Rainforest Live '97 Journals from Queensland, Australia

  From the week ending February 28, 1997

Relief!
by Melissa Arvay

This past week has been like no other I have ever experienced. The weather here was beautiful, but we were inside for the most part of it either studying or finishing our case study projects. Although it was hard work while I was doing it, I realized that I did learn a lot. I learned not only about reforestation, but also about myself and the people in my group. After you spend all night working on a paper with people for 3 consecutive days, you find out more about them than you probably ever wanted to know. I also learned that trying to develop sound reforestation strategies is more difficult than I ever imagined.

Before I came here, I just thought reforestation was something that needed to be done, not something that needed to be figured out. It is a tricky science, and I've gained a new respect for the people who dedicate their lives to the cause.

After our crunch period was over, and all of our tests were done, we went out to celebrate as a group. Now we are starting a new case study on conservation management of the cassowary, a large endangered bird here in Northern Queensland. Instead of identifying trees now, we'll have to spend our time learning about birds. The work never ends!

 

The Culmination of a Case Study
by Christina Bird

This was the last week of our case study on reforestation. We all stayed up late (some of us didn't go to bed at all) writing our papers and studying for the exam and plant quiz. It's much more fun when everyone is in the same situation. We encouraged each other to keep going and studied together. However, group living takes a lot of cooperation. With only six computers for 32 people to each write a paper, we had to split up the 48 hours evenly between all of us. Some people had their computer time between two and four in the morning!

The best part of the week was yesterday. After we took our final exam in the morning, we had a student/faculty volleyball game. Unfortunately, the faculty won. Everyone had a lot of fun, even though the rain was pouring down. Later in the afternoon some of us drove to the lake for a swim in the rain. After dinner three of us made a quintuple batch of cookies. Everything needs to be made in huge quantities to feed forty people. The day ended with some people going to the out to a local hang out and some staying here to watch a video and relax. Today we started our second case study on the cassowary.

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