<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"><channel><title>Great Ape Trust</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org</link><description>Great Ape Trust is a scientific research facility in Des Moines, Iowa, dedicated to understanding the origins and future of culture, language, tools and intelligence, and to the preservation of endangered great apes in their natural habitats. To learn more about Great Ape Trust, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, go to www.GreatApeTrust.org.</description><lastBuildDate>Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600</lastBuildDate><language>en-us</language><atom:link href="http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/rss/index.php" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /><item><title>Forest of Hope &quot;Lunch and Learn&quot;</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/forest-of-hope-lunch-and-learn</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/forest-of-hope-lunch-and-learn</guid><pubDate>Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Blank Park Zoo's conservationists learn about Rwanda's Forest of Hope.
Des Moines' own Blank Park Zoo recently invited Peter Clay, senior advisor to Great Ape Trust's Gishwati Area Conservation Program, to present a Lunch and Learn program about the...]]></description></item><item><title>Renner in Rwanda (Part 5)</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/renner-in-rwanda-part-5</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/renner-in-rwanda-part-5</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[As we left Gishwati today, we visited the Kovakaro craft cooperative. The Gishwati Area Conservation Program directed by Great Ape Trust has supported the work of these women as they have made the commitment to making a living without harming the...]]></description></item><item><title>Renner in Rwanda (Part 4)</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/renner-in-rwanda-part-4</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/renner-in-rwanda-part-4</guid><pubDate>Fri, 07 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[A walk in the woods. &nbsp;It&rsquo;s hard to describe a day that included seeing giant rainforest trees soaring skyward up to 200 feet above the mountainside, a maintain waterfall, volcanos in the distance, vistas of the valleys, marshes and...]]></description></item><item><title>Time in the Forest of Hope</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/time-in-the-forest-of-hope</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/time-in-the-forest-of-hope</guid><pubDate>Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Almost endless rain at Kinihira. We succeeded in visiting maize fields around Bitenga with Patience and also succeeded in seeing three of the chimpanzees.
They were very near Bitenga and right by the forest edge, feeding on a parasitic plant growing...]]></description></item><item><title>Renner in Rwanda (Part 3)</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/renner-in-rwanda-part-3</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/renner-in-rwanda-part-3</guid><pubDate>Mon, 03 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[The most popular travel guide to Rwanda is the Bradt guide. It claims that the chimpanzee population at Gishwati is extinct, but it&rsquo;s not true; I&rsquo;ve seen some of them.
Today was wildly productive. Great Ape Trust Senior Conservation...]]></description></item><item><title>Renner in Rwanda (Part 2)</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/renner-in-rwanda-day-2</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/renner-in-rwanda-day-2</guid><pubDate>Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Our itinerary has shifted.
Great Ape Trust Senior Conservation Advisor Peter Clay and Madeleine Nyiratuza, in-country director of the Gishwati Area Conservation Program, &nbsp;have been invited to make a presentation&nbsp; at the National...]]></description></item><item><title>Renner in Rwanda (Part 1)</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/renner-in-rwanda</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/renner-in-rwanda</guid><pubDate>Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[I&nbsp;have to admit that when I first heard about the &ldquo;Forest of Hope&rdquo; project a couple of years ago, I thought it would never happen.
The idea of reconnecting scattered fragments of a rain forest into a sustainable ecosystem, large...]]></description></item><item><title>Great Ape Trust Conservation Director to Speak at Science Center of Iowa</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/great-ape-trust-conservation-director-to-speak-at-science-center-of-iowa</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/great-ape-trust-conservation-director-to-speak-at-science-center-of-iowa</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Conservation and its importance to all of us will be the topic of a presentation next week at the Science Center of Iowa. by Great Ape Trust's Dr. Benjamin Beck.
Great Ape Trust's director of conservation will speak September 13, 5:30 &nbsp;as part...]]></description></item><item><title>Visiting Students At Kinihira School</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reporting-from-rwanda</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reporting-from-rwanda</guid><pubDate>Thu, 07 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[It's safe to say the future of Gishwati Forest is with the children of Rwanda. A visit to Kinihira school shows the Forest of Hope is in good hands.
