Jose Cruz

1
AMAZON RAINFORESTDesign for CONSERVATION
RESEARCH

• Jose Cruz
• Spring 2005

2
Disappearing Rainforests

• Facts
• Past cover 14 of Earths surface
• Present cover 6
• At current rate, 40 years for depletion
• 1 ½ acres lost every second
• Unrealistic economic perception
• 50 of worlds animals, plants microorganisms
  threatened
  
• 137 species per day 50,000 species a year

3
Disappearing Rainforests

• 121 prescription drugs
• 25 of western pharmaceuticals
• Promote degradation
• Mitsubishi Corp.
• Georgia Pacific
• Unocal
• Texaco

4
Disappearing Rainforests

• 10M natives 10 years ago today less than 200K
• Remaining Shamans are 70 years old or older
• Each time a Rainforest medicine man dies, it is
  as is a library has burned down.
  
• Heritage lost

5
Wealth of the Rainforests

• Facts
• Amazon rainforest cover 1 Billion acres
• Lungs of our planet
• 20 of worlds oxygen
• 5 million species
• 20 of worlds fresh water
• 1 ha (2.5 acres) contains
• 750 types of trees
• 1500 species of higher plants

6
Wealth of the Rainforests

• 80 of developed worlds diet
• 3000 kinds of fruits
• 200 used in Western world
• 2000 used by natives
• US National Cancer Institute
• 3000 plants contain anti-cancer cells
• 70 exist in the rainforest
• Periwinkle (Vincristine)
• Plant Research - 100 companies
• Merck

7
Rainforest Action

• Facts
• Sustainable harvesting higher economic value
  than ranching or logging
  
• Statistics
• 60 per acre for ranching/grazing
• 400 per acre for logging
• 2,400 per acre for sustainable harvest
• Perpetual basis
• New sources of income
• Sufficient demand

8
ECO

• ECO-International Conservation S.A.
• Location
• Ecuador NW South America
• Objectives
• Community Development
• Rainforest Conservation

9
Viejo Estilo Cia. Ltda.

• Viejo Estilo Cia. Ltda. Construction
• Location
• Quito-Ecuador
• Qualifications
• Traditional Techniques 15 years experience
• Architects specialized in Mexico, Spain,
  Colombia
  
• Strong Social Environmental commitment

10
The Project

• Proposal Development
• Includes
• CRC (Community Research Center) design
• RC I (Research Camp I ) design
• Micro-hydroelectric schematic for RC I
• Socio-Economic Community development programs

11
The Project

• Steps
• Raise interest and obtain funds
• CRC Construction
• Establishment of Socio-Economic Community
  Development Projects
  
• Eco-Tourism
• Sustainable Forestry
• Wood Certification
• Forest Stewardship Council
• Rainforest Alliance
• Agriculture
• Worm-culture fertilization
• Ranching
• RC I w/ Power Supply Construction Set-up
• Expansion of ownership and new sites

12
Protected Area - Description

• Location
• South-Central-Eastern Ecuador
• 8 hrs from Quito
• Size
• 3800 ha (9,500 acres)
• Characteristics
• Primary rainforest
• 3 rivers
• Neighboring to Llanganates Natural Reserve

13
Protected Area - Location
14
Protected Area - Zoom
15
Protected Area - Map
16
Protected Area - Satellite
17
The Design - CRC

• Initial Considerations
• Research facilities
• Community Development facilities
• Lodging
• Equipment
• Traditional Environment
• Comfortable
• Services
• Minimum Environmental impact

18
CRC - Specs

• Area
• 1,516.40 m2
• Characteristics
• Treated wood structure
• Brick walls
• Traditional roofing
• Cost
• 758,310

• Spaces
• 7 offices
• 4 Administrative
• 3 Research
• 2 Community classrooms
• 3 Research classrooms/labs
• 1 Computer lab
• 4 bathrooms
• 3 storage areas
• 6 dormitories
• 1 general dinning room
• 1 kitchen

19
CRC Layout Foundations
20
CRC Structure Walls
21
CRC Complete
22
CRC - Views
23
CRC After Approval
24
The Design RC I

• Initial Considerations
• Minimum Power Requirements
• Small size
• Minimum environmental impact
• Host max. 12 people
• 1 office space w/electric supply for
• Micro-Fridge
• Laptop computer

25
RC I - Specs

• Area
• Cabin 95.20 m2
• Bathroom 7.48 m2
• Total 102.68 m2
• Characteristics
• Treated wood structure
• Traditional methods for walls roofing
• Cost
• Cabin 42,795
• Bathroom 3,366
• Total 46,161

• Spaces
• Cabin
• Dormitory Area
• 6 bunk beds
• 1 storage space
• Office Area
• 1 desk
• 1 storage space
• Electric Outlet
• Dining Area
• Max Power 2.5 kW
• 1 exterior Bathroom

26
RC I Layout Foundations
27
RC I Structure Walls
28
RC I - Complete
29
RC I - Views
30
RC I After Approval
31
RC I Power Supply

• Initial Considerations
• Max. Power 2.5 kW
• Micro-hydroelectric Power Supply
• Divert portion of river
• Storage tank 150 m3
• Head 15 20 m
• Turbine Regulator (Battery Bank) Inverter
  system

32
RC I Power Supply

• Needed parts and equipment
• Turbine
• Toshiba-eKIDS Type S Head 2-15 m Power 5-25
  kW - OR -
  
• T8 Turgo 6 kW output, w/ generator load
  controller
  
• Platypus Power Q2/200 2 kW output w/governor
• Regulator
• Included in above models
• Plasmatronics Regulator REG-L60
• Battery bank (tentative)
• GBC Industrial battery 12-125-15 24 Volt 875 Amp
  hour
  
• Inverter
• Sinergex PS1500-124
• ProSine 3.0 Inverter 24VDC
• Heart Interface Freedom 458 30-12 D/D
• Piping Cables
• 4 PVC piping - 40m
• BC 15-4/0, BC 3-2/0, BC 1.5 RB-4/0
• Cost

33
RC I PS Schematics
34
RC I PS Design
35
References

• www.rainforest-alliance.org
• Taylor, Leslie. The Healing Power of Rainforest
  Herbs. Square One Publishers, Inc. Garden City,
  NY. 2004
  
• www.mongabay.com
• Freitas, Carlos. Kahn, James. Indigenous People
  and sustainable development in Amazonas.
  International Journal of Sustainable Development
  and World Ecology 11, no. 3. September 2004.
• www.fsc-info.org

36
Thank you

• ECO-International Conservation S.A.
• Viejo Estilo Cia. Ltda. Construction
• Dept. of Physics Engineering Elizabethtown
  College
  
• Prof. Ronald Laughlin Dept. of Biology
  Elizabethtown College
  
• Family, Fiancé Friends