brightly coloured butterflies made their presence felt among us. Different types of flowers graced our path such as lucky lips and wild sage. What attracted me were fox tail grass (suitable for floral arrangements), turtle/sand cherry (out of season) and velvet leaf plant from which a tea is made and drunk to improve voice tone. Other medicinal plants included wild maran, blood wood, sand bitters, iron weed, duka, ginger and purple zeb grasses. Creek water came in useful to quench our thirst. Fellow students gathered big dark red coloured ‘horse eye’ seeds as part of plant sample collecting.
At a later stage, we hiked to the famous sand pit some distance away. The excavation was about 90 feet deep – a breathtaking sight. We took the pleasure of running into the pit where at the bottom fat pork shrubs presented us with fruits. Images at the top appeared very small from the bottom. It was a challenge and fun to climb back to the top of the pit. We still had time thereafter to find some sweet berries from the Duka tree which were the best I tasted. During relaxation time snacks were allowed to be eaten. Some children splashed and played in the creek while others picked awara and observed cute, small black monkeys in nearby vegetation. Many chose to take photographs.
On leaving the site before sunset, we walked up the hill, looked down and realised from above how tranquil and inspiring the Study Base really was about 30 acres seated within the basin of a mixed tropical rain forest.
You’ll have to experience this journey yourself!