Reforestation Peru

In the Peruvian Andes, Indigenous communities are reviving ancient knowledge and water practices to protect their way of life and restore vulnerable mountain ecosystems. 

During the Quenua Ryami Festival, Indigenous communities in the Cusco region of Peru plant tens of thousands of quenua seedlings a day on the steep slopes of the Andes. Quenua trees are fast-growing, resistant to cold winters and can survive altitudes of up to 4,500 metres above sea level.

In addition to regulating the climate and preventing erosion, what makes these trees so invaluable is their ability to store and filter the water that feeds springs and wetlands downstream. As climate change disrupts rainfall patterns in the Andes, the trees are helping residents and ecosystems to become more resilient. 

Although climate change is a relatively new challenge, Indigenous communities have long understood the importance of carefully managing water in this rugged landscape. The Incas developed an ingenious system of qochas or ponds to regulate their water supplies. Some of the ponds were designed to capture water during the short rainy season for use in dry periods. Other ponds allowed water to seep slowly through the soil, recharging aquifers and keeping vegetation for livestock green.  

This system is now being revived to complement the communities’ tree-planting efforts. “It’s a beautiful practice that contributes to reforesting the headwaters of the Cusco mountains and ensures access to water for agriculture during the dry season.” 

He hopes his project, which is ongoing, shows positive solutions to water issues and amplifies the ancient knowledge of Indigenous people in the fight against climate change.

Glyphosate

The poison that calcify the Pineal gland in oeiole and creates environmental damage to the forest fish and animals.

Glyphosate is an herbicide. It is applied to the leaves of plants to kill both broadleaf plants and grasses. The sodium salt form of glyphosate is used to regulate plant growth and ripen specific crops.

Glyphosate was first registered for use in the U.S. in 1974. Glyphosate is one of the most widely used herbicides in the United States. People apply it in agriculture and forestry, on lawns and gardens, and for weeds in industrial areas. Some products containing glyphosate control aquatic plants.

What are some products that contain glyphosate?

Glyphosate comes in many forms, including an acid and several salts. These can be either solids or an amber-colored liquid. There are over 750 products containing glyphosate for sale in the United States.

How does glyphosate work?

Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide, meaning it will kill most plants. It prevents the plants from making certain proteins that are needed for plant growth. Glyphosate stops a specific enzyme pathway, the shikimic acid pathway. The shikimic acid pathway is necessary for plants and some microorganisms.

You can be exposed to glyphosate if you get it on your skin, in your eyes or breathe it in when you are using it. You might swallow some glyphosate if you eat or smoke after applying it without washing your hands first. You may also be exposed if you touch plants that are still wet with spray. Glyphosate isn't likely to vaporize after it is sprayed.

What are some signs and symptoms from a brief exposure to glyphosate?

Pure glyphosate is low in toxicity, but products usually contain other ingredients that help the glyphosate get into the plants. The other ingredients in the product can make the product more toxic. Products containing glyphosate may cause eye or skin irritation. People who breathed in spray mist from products containing glyphosate felt irritation in their nose and throat. Swallowing products with glyphosate can cause increased saliva, burns in the mouth and throat, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Fatalities have been reported in cases of intentional ingestion.

Pets are at risk if they touch or eat plants that are still wet with spray from products containing glyphosate. Animals exposed to products with glyphosate may drool, vomit, have diarrhea, lose their appetite, or seem sleepy.

Glyphosate binds tightly to soil. It can persist in soil for up to 6 months depending on the climate and the type of soil it is in. Glyphosate is broken down by bacteria in the soil.

Studies that are financed by chemical companies are false information for profit of the few people making g money out of this poison.

Stop using it.

Explanation for Sudden Collapse of the Mayan Empire

The empire took thousands of years to build and just 100 years to collapse

During their 3,000-year dominance over Mesoamerica, the Mayans built elaborate architectural structures and developed a sophisticated, technologically progressive society. But immediately after reaching the peak of its powers over the entire Yucatan Peninsula, the Mayan Empire collapsed, falling apart in just 150 years. The reasons for its sudden demise remain a mystery, but in a 2018 Science study, scientists found clues buried deep in the mud of Lake Chichancanab. 

Deforestation, overpopulation, and extreme drought have all been proposed as the reason for the empire’s collapse. The most probable of those, is drought. The evidence  in the muddy sediments underlying Lake Chichancanab, which was once a part of the empire, underscore the devastating power of a drought on a population. 

The sediment cores that the scientists dug up from the depths of the lake are like a time machine, giving a glimpse of what past environments look like. In the study, the team specifically looked at precipitated gypsum, a soft mineral that incorporates oxygen and hydrogen isotopes of water molecules into its crystalline structure. 

Looking at it was like peering into fossil water, and in this case, it showed that the area surrounding the lake had gone through extremely arid periods. During periods of drought, larger amounts of water evaporate, and so a higher proportion of lighter isotopes in gypsum indicates a period of drought. 

The team determined that between the years 800 and 1,000, annual rainfall in the Maya lowlands decreased by nearly 50 percent on average and up to 70 percent during peak drought conditions. This means the rainfall in this region essentially stopped about the same time that the empire’s city-states were abandoned. 

Those that do not learn form the past risk repeating it.