miraflor nature preserve

parasite in the tree
Originally uploaded by sparkypants.

on Tuesday we went to Miraflor, a nature preserve near Estelí. it is also a conglomerate of agricultural coopertives, people live and farm there, mostly growing coffee. we stayed with a local family and toured a small part of the preserve with a guide who knew a lot about everything. he only spoke spanish, so I understood about 50-75% of what he said, but still learned a lot about the organisms in this area. miraflor has a lot of orchids, all of which grow as parasites on the trees. one of the cooperative´s projects it to teach young folks about the orchids and grow them sustainably for income. all crops and animals on the preserve are raised organically and in a sustainable manner. some other things we saw during our tour include the sangrito and matapalo trees, sanpopo ant colonies, and bromeliads. the sangrito tree is medicinal and when it is punctured it bleeds red sap that looks like human blood. when the sap is rubbed on skin it turns into a white paste that is good for cuts and insect bites. the matapalo tree eats other trees. when a seed germinates on another tree, it strangles and consumes that tree, creating a hollow space perfect for climbing. sanpopo ants are giant leaf cutter colonies, that eat the leaves and flowers of citrus trees. they create their own trails through the forest and large ant mounds. the farmers combat by blowing up their nests, which are full of an explosive gas created by the ants themselves (worse than a leigh riibe fart baby). bromeliads hang off many of the trees, but are not parasitic. they can grow up to a meter in 24 hours and are used to supplement the cattle feed, strengthen clay houses, and make soft beds. click lindsey's head to see more pictures from this amazing place.