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GVI PATAGONIA NEWSLETTERSummer Expedition January-March 2009 (091)
Expedition Training
Once again we made our way to La Lipela for 8 days of expedition training, 4 ten-weekers, 5first five-weekers and 7 staff. With the name change to Patagonia Research and Wilderness
Training, the training classes were emphasized even more this expedition.Apart from the wellestablished training lessons from the past 9 expeditions, the following lessons were added this
expedition: physical geography of the research areas, useful knots and lashings, local myths &legends, and Argentine history.
For the two night training trek, we headed out into
the hills in the back of La Lipela into Nahuel HuapiNational Park (N.P.). Finally, this time we managed
to find the well hidden Laguna La Lagunita! On thesecond day, after a very hot 4 hours hike up rubbly
slopes, we were rewarded with a swim in veryrefreshing water and a great lunch spot under shady
trees. The laguna is quite small, but very remote and
pretty. The last night of this trek was spent sleepingunder the stars high up close to one of the ridges,
with spectacular views over La Lipela.The second training of this expedition was also held
at La Lipela and followed the same schedule. Thepractice trek this time took the group over the Photo: Medical training
ridges behind the laguna into the Cuyin Manzano valley,where the group then completed a condorera characterization of
Cuyin Manzano and the surrounding cliffs.
Photo: High bivi camp on training trek
Condor Census
As usual, we did two regional condor censuses this
expedition. For the first time, we extended the censusto two nights, allowing us a little more time to get the
newly trained EMs ready for monitoring birds. We
managed to send teams out to 5 condoreras in thegreater Bariloche area. Additional Condoreras weresurveyed by Sergios teams (Sergio is our condor
partner).
As expected for the summer months, the numbers ofcondors counted these two nights was quite small.
With good weather conditions, they tend to spend theirtime more to the west in the Andes. During the census
at the end of the expedition, about 18 birds werecounted (compared to over 200 we have counted in Photo: Collecting samples below a condorerabad weather conditions)
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The end of the first census and the training period was celebrated with an assado at La Lipela.With the traditional preparation of a live goat, wine, open fire and tasty meat on the assado
cross, the night passed quickly.
Lolog area - Valley of Doom (Lanin N .P.)
After a short break, the expedition headed north to the Lolog area of Lanin National Park tocomplete some red deer transects. Having worked
on this project in this area last expedition, logisticswere a lot easier and the group found a good camp
in the valley. After the devastating fire, the parkbiologists are now closely monitoring the area for
sign of returning red deer etc.
The data of all of the red deer work that we areinvolved in goes towards establishing and adjusting
a management plan for this species, trying to controlthe damage by these invasive animals.
Photo: Camp in the Lolog valley
Tronador (Nahuel Huapi N.P.)
Wild boar transects in the Tronador area a trial phase for Hernan (project partner) to see ifthis could be a control group for his data collected in the Tromen area of Lanin N.P. The ten-
weekers of the expedition and some staff workedabout ten days in the area, surveying different
habitats for signs of wild boar around the base ofCerro Tronador the same mountain we do the
GVI Snow School on. Hernan joined the group forthese days, laying out the start- and end-points for
these new transects. Due to the difficult and dense
vegetation, mixed with swamp, this wasnt an easytask at times
Photo: On the way to the wild boar survey
Condorera Characterization (Mala Espina)
While part of the expedition surveyed in Tronador, the five-weekers
and the rest of the staff headed into the steppe to the east ofBariloche, to complete a condorera characterization. The trek to the
cliffs was long and hot, but after some 6 hours, they found a suitable
area and set camp. The next days were spent surveying andcharacterizing the condorera and some of the surrounding cliffs. This
data will add to the data set of Sergio (University of Comahue,Bariloche), our condor partner.
After the second training week, the four ten-weekers joined the fournewly trained five-weekers on their training trek to the Cuyin
Manzano condorera. The Condorera and surrounding cliffs weresurveyed and after four days, the groups transferred to the Arroyo
Blanco condorera where they completed the same data collection.
Photo: Surveying Condoreras Apart from a communication problem between local farmers (whowere not happy about us being on their land) and our condor partners, all went well.
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Lanin N.P. Projects
Back in the Tromen area of Lanin, the expedition continued with the usual data collection onred deer, cachana and wild boar. During parts of these two weeks, the group split into smaller
groups, working in different areas, as well as camping at
different camps. With some hot summer weather, everybodyenjoyed the lakes and streams, having a chance to wash off
the dust after the days work was finished. In Tromen, thegroup used an old wooden house of the park rangers to store
their equipment in. With the good weather, everybodycamped out under the surrounding trees.
Photo: Cooking at camp in Tromen
Duck Trek - Waterfow l Survey, Lanin N.P.
Up north again the northern lakes of Lanin national park were once again the area for us to
survey lakes and lagunas for waterfowl. Contributing to a data set for the University of
Salamanca (Spain), the expedition split in two survey groups. Starting at opposite ends of thesurvey lakes, they worked their way towards Lago Ruccachoroi, their central meeting place.
Numbers of waterfowl were high in these summer months, everybody had a great time. Thehikes proved to be quite challenging and hard to find at times, but both teams completed their
workload and met up for some cool baths in Ruccachoroi lake.During their time on the duck trek, a forest fire started a few meters away from our previous
camp in Tromen. Said to be caused by human error, the fire has caused a lot of damage in the
area we are working in. After almost 14 days, thefire is still burning and is believed to have burnt
close to 2000 hectares of forest to date. Hoping
for cooler temperatures and rain, the firemen arestill trying to get the fire under control. Luckilywe were finally able to pick up our trailer that
was parked meters from where the fire started, afew days ago.
The damage in the area could be quite big,
luckily the data sets we have been working on forthe last 3 years have been completed pretty
much. Fire is a natural part of this kind of forest,but according to biologists, this area of forest
should not have had any fire for at least another80 years. Photo: On the way to a survey, Lanin
Overview
Expedition number 10 has been completed! All went well, there were no serious injuries, the
data we had planned to collect was collected. All the EMs and staff had a great time living and
working in the forest and steppe areas of Patagonia.With an incredible hot and long summer here in Argentina, it is hard to believe that we are
about to be heading back into a certainly more wet and colder winter season.
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Staff UpdateThe staff team has done a great job this expedition! All the planned data was collected, all was
safe and everybody learnt a lot and had a great time.
A quick rundown:-Rich (base manager) is on his way to Australia to find some other work in the other world
-Tom is on his way back to Cornwall
-Emma is also on her way back to the UK (but might be returning for the spring)
-Katy will once again take care of the science and logistics next expedition (her 7th expeditioncoming up)-Ian (3rd) and Debbie (2ndexpedition) will be back as field staff next expedition
-Jenny and Sam, two EMs of this expedition will also return to do a scholarship this nextexpedition
-Ill be back as well, for my 9th expedition
Muchas gracias to everyone who helped make this expedition another
great success!
Thanks to all the Expedition members who dedicated their time to
come to Patagonia and work w ith us!
Thanks a lot to you guys in the UK, the US and the AUS office - and ofcourse also the guys that are in between!
Well be back for the winter expedition, starting w ith staff trainingon April 9th!
Stephen Meyer, Country Director Patagonia