This March break, 12 students and two faculty members are traveling to Panama to engage with the complexity of research, communities, and conservation in the unique ecosystems of Panama. Please enjoy the blog post below from Ariana ’27 and Finn ’25 where they share the groups experience testing water quality and discussing sustainable solutions in the Guna Yala Islands as well as exploring the dense Mamoni Valley, learning about its ecosystems, and reflecting on their environmental impact:
During our trip, we collected four water samples from each place we went to: the Hotel, the drinking water from the San Blas Islands (Guna Yala), a sample from a stream in the jungle, and the drinking water here at the Mamoni Research Center. After testing the pH levels and total dissolved solids of each sample, we found that all of their values were in the normal range for drinking water. After this, we had a discussion on more sustainable ways to get water that are better for the environment and people from the places we have visited. One place that stuck out to us was the Guna Yala Islands, where the tap water is not safe for drinking. Many natives from these islands rely on water from plastic bottles or jugs, but this leads to a lot of plastic waste ending up in the ocean which harms the ecosystem. We considered two options for a sustainable way to retrieve water without using plastic bottles: by desalinating sea water and collecting and storing water during the rainy season. The first option would have been a great suggestion for the people on the islands, but one problem is that they do not have flushable toilets and instead have outhouses that lead out to sea. This completely takes out the option for desalinating sea water. In this case, the other option of storing rainwater seems more plausible, however it may not be realistic to retrieve that much water for all the island’s inhabitants. Even if we did not find a strong and reliable solution to the problem, discussions such as water availability are important to consider not just for the San Blas Islands (Guna Yala), but around the world. – Ariana ’27
Today was our first full day in the dense Mamoni valley. I slept very comfortable with the noises and rumbles of the jungle in the brand-new, dare I say luxurious cabins built this year. This was coming after a couple days of beach living with the salty humid heat. Martin’s music roused all of us to get ready for an exploration into the woods. Fresh fruit and herby bread fueled us up for a short, but challenging hike up to the continental divide, where water flows to the Pacific on one side and the Caribbean Ocean on the other. This divide goes along the entirety of both South and North America, and our guide, Kandi, pointed out that the divide in the states is along the Rocky Mountains in the west where water either flows into the Pacific coast or into the rivers that feed into the Mississippi. We were able to see many fascinating critters and fauna, like the “walking tree” which moves 5cm a year and termites that some of us ended up eating right from the nest. Upon our arrival back to the campus we enjoyed a delicious chicken soup with fresh vegetables and rice as well as the refreshing passionfruit and naranjilla juices made fresh on site. Our afternoon was much quieter than the morning, with lots of free time before and after our water testing activity. Some of us napped, while others stayed in the common spaces playing cards, swinging on the hammocks or even writing their own song for the talent show after dinner. We were joined for our taco Wednesday dinner by the founder of Geoversity, Nathan “Nate-the-great” Gray. I am very excited to hear what he has to say tomorrow during our conversation with him. After dinner we had our talent/anti-talent contest where we heard Danyi’s incredibly loud whistle and Ben’s astonishing recounting of every single NBA champion ever starting from the Celtics last year all the way back to the first. We continued playing a version of the game mafia that Danyi introduced to us last night until our curfew. As I walk back through the crickets and howls of this dense forested paradise, I am fascinated to think that this was a ranching field just over 20 years ago. I am extremely excited to spend my last days in Panama learning more about this place and how I can rethink my impact on my own environment at Deerfield and in New Haven, by not only reducing my consumption, but also adding to the environment. – Finn ’25
