DesertRose
Safari Chick & Supporting Sponsor
Hello all,
The Overland Society is slowly growing and getting our feet on the ground - literally this time.
Our mission is:
Promoting exploration of our world and conservation of its landscapes, wildlife, and cultures through logistical assistance and training for non-profits, scientists, and agencies.
http://www.overlandsociety.org
For our first official assistance work this fall, we're heading to Sonora, Mexico, to help with a jaguar conservation project, and need a few more intrepid travelers who have some basic construction skills and the time and willingness to help a worthy project.
When: Thursday, October 29 to Sunday, November 1, 2009
Location: 2 hours southeast of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico
Importance: Privately owned 10,000-acre ranch in northern Sonora, Mexico, is only 2 hours from the U.S. border, and is an important linkage connecting the vast wilderness of the Sierra Madre Occidental to the southern wildlands of the United States. The area is home to jaguars, ocelots, cougars, and bobcats - “cuatro gatos” - in all, over 30 threatened and endangered species. Supporting owner Carlos Robles and his family through eco-tourism is key to encouraging other ranchers to protect the cats on their lands, and implement similar conservation efforts; they have established a bed-and-breakfast that can be used by hunters (it's trophy white-tail country), birders, and overlanders.
What we'll do: Carlos can use some assistance putting the roof up on a new rock cabin complex that he's building in a remote canyon on the property, to be used by researchers, eco-tourists (overlanders!) and hunters. If we can organize it, we'll have some conservationists and field biologists on hand from Sky Island Alliance and from a couple Mexican conservation groups and we'll also organize some overland driver training for them, so they can help teach others low-impact-driving techniques.
Skills needed: if you can wield a hammer and do some basic construction, lifting, etc., please join us. There will also be a need for less skilled work, so spouses who aren't as construction-inclined please join us.
Camp: Everyone comes self-contained - food, water, toilet, shower (though you can head off into the woods to do you business, and there is a pit toilet being built).
Other details: It's a little over 4,000 feet there, in beautiful oak woodland; it could be cold at night, and if we're having an El Nino year (forecast) it could be wet. Four wheel drive into the site is not essential but helpful; it will be essential if it rains, so we don't damage the road.
If you can't come til Friday afternoon, that's fine, we can provide a waypoint, but we need to know when you're coming so we can meet you at the main gate.
You will need a US passport or Passport ID to get back into the U.S. You will need to stop at Kilometer 21 and get a simple tourist visa, but you do NOT need a vehicle import permit, it's within the Sonora Hassle-free Vehicle Zone. You will need basic Mexico insurance; we use Mexico Adventure Insurance (http://www.mexadventure.com).
Trip organizers and leaders: Jonathan Hanson & Roseann Hanson
RSVP: Required. Please email (roseann at conserventures dot org)
Questions, call 520-591-1410 (Roseann)
Membership in Overland Society is not required, but is always appreciated. General membership is open to anyone who would like to donate time or funds to promote and support conservation and exploration.
For more on Overland Society please see our website at http://www.overlandsociety.org
The Overland Society is slowly growing and getting our feet on the ground - literally this time.
Our mission is:
Promoting exploration of our world and conservation of its landscapes, wildlife, and cultures through logistical assistance and training for non-profits, scientists, and agencies.
http://www.overlandsociety.org
For our first official assistance work this fall, we're heading to Sonora, Mexico, to help with a jaguar conservation project, and need a few more intrepid travelers who have some basic construction skills and the time and willingness to help a worthy project.
When: Thursday, October 29 to Sunday, November 1, 2009
Location: 2 hours southeast of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico
Importance: Privately owned 10,000-acre ranch in northern Sonora, Mexico, is only 2 hours from the U.S. border, and is an important linkage connecting the vast wilderness of the Sierra Madre Occidental to the southern wildlands of the United States. The area is home to jaguars, ocelots, cougars, and bobcats - “cuatro gatos” - in all, over 30 threatened and endangered species. Supporting owner Carlos Robles and his family through eco-tourism is key to encouraging other ranchers to protect the cats on their lands, and implement similar conservation efforts; they have established a bed-and-breakfast that can be used by hunters (it's trophy white-tail country), birders, and overlanders.
What we'll do: Carlos can use some assistance putting the roof up on a new rock cabin complex that he's building in a remote canyon on the property, to be used by researchers, eco-tourists (overlanders!) and hunters. If we can organize it, we'll have some conservationists and field biologists on hand from Sky Island Alliance and from a couple Mexican conservation groups and we'll also organize some overland driver training for them, so they can help teach others low-impact-driving techniques.
Skills needed: if you can wield a hammer and do some basic construction, lifting, etc., please join us. There will also be a need for less skilled work, so spouses who aren't as construction-inclined please join us.
Camp: Everyone comes self-contained - food, water, toilet, shower (though you can head off into the woods to do you business, and there is a pit toilet being built).
Other details: It's a little over 4,000 feet there, in beautiful oak woodland; it could be cold at night, and if we're having an El Nino year (forecast) it could be wet. Four wheel drive into the site is not essential but helpful; it will be essential if it rains, so we don't damage the road.
If you can't come til Friday afternoon, that's fine, we can provide a waypoint, but we need to know when you're coming so we can meet you at the main gate.
You will need a US passport or Passport ID to get back into the U.S. You will need to stop at Kilometer 21 and get a simple tourist visa, but you do NOT need a vehicle import permit, it's within the Sonora Hassle-free Vehicle Zone. You will need basic Mexico insurance; we use Mexico Adventure Insurance (http://www.mexadventure.com).
Trip organizers and leaders: Jonathan Hanson & Roseann Hanson
RSVP: Required. Please email (roseann at conserventures dot org)
Questions, call 520-591-1410 (Roseann)
Membership in Overland Society is not required, but is always appreciated. General membership is open to anyone who would like to donate time or funds to promote and support conservation and exploration.
For more on Overland Society please see our website at http://www.overlandsociety.org