This morning, our new&nbsp;community engagement&nbsp;manager, &nbsp;Faustin Gashakamba, and I...]]></description></item><item><title>A Visit to the Forest of Hope</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/a-visit-to-the-forest-of-hope</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/a-visit-to-the-forest-of-hope</guid><pubDate>Tue, 05 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Today was going to be a special one for the Gishwati Area Conservation Program. &nbsp;A friend from Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International (DFGI) would be visiting Gishwati Forest.
Simeon, our administration and finance manager (and...]]></description></item><item><title>Research Update: Gishwati Area Conservation Program</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/research-update-gishwati-area-conservation-program</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/research-update-gishwati-area-conservation-program</guid><pubDate>Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Learn about the success in Rwanda's Forest of Hope in this new video interview with Dr. Rebecca Chancellor.
Efforts in Rwanda over the past three years have resulted in an expanded Gishwati Forest and an increase in a small population of endangered...]]></description></item><item><title>A Rainy Day With The Forest of Hope Chimpanzees</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/a-rainy-day-with-the-forest-of-hope-chimpanzees</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/a-rainy-day-with-the-forest-of-hope-chimpanzees</guid><pubDate>Tue, 22 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[I visited the forest yesterday and was able to spend about five and a half hours with two members of our able field team (Safari and Alexis) following the chimpanzees. &nbsp;We saw at least 12 of the 19 chimpanzees and the habituation program is...]]></description></item><item><title>Reports from Rwanda 2011</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reports-from-rwanda-2011-9</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reports-from-rwanda-2011-9</guid><pubDate>Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[We have had no water at the office from early morning on today, and there still is no water now, at 7:30 PM, although of course it is pouring buckets of rain outside and leaking at multiple locations indoors. Such are the mysteries and vagaries of...]]></description></item><item><title>Reports from Rwanda 2011</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reports-from-rwanda-2011-8</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reports-from-rwanda-2011-8</guid><pubDate>Fri, 11 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Since arriving in Rwanda on the first of March, life has been moving at a fast pace.&nbsp;&nbsp;It has been relatively easy to adjust once again to the different climate and culture.&nbsp;&nbsp;However, the work itself can feel intense, sometimes...]]></description></item><item><title>Great Ape Trust Scientist To Speak At Drake About Rwanda Chimpanzees</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/great-ape-trust-scientist-to-speak-at-drake-about-rwanda-chimpanzees</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/great-ape-trust-scientist-to-speak-at-drake-about-rwanda-chimpanzees</guid><pubDate>Tue, 08 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate><description><![CDATA[A scientist who studied a small population of chimpanzees facing extinction in a tiny pocket of African rain forest will speak about her experiences at a public lecture this week at Drake University in Des Moines. &nbsp;Dr. Rebecca Chancellor,...]]></description></item><item><title>Reports from Rwanda 2011</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reports-from-rwanda-2011-7</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reports-from-rwanda-2011-7</guid><pubDate>Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate><description><![CDATA[We left early for Gishwati, as I joined our in-country director of the Gishwati Area Conservsation Program, Madeleine Nyiratuza for the Kinyenkanda inspection visit to verify planting of Alinus trees in the buffer zone by the cooperative...]]></description></item><item><title>Reports from Rwanda 2011</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reports-from-rwanda-2011-6</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reports-from-rwanda-2011-6</guid><pubDate>Sun, 06 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Peter Clay is a senior advisor for the Gishwati Area Conservation Program and is blogging during his current visit to Rwanda.
March 6, 2011
I slept in a bit, arising at about 8:30 AM after some disturbing dreams.&nbsp; I greeted Sylvain who was...]]></description></item><item><title>Reports from Rwanda 2011</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reports-from-rwanda-2011-5</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reports-from-rwanda-2011-5</guid><pubDate>Sat, 05 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Peter Clay is a senior conservation advisor for the Gishwati Area Conservation Program and is blogging during his current visit to Rwanda.
March 5, 2011
e had a stimulating plumbing emergency in the middle of the morning.&nbsp; Lots of racing around...]]></description></item><item><title>Reports from Rwanda 2011</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reports-from-rwanda-2011-4</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reports-from-rwanda-2011-4</guid><pubDate>Fri, 04 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Peter Clay is a senior advisor to the Gishwati Area Conservation Program and is blogging during his current visit to Rwanda.
