Reflections on a First Field Trip

I'm back, sitting comfortably in my living room in Edinburgh. There's no denying it's a bit of a come-down, after several weeks of working in the Gabonese rainforest. My chances of running into an elephant or a gorilla at work have dropped considerably.

So was it a successful campaign?

Yes! If I've learnt anything from my first field trip, it is to focus on successes, however small. Things can move slowly when you are up against the logistics of remote fieldwork in a far-away French-speaking country. We managed to get all the pre-logging data we need, and successfully organised the logging itself- this is definite progress, even if we have to return to finish collecting our post-logging data.

How was the forest?

Majestic. From the shady undergrowth, the canopies of the forest giants seemed to exist in another world entirely- one bathed in light and fresh air where monkeys swing casually amongst the branches. The great columnar tree-trunks that lead to that world seemed simply to vanish into the sky. I had a lot of day-dreams about somehow climbing up into that canopy (would there be fewer flies up there too?).

It was shocking and terrifying to see first hand the damage done by logging just a few trees per hectare. Where their canopies came down, a glaring hole in the sky would light up the piles of debris: magnificent boughs lay strewn, snapped off like twigs, their leaves starting to rot amongst clouds of flies and ants and the smell of sap that filled the air. Perhaps the selfie below communicates best that it wasn't a pleasant place to be.

What were the challenges?

Absolutely the challenge in fieldwork is to communicate effectively with the local organisations, communities and individuals who are involved with the project. I think this is yet another reason to practice good science communication- from a selfish point of view, if the locals understand the project, they might be able to help make it happen! In Gabon we were definitely guilty at times of not properly explaining our science to the local logging company, and equally not asking them for a full explanation of how they operate. I can see now how important getting a grip on Spanish for fieldwork in Peru will be.

Looking forward to the next one?

You bet. Next time I'll have the benefit of some fieldwork hind-sight, and there are plenty of small things I'm sure I could improve on. Before the end of 2020 team FODEX will need to revisit both field sites in Peru and Gabon. In the meantime, I guess I'll have to readjust to Scottish temperatures and the lack of dangerous wildlife.

More videos and pictures are on their way!