GVI Patagonia, July 2009 1

GVI PATAGONIA NEWSLETTER

Fall/Winter Expedition April-June 2009 (092) Overview Expedition number 11 has been successfully completed! With 5 ten-weekers, 1 first five-weeker and 2 second five-weekers, GVI Patagonia was back for another round of data collection for our main project partners Lanín National Park, Nahuel Huapi National Park and scientists from the Universidad de Comahue. As well as the helping hands of our volunteers, the expedition was also supported by our 6 staff, 2 Land Rovers, 1 trailer and 2 dogs. Through the work of the GVI Patagonia expedition volunteers and staff, we have completed data collection that would have otherwise not have happened and we managed to carry out this field work despite the sometimes harsh conditions of Patagonian fall/winter. This time of year is always a hard one for GVI Patagonia. The weather is not the best, varying from sun to rain and snow, sometimes within a day. And not only are we cold and wet, but the plans often change due to road and track conditions that continuously alter, sometimes within hours. It takes a lot to dedicate your time to come and experience Patagonia in this time of year! Thanks a lot for your help! Expedition Training Starting in our La Lipela base camp, the new volunteers worked their way through the 8 day expedition training phase, which included science training, lessons on how to be comfortably cold, wilderness navigation, camp craft, expedition stoves and how to cook delicious meals on them, first aid/CPR, backcountry sustainability, group management, expedition communication equipment and much more.

After the initial days in the camp, we packed our bags and trekked west into the hills of Nahuel Huapi National Park. Putting the training into practice, everybody had a chance to test their kit, get used to their backpacks and trekking with their “house” on their back. All went well, and we returned back to the base tired, soaking wet from rain and with a big smile on our face.

Photo: Training trek

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Condor Census Back again in the world of one of the largest flying birds of the world, we headed out to

complete two regional condor censuses (one at the start and one at the end of the expedition). Starting from our base camp in La Lipela, the expedition split into groups of 3-4 people to survey at 4 different condoreras (resting places of condors). All survey sites were in the transition zone between the Andes mountain range and the steppe area to the west. For the two nights at the sites, the survey teams completed last-light and first-light censuses, flapping monitoring and also collected feather and pellet samples beneath the condoreras. The amazing weather of the end of expedition census - blue skies and very cold clear nights – might have contributed to the amazing number of close to 130 condors. With some very icy bivi bags, these were probably two of the clearest nights under the countless stars of Patagonia during the entire expedition!

Photo: Adult Andean condor Lanín National Park Projects This was our first visit to Tromen after a fire had destroyed large areas east of this part of Lanin National Park this March. Luckily the important forests for the cachaña parakeets were spared by the fire, as were most of the locations for our wild boar transects. During the two weeks, the expedition worked on several projects in this area:

Starting with an araucaria seed predation study, 30 kg of hand-marked seeds were placed under almost 40 araucaria trees in three forests in Tromen. Two additional sets of seeds were placed as control groups in an enclosure near to Cañadon Grande. After allowing nature (especially rodents and wild boar) to do its (their) work, the sites were revisited after almost 2 weeks to evaluate the predation of these seeds.

Photo: Survey team with Vulcan Lanín The wild boar transects that were started more than three years ago were also repeated, adding another set of data to this study. With an abundance of signs on the transects, the groups were busy measuring and collecting samples. With packed bags, the expedition split in two and trekked to the valleys north of Tromen to complete two five-day circuits with red deer population studies and more wild boar transects. Unfortunately the weather turned and the groups soon found themselves with very limited visibility and the first snowfall of the winter. With deer hiding in the thickets, some of the

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volunteers were lucky to see a family of almost 30 wild boar crossing the trail in front of them. The trip was cut short and the groups returned to the warmth of the information centre in Tromen to dry out. During the entire time in Tromen, the group also completed cachaña behavioural studies, noting sightings of flocks and their behaviour in the forest. Condor Projects Based in Fragua - the abandoned school house on Estancia San Ramon - it was now all about the birds! Splitting into two groups, one group of the expedition completed last and first-light condor censuses at Fragua Grande Condorera, close to the camp, while the other group headed out to collect data for the raptor project. The data collected will hopefully allow scientists of the Universidad de Comahue a better understanding of the relation of humans and raptor species as well as their relative abundance. Apart from amazing landscapes and many birds, we also got to witness a dry creek turning into a raging four meter wide stream with all the rain that fell in a few days. After several tries to find a crossable spot failed, transects on that part of the valley were delayed until the water levels were back to normal.