March 4, 2011
I woke up late (about 7:30 AM) and exhausted after my restless night.&nbsp; The radio is still not working,...]]></description></item><item><title>Reports from Rwanda 2011</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reports-from-rwanda-2011-3</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reports-from-rwanda-2011-3</guid><pubDate>Thu, 03 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Peter Clay, a senior conservation advisor for the Gishwati Area Conservation Program, is blogging during his recent visit to Rwanda.
March 3, 2011
After rising early, I walked to Lake Kivu and along the lake to the border with DRC before breakfast....]]></description></item><item><title>Reports from Rwanda 2011</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reports-from-rwanda-2011-2</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reports-from-rwanda-2011-2</guid><pubDate>Wed, 02 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Peter Clay is a senior conservation advisor for the Gishwati Area Conservation Program and is blogging during his current visit to Rwanda.
Simeon (GACP's accountant and driver) arrived at EPR (the Presbyterian hostel) just past 11 AM and after...]]></description></item><item><title>Reports from Rwanda 2011</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reports-from-rwanda-2011</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reports-from-rwanda-2011</guid><pubDate>Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Peter Clay is a senior conservation advisor for the Gishwati Area Conservation Program and is blogging during his current visit to Rwanda.
March 2, 2011 9 AM
I arrived just fine in Kigali last night after a hassle-free journey. &nbsp;We did not fly...]]></description></item><item><title>Mountain Gorilla Population Grows</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/mountain-gorilla-population-grows</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/mountain-gorilla-population-grows</guid><pubDate>Mon, 20 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Exciting news from Rwanda, the mountain gorilla population has grown by 100 apes over the last seven years.
The population in the Virunga Massif grew by more than 26 percent to 480 gorillas - up from approximately 380 in 2003. &nbsp;There are 302...]]></description></item><item><title>Mama Benjamin&#039;s Store</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/mama-benjamin-s-store</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/mama-benjamin-s-store</guid><pubDate>Tue, 02 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Kinihira is a small village in western Rwanda directly adjacent to the Gishwati Forest. When I first visited Kinhira two years ago, searching for a place to establish a base for a field research station, the first person I met was Ben, a...]]></description></item><item><title>Gishwati: The Forest of Hope</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/gishwati-the-forest-of-hope</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/gishwati-the-forest-of-hope</guid><pubDate>Tue, 26 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[There's a wonderful article about the Gishwati Area Conservation Program in the current edition of The Eye magazine, a travel and tourism publication in Rwanda.
The piece was written by Peter Clay, senior conservation advisor with Great Ape Trust....]]></description></item><item><title>Pleasant Surprises in a Familiar Place</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/pleasant-surprises-in-a-familiar-place</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/pleasant-surprises-in-a-familiar-place</guid><pubDate>Sun, 01 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[This morning Rwamucyo and I left the Kinihira field station with a young British guy named Ben to walk the forest trail.&nbsp; He has just finished two years working in Tanzania, most recently with &ldquo;Nopc.org,&rdquo; an innovative organization...]]></description></item><item><title>On the Trail in the Forest of Hope</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/on-the-trail-in-the-forest-of-hope</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/on-the-trail-in-the-forest-of-hope</guid><pubDate>Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[For breakfast, I enjoyed a couple of mugs of sweetened Igikoma (a kind of porridge made from wheat, soy and sorghum) that Jean-Pierre provided, along with some juice, cheese and bread that I had brought up from Gisenyi. Rwamucyo came by at saa tatu...]]></description></item><item><title>Reflecting in the Forest of Hope</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reflecting-in-the-forest-of-hope</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/reflecting-in-the-forest-of-hope</guid><pubDate>Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[As is typical, the field team left Gishwati to spend the weekend in Gisenyi, recharging batteries, enjoying running water, spending some time with friends and family, and stocking up for next week. &nbsp;I remained at our field station in the...]]></description></item><item><title>New Chimpanzee Cam Video</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/new-chimpanzee-cam-video</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/new-chimpanzee-cam-video</guid><pubDate>Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[The Gishwati Area Conservation Program's field station, led by Dr. Rebecca Chancellor, has collected more Chimpanzee Cam video. &nbsp;Dr. Chancellor said the newest video features Mabara, an adult male in Rwanda's Forest of Hope. One of his unique...]]></description></item><item><title>The Beauty of Nyiragongo</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/the-beauty-of-nyiragongo</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/the-beauty-of-nyiragongo</guid><pubDate>Fri, 28 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Our guide Innocent of Green Hills Eco-tours met us at our project office in the Rwanda city of Gisenyi shortly after 8 AM. The transit across the border to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was uneventful.&nbsp; The entry visa was $35 per...]]></description></item><item><title>Help us turn on the water and save the forest</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/help-us-turn-on-the-water-and-save-the-forest</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/help-us-turn-on-the-water-and-save-the-forest</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Nine hundred and eighty students attend the 12-room elementary school in the village of Kinihira in the western province of Rwanda. The school, indeed the entire village, has no electricity or running water. The &ldquo;bathroom&rdquo; has two slits...]]></description></item><item><title>Don Cheadle to World Environment Day</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/don-cheadle-to-world-environment-day</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/don-cheadle-to-world-environment-day</guid><pubDate>Mon, 10 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[It was announced today that actor Don Cheadle will be officially named Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) at World Environment Day in Rwanda on June 5.
