Statement by Kwesi Nkofi
The Fifth Anniversary of the
Evergreen Club
deserves the attention of every Guyanese, and this booklet could not
have arrived at a better time.
The
country Guyana is at present
experiencing economic standstill, or decline in some persons’
view, yet
it is acknowledged that Guyana is rich in natural resources. This
richness seems figurative since for far too long such an
acknowledgement has been poor, or the richness referred to may be
destined for just a handful of Guyanese.
The
ordinary Guyanese need to know
exactly what these natural resources are and where they are located,
and the Evergreen Nature Study Club has been trying to satisfy this
need. More success can come its way.
The present booklet
not only outlines the
principal thrust of the Evergreen Nature Study Club but it also lays a
bold trail of the pattern of awareness ordinary Guyanese can follow to
really claim the riches of the interior. Knowledge of the plants and
animals there, as well as the various physical realities of the terrain
is invaluable. The sheer beauty of these areas and the astounding
variety and lifestyles of the life forms existing in the interior can
provide great satisfaction to nature lovers, yet the precious minerals
of the earth’s surface are a source of real wealth.
The Evergreen
Nature Study Club leads
the way doggedly providing lots of fun and knowledge, whilst
encouraging exploration and research in a very realistic way. Both
young and old can participate in these activities and sponsors,
contributors or subscribers play significant roles in very healthy
pursuits.
Congratulations on
the 5th Anniversary
of the Club.
Statement by
Professor Joycelynne Loncke
It is indeed an
honour and a pleasure
to have been asked to write a foreword message to this the latest
publication of the Evergreen Club Booklet.
As a product of
‘academia’, living in
the world of books, I have come to realize that we can no longer
isolate ourselves from the realities of our physical environment. It
used to be the fashion in some western circles to speak disparagingly
about ‘primitive peoples’ whether in Africa,
America or in Asia. But
surely the lesson these peoples have taught to the world, is one of
humility and wisdom.
We were given the
world to live in. We
did not merit it, nor did we ask for it. But having the privilege of
finding ourselves here, we must all take care of the nature around us
–
the plants, the trees, the animals, the flora and fauna, that are so
vital for a sustained healthy world. We are all involved.
Among the youths,
the Evergreen Nature
Study Club is actively realizing this crucial formula, and not only are
they to be congratulated, but their efforts must be supported by ALL in
this our beautiful country of Guyana.
A contribution of
Falanda Adams
Take Time....................
Anonymous
Take time to work
It is the price of success
Take time to think
It is the source of power
Take time to play
It is the secret to perpetual growth
Take time to read
It is the foundation of wisdom
Take time to be friendly
It is the road to happiness
Take time to dream
It is hitching your wagon to a star
Take time to love and be loved
It is the privilege of God
Take time to look around
The day is too short to be selfish
Take time to laugh
It is the music of the soul.
A contribution of Kreslyon A. Ogle
FLOWERS
....................... Dennis Craig
I have never learnt the names of flowers,
From beginning, my world has been a place
Of pot-holed streets where thick, sluggish gutters race
In slow time, away from garbage heaps and sewers
Past blanched old houses around which cowers stagnant earth.
There, scarce green thing grew to chase
The dull gray squalor of sick dust; no trace
Of plant save few sparse weeds; just these, no flowers.
One day they cleared a space and made a park
There in the city's slums; and suddenly
Came stark glory like lightning in the dark,
While perfume and bright petals thundered slowly.
I learnt no names, but hue, shape and scent mark
My mind, even now, with symbols holy.
A contribution
of Okeena Humphrey
Trip to
Evergreen Nature Study Base and beyond
(1st April, 2006)
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 tiwiwid 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 realized that photosynthesis was taking place in the stem 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 Yarowkabra.
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 coll
At a later stage, we hiked to the famous sandpit some distance away.
The excavation was about 90 ft 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. After, 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 owara fruits 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 realized
from above how tranquil and inspiring the Study Base really was --
approx. 30 acres seated within the basin of a mixed tropical
rain forest.
You have to experience this journey yourself !!
A contribution of Danesha Smith
HELLO READERS,
MY NAME IS DANESHA SMITH, A STUDENT OF MARIAN ACADEMY. IT IS MY PRIVILEDGE TO WRITE THIS REPORT ON A FIELD TRIP TO RED WATER CREEK WHICH INCLUDED SOME STUDENTS AND MEMBERS OF THE MARIAN ACADEMY ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB. ALONG WITH US WERE MS. MC GARRELL - A HOME ECONOMICS TEACHER, SIR KING ALSO A TEACHER, MS. B AN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TEACHER (ALL OF MARIAN ACADEMY) AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST SIR OGLE, AN AGRONOMIST BY PROFESSION AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE TEACHER AT THE NORTH GEORGETOWN SECONDARY SCHOOL, TOOK US OUT ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2006 TO INVESTIGATE THIS REMOTE ENVIRONMENT.
THE TRIP WAS IN FACT FIRST PROPOSED BY OUR SCIENCE TEACHER, SIR POMPEY.
