A Visit to the Forest of Hope
April 05, 2011
Written by Peter Clay, Senior Advisor to GACP
Today was going to be a special one for the Gishwati Area Conservation Program. A friend from Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International (DFGI) would be visiting Gishwati Forest.
Simeon, our administration and finance manager (and man-of-many-talents), drove me from our GACP offices in Gisenyi to the Pfunda Tea factory at 8:45 AM to meet Katie Fawcett. Katie directs the Karisoke Research Center in Volcanoes National Park for DFGFI. Her brother Simon and his friend Eleanor, visiting from England. They arrived in a venerable Land Rover that Katie told us was much loved by her husband Glenn. I was surprised that Simon was the driver. He was undaunted by the rough road or the many pedestrians using it, navigating all challenges calmly. I kidded with him that he was a natural for driving in Africa if he wanted a career change. He is a planner who works with parks and other protected areas in the U.K. Our visitors were impressed with the beauty of the landscapes surrounding Gishwati, including the tea plantations. When we arrived at the overlook of the forest we stopped and got out to walk into the pasture and view Gishwati. Below us, before the forest edge, cows grazed on the steep green pastures. The tranquil scene combined with fresh, cool breezes to refresh us all after the bumpy ride.
We stopped at the GACP Field Station to greet Research Manager Sylvain Nyandwi and drop off the Land Rover. He joined us, and we were dropped off at the “Human Way” by the Friday car and driver. Entering the forest, we passed the Strombosia scheffleri (Umuhika) where a dead scaly-tailed flying squirrel was found last year and the still active “bee tree.” The "bee tree" is a forest tree with a vertical cavity that has had an active nest in it for a year or more. It is near the trail and people traveling on the trail can easily stop and watch the activity from a safe distance. I was surprised to learn from Sylvain that the ground bees that the chimpanzees are apparently using tools to dig for do not sting. Different species apparently. Still make some kind of honey but maybe that is different too.
Our visitors enjoyed the trail and the forest very much. Sylvain provided excellent interpretation for them, along with describing the ongoing research program with the chimpanzees. The time available did not allow us to reach the waterfall. However, shortly before we reached the first bench, or “listening station,” we encountered several great blue touracos near the trail. Bold, brightly colored, with a prominent red-tipped yellow beak, the great blue touraco is as charismatic and engaging as Gishwati’s flagship species, the eastern chimpanzee. The opportunity to see them close by was exciting. After a short rest at the “listening station” we returned as we had come, passing the giant tree ferns and periodic vistas of the Pfunda River until we rejoined the trail to the road, where our driver and vehicle waited.