]]></description></item><item><title>Counting down the weeks to World Environment Day</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/counting-down-the-weeks-to-world-environment-day</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/counting-down-the-weeks-to-world-environment-day</guid><pubDate>Fri, 07 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[A team from Great Ape Trust departs for Rwanda the end of May. &nbsp;We look forward to commemorating a week's worth of festivities throughout Rwanda for World Environment Day on June 5. &nbsp;Rwanda&rsquo;s commitment to a green economy and the...]]></description></item><item><title>Gimme that ol&#039; Rwanda religion</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/gimme-that-ol-rwanda-religion</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/gimme-that-ol-rwanda-religion</guid><pubDate>Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[One of the more memorable experiences we've had in Rwanda this month was attending a church service in Gisenyi. Religion is an important part in Rwandans' lives and about 70 percent of the nation is Catholic.
One of the research assistants for the...]]></description></item><item><title>Big game in Akagera National Park</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/big-game-in-akagera-national-park</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/big-game-in-akagera-national-park</guid><pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Our second day at Rwanda&rsquo;s Akagera National Park included a game drive that began in the northern end of the refuge. Our experienced guide, James Muhizi, said the dry weather has kept the animals in that section of the 1,000 square kilometer...]]></description></item><item><title>Rwanda&#039;s Akagera National Park - Day One</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/rwanda-s-akagera-national-park-day-one</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/rwanda-s-akagera-national-park-day-one</guid><pubDate>Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Rwanda has three national parks, Volcanoes, Nyungwe and Akagera. Akagera NP is in Rwanda&rsquo;s Eastern Province and is different from the others in that the hills and mountains give way to savannah comparable to nearby Tanzania or Kenya. Here, you...]]></description></item><item><title>Trekking mountain gorillas</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/trekking-mountain-gorillas</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/trekking-mountain-gorillas</guid><pubDate>Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[For the second time in less than two years, I&rsquo;ve had the wonderful fortune to see mountain gorillas in Rwanda&rsquo;s Volcanoes National Park.
There are only about 750 mountain gorillas still living the wild. Rwanda has some 250 of them in 14...]]></description></item><item><title>The beauty of Gishwati</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/the-beauty-of-gishwati</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/the-beauty-of-gishwati</guid><pubDate>Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[One hundred years ago, Gishwati was Rwanda&rsquo;s second largest indigenous forest. It extended 1,000 square kilometers or approximately a quarter million acres (100,000 hectares). The Gishwati Forest was reduced to about one fourth that size by...]]></description></item><item><title>Cause of death for Titus, King of Mountain Gorillas</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/cause-of-death-for-titus-king-of-mountain-gorillas</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/cause-of-death-for-titus-king-of-mountain-gorillas</guid><pubDate>Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Titus, the king of mountain gorillas at Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda mostly likely died as a result of infection from a wound suffered during an attack from a competing silverback male. Dr. Jan Ramer, regional veterinary manager with the...]]></description></item><item><title>A muzungu in Rwanda</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/a-muzungu-in-rwanda</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/a-muzungu-in-rwanda</guid><pubDate>Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[It happens in every village we drive through, every road we walk down and every crowd we step into. Muzungu &ndash; the Rwandan term for white person &ndash; is heard by each of us hundreds of time each day. It&rsquo;s shouted with enthusiasm by the...]]></description></item><item><title>The forest&#039;s future is in good hands</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/the-forest-s-future-is-in-good-hands</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/the-forest-s-future-is-in-good-hands</guid><pubDate>Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[My heart was touched today by Rwandan school children. They gathered today at Kinihira School near the edge of the Gishwati Forest in Rwanda&rsquo;s Western Province. Most of these students go to schools without electricity or running water....]]