New Manager Introduction

Hello everyone!  We are the new managers here at the beautiful Reserva Las Tangaras.  After a really helpful orientation from outgoing extraodorinaires Tom and Freya we´ve spent our first week brainstorming, planning, and getting started on the projects we´d like to create and contribute to during our time here.  We just wanted to post a quick introduction to both ourselves and our projects.  Updates will be following!

Our first task was putting up the lovely new sign for the reserve that Tom and Freya created.  Here´s a look at the new sign and us (the sign is better looking)

We also spent a fair bit of time creating and distributing new flyers (not featured) for the reserve around town focusing on our accomodations.  Andrew and I have both worked in international eco-friendly and conservation minded tourism in the past and are hoping to increase awareness of the efforts and research of the reserve.

Our first personal undertaking, and one that we´re most excited about, has been to identify some of the native plants in the reserve.   With her experience and interest in native plant conservation and education, Emme, with Andrew´s help, will be trying to accomlish three goals:

– First, add drawings and information of more plants to the existing reserve manual.

– Second, create signage and identifiers for various species along the reserve´s trails so that guests can view them as they walk.

– Third, create a native plant garden focusing on useful, edible, and flowering plants.

Here she is identifying:

Another main project we´re hoping to do is some overhaul on the existing hiking trails for the reserve.  Prior to being here Andrew was part of a trail crew in the US maintaining and creating different trail systems throughout Arizona, so we´re hoping to put some of his knowledge and experience to use.

Other than these projects, we also have plenty  of ideas for smaller scale improvements we can add to the reserve.  Two things we have started on are improving the orchard (botanical sprays, nutrient mulch, ground growth clearing, etc.) and creating a new covered information booth at the entrance to the reserve in front of the lodge.  Here we hope to have copies of bird lists, information about the reserve and the Cock-of-the-Rock Lek, trail guides, etc. to make information more accesible to visitors.

As always there is lots of work just in the upkeep of the lodge, hosting of guests, and avian data collection, and we are sure to have many more ideas for future projects.

Further updates to come!