Have you ever worked in a company from 8am to 5pm every weekday, with all the routine and the job you got, while your soul desires a more free and exciting experience everyday ? Well, previously I have felt the company routine and I think working in the field like this will always be more exciting and fun! This insight came during my volunteer experience in LFP.
I came to Cipaganti Village on 23rd February 2020, and at first I didn’t think I would enjoy this experience as much as I do now. After all the activities, observations and all the people here, with only one month I will say that this is a wonderful experience and I got to learn so much and contribute to conservation!
The activities
Just like the other volunteers and officers do here, I help to observe the slow lorises behaviour at night, and at daytime I also help to collect data for the coffee programme.
This is the first time I saw slow lorises and I learn so much to collect data for the observation, especially the ethogram. Also, so many question I asked in the first time of observation to the coordinator, Sophie, because I was very excited and still so many research needed to know more about this slow tiny venomous primate. I haven’t see all the slow lorises, but it is said that each of the lorises has their own unique story during observation and each of them has their own mate! And I think it is good to see them breeding in this area ! Met all the trackers for observation are so much fun, they also has their own story during the observation. Furthermore, I had experienced the thick fog near the forest to observe Maaf, hear the mysterious sound near Mimi’s place, also hear the slow loris’ sound and learn social behaviour from LN and the uncollared slow loris, there is always a new story and knowledge in every observation!
For the wildlife-friendly coffee project, I have been helping to determine which kind of pest control is better to use for the farmer in the field and how long the effectiveness the pests are to develop the organic coffee. We monitor the pests control in first, third and fifth week, I take photo of it and we will count all the fruit borer in each pest. I also help to conduct the vegetation analysis in the coffee field to know the tree composition in the coffee farm. Previously there was a workshop to introduce the wildlife-friendly coffee project. In this coffee activity, I also met the partners for this coffee programme and taste the coffee from Cipaganti and Pangauban also the coffee Kombucha at Jack’s place, the Blessing Coffee. It will be fun to be able to learn how coffee also contributes to conservation and the local economy!
I have only been here for one month, but I think this kind of work does not come along often and everyone involved here will always have their own story and excitement ! 🙂