></description></item><item><title>Tracking the chimpanzees of Gishwati</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/tracking-the-chimpanzees-of-gishwati</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/tracking-the-chimpanzees-of-gishwati</guid><pubDate>Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[With our field station crew of scientists and research assistants leading the way, we head out at 7 a.m. for Gishwati: Forest of Hope in search of chimpanzees. The children from Kinihira school shout and wave as we walk along the road at the base of...]]></description></item><item><title>Getting to know Kinihira</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/getting-to-know-kinihira</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/getting-to-know-kinihira</guid><pubDate>Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Kinihira is a small village in Rwanda&rsquo;s Western Province and is home to the Gishwati Area Conservation Program field station. A rocky, dirt road is &lsquo;main street&rsquo; with a very tiny grocery store and bar as the village&rsquo;s two...]]></description></item><item><title>Logging in Rwanda</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/logging-in-rwanda</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/logging-in-rwanda</guid><pubDate>Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[On the way from Gisenyi to the Gishwati Area Conservation Program field station near Kinihira we came across a logging and lumber operation. While there has been a problem in the past with such activities done illegally in the Gishwati Forest...]]></description></item><item><title>Heading to the Forest of Hope</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/heading-to-the-forest-of-hope</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/heading-to-the-forest-of-hope</guid><pubDate>Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[We load into our Toyota Landcruiser a little after eight a.m. and leave the offices of the Gishwati Area Conservation Program (GACP) in Gisenyi for the GACP field station in Kinihira. It's an 18 mile trip but because of the winding, hilly, dirt...]]></description></item><item><title>The poop on poop</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/the-poop-on-poop</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/the-poop-on-poop</guid><pubDate>Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[We&rsquo;ve all heard that old saw: one man&rsquo;s garbage is another man&rsquo;s treasure. For Dr. Rebecca Chancellor that couldn&rsquo;t ring more true for her team of researchers at the Gishwati Area Conservation Program in Rwanda.
In this case,...]]></description></item><item><title>On the Road in Rwanda</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/on-the-road-in-rwanda</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/on-the-road-in-rwanda</guid><pubDate>Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Today was a day of preparation for our trip this week to Gishwati National Conservation Park in Rwanda&rsquo;s Western Province. The morning and part of the afternoon was spent running errands. By midday we hit the road north to Ruhengeri at the...]]></description></item><item><title>Great Ape Trust hosting Des Moines Register reporter in Rwanda</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/great-ape-trust-hosting-des-moines-register-reporter-in-rwanda</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/great-ape-trust-hosting-des-moines-register-reporter-in-rwanda</guid><pubDate>Sun, 13 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[As communications director for Great Ape Trust, I have the good fortune to spend three weeks this month in Africa in support of an important conservation initiative in Rwanda called the Gishwati Area Conservation Program (GACP).Two years ago, Great...]]></description></item><item><title>Great Ape Trust part of conference on development in Africa</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/great-ape-trust-part-of-conference-on-development-in-africa</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/great-ape-trust-part-of-conference-on-development-in-africa</guid><pubDate>Sat, 19 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Great Ape Trust of Iowa participated in the first-ever Africa Development and Learning Symposium April 19 on the campus of Iowa State University. The half-day workshop was coordinated by ISU&rsquo;s Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods and was...]]></description></item><item><title>Education partnerships likely as project in Rwanda evolves</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/education-partnerships-likely-as-project-in-rwanda-evolves</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/education-partnerships-likely-as-project-in-rwanda-evolves</guid><pubDate>Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Editor&rsquo;s note: Today, Great Ape Trust of Iowa Director of Conservation Dr. Benjamin Beck continues his 10-part blog on his recent trip to Rwanda. Beck, along with Great Ape Trust Founder and Chairman Ted Townsend, Communications Director Al...]]