THE CHILDREN WERE VERY EXCITED TO GO ON THE LINDEN/SOESDYKE HIGHWAY WHICH AS YOU SHOULD KNOW LINKS REGION FOUR TO REGION TEN. IT WAS A VERY FAR TRIP, SOME OF THE CHILDREN STARTED ASKING HILARIOUS QUESTIONS LIKE "ARE WE STILL IN THE CIVILIZED PARTS OF GUYANA?" AND "ARE WE IN SANITY?" YES! IT WAS WONDERFUL. AFTER A LONG TIME ON THE ROAD WE MADE A RIGHT TURN OFF OF THE ROAD AND INTO A PLACE CALLED HAURARUNI (HOW-RA-RUNI). WELL, WHILE AT HAURARUNI MR. OGLE OR SIR OGLE TO SOME, TALKED TO US ABOUT THE FLORA AROUND THE AREA. THERE WERE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS AND TREES THERE. WELL, THE STUDENTS SAW SOME PINK FLOWERS AND PICKED THEM, BUT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THE SECRET TO THE FLOWERS? NORMALLY THE FLOWERS WOULD HAVE A SPECTACULAR SCENT TO THEIR PETALS, BUT TO THEIR SURPRISE AND AMAZEMENT THE FLOWER'S SCENT WAS FOUND ON ITS ROOT! AMAZING ISN'T IT? YES! WE ALSO SAW A PLANT CALLED THE VELVET LEAF PLANT. THIS IS USED AS A MEDICINE TO CURE THROAT PROBLEMS SUCH AS HOARSENESS, SORE THROAT AND COLDS. WE ALSO SAW A TOBACCO PLANT AND EVEN GOT THE CHANCE TO TASTE IT. IT WAS EXTREMELY BITTER. AFTER THAT, WE BOARDED THE BUS AGAIN.
THIS TIME WE WERE HEADED FOR THE RED WATER CREEK LOCATION - STUDY BASE OF EVERGREEN NATURE STUDY CLUB. ON OUR WAY THERE WE PASSED THE OLD GLASS FACTORY WHICH WAS CLOSED DOWN. A WHILE AFTER WE ARRIVED AT OUR DESTINATION; WE HAD TO WALK A BIT BECAUSE THE ROAD THERE WAS VERY BUMPY AND THE BUS DRIVER DIDN'T WANT TO DRIVE IN. WELL AFTER WALKING FOR A FEW MINUTES, WE FINALLY GOT TO THE RED WATER CREEK ITSELF. THIS CREEK GOT ITS NAME FROM ITS COLOUR, WHICH IS THE RESULT OF THE LEAVES FROM THE TREES FALLING INTO IT. IN THE CREEK YOU CAN FIND HARMLESS LITTLE WATER SNAKES AND VERY STRANGE ORNAMENTAL FISH CALLED THE PENCIL FISH. THIS FISH IS STRANGE BECAUSE OF ITS SHAPE, IT IS SHAPED LIKE A PENCIL WHICH ITS NAME CLEARLY STATES. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.
WELL, WE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TIME TO REST BECAUSE WE HAD TO GO ON OUR NATURE WALK WHICH WAS VERY TIRING BUT EDUCATIONAL AND FUN. DURING THIS NATURE WALK, THE RAIN BEGAN TO FALL. WE DIDN'T HAVE SHELTER SO WE STAYED IN THE RAIN. WE TOOK OUT A LOT OF PICTURES AND WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO SEE AND TALK TO ONE OF GUYANA'S VERY OWN NATIVE AMERINDIANS. WE SAW HOW THEY BUILT THEIR HOUSES AND HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO RELY ON THEIR NATURAL RESOURCES FOR SURVIVAL. WE ALSO GOT TO SEE A HUGE TREE THAT THEY USED IN THEIR HUNTING. THE AMERINDIAN MEN WOULD GO OUT AT NIGHT AND WAIT FOR A PARTICULAR TIME WHEN THEY KNEW THAT THE LABBA (A LARGE RODENT) WOULD COME OUT OF HIDING. WHEN THESE ANIMALS APPEARED THEY WOULD SHINE FLASHLIGHTS THAT THEY CARRIED WITH THEM AND THE LIGHT WOULD BLIND THE ANIMALS. WHILE IN THIS STATE OF CONFUSION, THE AMERINDIANS WOULD TAKE OBJECTS THAT THEY CARRIED WITH THEM AND PELT THE ANIMALS IN THEIR HEADS WHICH CAUSED THEM TO FALL UNCONSIOUS OR DIE; THIS IS THE WAY THE MEN WOULD GET THEIR MEALS. UNDER THEIR HOUSES YOU WOULD FIND TWO HAMMOCKS WHICH WAS REALLY CLOSE TO THE GROUND. AFTER WE HAD FINISHED WALKING THE TRAIL, IT WAS TIME FOR US TO EAT OUR LUNCH. WE DIDN'T TAKE LONG BECAUSE EVERYONE HAD LITTLE TO EAT.
WHEN WE WERE FINISHED,WE HEADED TO THE SAND PIT. THE SAND PIT IS KNOWN FOR ITS INCREDIBLE HEIGHT - SOME 90 FEET DEEP. SOILDERS USE IT AS A TRAINING GROUND. WE HAD THE HONOUR OF GOING DOWN THE SAND HILL AND CLIMBING BACK UP. WE EVEN STARTED SOME RACES TO SEE WHO WOULD MAKE IT DOWN AND UP AGAIN FIRST. THE TASTE OF JUICY FAT PORK FRUITS WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR MANY. IT WAS A SPLENDID ADVENTURE INDEED.
WELL, AS THE OLDER FOLKS AND SOME YOUNGER ONES SAY, ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED - IT CAME TO AN END. WE WALKED BACK TO THE BUS ALL TIRED AND WET FROM PERSPIRATION AND THE RAIN WHICH HAD FALLEN EARLIER. EVEN THOUGH WE WERE ALL WET AND TIRED WE HAD THE THOUGHTS OF HAPPINESS AND WONDER; ALL THANKS TO OUR WONDERFUL FIELD TRIP LED BY SIR OGLE.
IT WAS A DAY OF KNOWLEDGE, FUN AND HAPPINESS. I WOULD ENCOURAGE OTHER STUDENTS OF GUYANA TO MAKE SIMILAR VISITS TO EVERGREEN NATURE STUDY BASE.
DANESHA SMITH