Photo: Last light survey at Grande Lago Steffen and Lago Roca (Nahuel Huapi N.P.) The heavy rains continued for almost a week, many important roads and bridges were severely damaged and the region even declared a state of emergency. Our plan had been to move the expedition to the Tronador area of Nahuel Huapi National Park to revisit some wild boar transects we had started last February. Luckily the plan was delayed due to the weather. The day after our scheduled arrival in Tronador, enormous amounts of water and ice from the glacier, collected in the lake beneath, broke the bank and flooded the entire valley. The access to Pampa Linda was destroyed, and the people in what had been our planned camp were airlifted to safety. Photo: Lago Roca Well, plan B worked, and we eventually made it to the two other lakes, Lago Steffen and Lago Roca. There, both groups worked with the local park rangers on wild boar surveys. At Lago Roca, we also finished building a boar trap that was constructed by the park with materials donated by GVI. Once the water has retreated from the site selected for the trap, park scientists will try to trap wild boar to collect data.

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Isla Victoria (Nahuel Huapi N.P.) For the first time, GVI Patagonia spent time assisting Nahuel Huapi National Park with projects on Isla Victoria. This most important island of Nahuel Huapi lake has a lot of tradition in the park and is considered one of the most popular tourist destinations. With only a very small part of the island open to the public, the expedition was very lucky to work in the restricted areas of this amazing island. Joining two Argentine park volunteers in their volunteer house, GVI expedition members and staff had a chance to really practice their language skills. Collecting data on wild boar, red deer and mushrooms, everybody thoroughly explored the 21 km long island. The volunteers also spent some time assisting in the local plant nursery, replanting trees and clearing an area for new seedlings. The nursery is in the progress of becoming a seed vault for Patagonian plant species, hoping to ensure the long term supply of endangered species.

Photo: View over bay from Isla Victoria

Condorera Characterization (Routa 40) The final ten days of this expedition were dedicated to the condor projects. Adding to the data

set of our local project partner, the expedition set out to the south along ruta 40 to complete condorera characterizations in two locations. These surveys collect data on physical and biological aspects of Condoreras. Taking them back into the stunning transition zone between the mountains and the steppe, the trip proved to be the last great challenge of the expedition. The first location was completed as planned, samples and GPS points taken, rock formations drawn and roosting

Photo: Camp close to routa 40 locations marked. The second location was supposed to be further in the mountains to the west. With the weather changing to snow, high winds and rain once again and the erosion damage of the earlier storms, all tracks off the main road were soon impassable with the Land Rovers. The search for alternative routes by car or by foot did not bring the group any closer to the location, despite many attempts. In the end, no data was collected in this area, but there were some amazing views and everybody had a great time exploring this wild part of Patagonia. We will try again next summer, maybe with more luck…

Photo: Trek towards the second location

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Staff Update The staff team has done a great job this expedition! A lot of data was collected, all was safe and everybody learnt a lot and had a great time in these sometimes trying conditions of this season. A quick rundown: -Katy has once again taken care of more than the science and logistics of this expedition (she will be back for the start of the next expedition - her 8th coming up) -Ian and Debbie have run the jobs of our two field staff. They are both on their way back to the UK for some time (one faster, the other one in a little bit), but maybe they will be back sometimes -Jenny and Sam, our two scholars of this expedition, are also on their way back home, but maybe they as well will be back in Patagonia one of these days… -I’ll be back for the next expedition – number 10 coming up!

The Patagonia Team this Expedition Volunteers: Kat Bebbington, Richard Greenland, Michael Pollard, Marcel Bucek, Matthew Weightmann, Subhash Joshi, Dyllan Long, Annelies Leland Staff: Stephen Meyer, Catherine McCune, Ian Baker, Deborah Steer, Sam LaRue, Jennifer Hammilton

Muchas gracias to everyone who helped make this Patagonia expedition another great success!

Thanks to all the Expedition volunteers who dedicated their time to

come to Patagonia and work with us!

Thanks a lot to you guys in the UK, the US and the AUS offices - and of course also all of the guys that are in between!

We’ll be back for the Patagonia spring expedition, starting with staff training on September 21st!

Stephen Meyer, Country Director Patagonia