></description></item><item><title>Chimpanzees use walking sticks to ascend steep hillsides</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/chimpanzees-use-walking-sticks-to-ascend-steep-hillsides</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/chimpanzees-use-walking-sticks-to-ascend-steep-hillsides</guid><pubDate>Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Editor&rsquo;s note: Today, Great Ape Trust of Iowa Director of Conservation Dr. Benjamin Beck continues his 10-part blog on his recent trip to Rwanda. Beck, along with Great Ape Trust Founder and Chairman Ted Townsend, Communications Director Al...]]></description></item><item><title>Project will almost certainly include study of chimpanzee behavior</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/project-will-almost-certainly-include-study-of-chimpanzee-behavior</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/project-will-almost-certainly-include-study-of-chimpanzee-behavior</guid><pubDate>Tue, 15 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Editor&rsquo;s note: Today, Great Ape Trust of Iowa Director of Conservation Dr. Benjamin Beck continues his 10-part blog on his recent trip to Rwanda. Beck, along with Great Ape Trust Founder and Chairman Ted Townsend, Communications Director Al...]]></description></item><item><title>Dead snake may be evidence of a scientific first</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/dead-snake-may-be-evidence-of-a-scientific-first</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/dead-snake-may-be-evidence-of-a-scientific-first</guid><pubDate>Mon, 14 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Editor&rsquo;s note: Today, Great Ape Trust of Iowa Director of Conservation Dr. Benjamin Beck continues his 10-part blog on his recent trip to Rwanda. Beck, along with Great Ape Trust Founder and Chairman Ted Townsend, Communications Director Al...]]></description></item><item><title>Despite Gishwati deforestation, a small chimpanzee group remains</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/despite-gishwati-deforestation-a-small-chimpanzee-group-remains</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/despite-gishwati-deforestation-a-small-chimpanzee-group-remains</guid><pubDate>Sun, 13 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Editor&rsquo;s note: Today, Great Ape Trust of Iowa Director of Conservation Dr. Benjamin Beck continues his 10-part blog on his recent trip to Rwanda. Beck, along with Great Ape Trust Founder and Chairman Ted Townsend, Communications Director Al...]]></description></item><item><title>Ambitious goals in a severely compromised ecosystem</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/ambitious-goals-in-a-severely-compromised-ecosystem</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/ambitious-goals-in-a-severely-compromised-ecosystem</guid><pubDate>Sat, 12 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Editor&rsquo;s note: Today, Great Ape Trust of Iowa Director of Conservation Dr. Benjamin Beck continues his 10-part blog on his recent trip to Rwanda. Beck, along with Great Ape Trust Founder and Chairman Ted Townsend, Communications Director Al...]]></description></item><item><title>Partnerships emerge at conference celebrating entrepreneurs</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/partnerships-emerge-at-conference-celebrating-entrepreneurs</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/partnerships-emerge-at-conference-celebrating-entrepreneurs</guid><pubDate>Fri, 11 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Editor&rsquo;s note: Today, Great Ape Trust of Iowa Director of Conservation Dr. Benjamin Beck continues his 10-part blog on his recent trip to Rwanda. Beck, along with Great Ape Trust Founder and Chairman Ted Townsend, Communications Director Al...]]></description></item><item><title>Gorillas in their midst</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/gorillas-in-their-midst</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/gorillas-in-their-midst</guid><pubDate>Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Editor&rsquo;s note: Today, Great Ape Trust of Iowa Director of Conservation Dr. Benjamin Beck continues his 10-part blog on his recent trip to Rwanda. Beck, along with Great Ape Trust Founder and Chairman Ted Townsend, Communications Director Al...]]></description></item><item><title>Hope and optimism prevail in Rwanda</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/hope-and-optimism-prevail-in-rwanda</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/hope-and-optimism-prevail-in-rwanda</guid><pubDate>Wed, 09 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Editor&rsquo;s note: Today, Great Ape Trust of Iowa Director of Conservation Dr. Benjamin Beck continues his 10-part blog on his recent trip to Rwanda. Beck, along with Great Ape Trust Founder and Chairman Ted Townsend, Communications Director Al...]]></description></item><item><title>Building partnerships in Rwanda</title><link>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/building-partnerships-in-rwanda</link><guid>http://www.greatapetrust.org/forest-of-hope/forest-of-hope-blog/building-partnerships-in-rwanda</guid><pubDate>Tue, 08 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Editor&rsquo;s note: Today, Great Ape Trust of Iowa Director of Conservation Dr. Benjamin Beck begins a 10-part blog on his recent trip to Rwanda. Beck, along with Great Ape Trust Founder and Chairman Ted Townsend, Communications Director Al Setka...]]></description></item></channel></rss>
