Category Archives: Recent Works
Reverb – EIA; Musicos por la Conservacion, DIC 2017
In October we had an order to organize a trip of nearly 20 people between musicians, environmental activists and Peruvian indigenous leaders, a quite mixed and interesting group. Among the musicians were famous members of some bands recognized worldwide.
Illegal timber trafficking from our Amazonia, passing by corrupt authorities and to the countries of destination, even up to the factories of instruments of the most famous artists, generated this current travel and find out the facts from the same places where you started this chain. For this, the group requested to visit a native community and interact with the community members to receive their opinions and thus to bring the message to consumers around the world.
Between November the 26th and December the 3rd , we traveled to Madre de Dios in aircraft and hence a road an hour to then cross the Las Piedras river and finally reach the community of Boca Pariamanu. Days earlier, our camp fixer helped by locals, they armed and conditioned an area to receive and cater to all the travellers.
For Ecologistica Peru, it was not easy to overcome all the preparations and arrangements required by this mixed group but finally and in record time, we were all involved in this cause. Thanks to our friend chef; Roy Riquelme and our new friends from Boca Pariamanu by the enthusiasm and the willingness to make the visitors stay an experience like no other. See you in our next adventure!!!
Great Rivers – BBC Documentary, OCT 2017
From midyear 2017, we were contacted by our friends of the BBC Natural History Unit, but on this occasion it was a director with whom we worked in 1997 in another fascinating wildlife documentary; Mark Flowers. This time the theme was “water” and we had 3 priority destinations for filming in Peru; the Mayantuyacu boiling River, in Huanuco and humid forests of Wayquecha and Manu, in Cuzco.
Between October the 1st and the 15th , we were at these places, waking up sometimes from 3 am and passing through the most impressive landscapes of these regions, at low temperatures but with the mood and desire to achieve the quality on audiovisual material that the BBC has us used to
For Ecologistica Peru it was a taste to meet our friend Mark and meet Richard, a cameraman with over 30 years of experience, of both, without a doubt, we learned a little more about how to assist and attend a production of this level and for large TV’s nature programs.
Thanks to our friend and collaborator in Drones; David Segurado and our logistics in transport; Manolo Figueroa, without them our team had not been full. See you next time!!!
Project Loon in Peru
At the beginning of 2016 we were contacted by members of the “Project Loon”, another hightech project and idea of Google X, a branch of the main Google Inc. This project uses high altitude balloons placed in the stratosphere to create an aerial wireless network with up to 4G-LTE speeds. The purpose of these flying devices is to bring internet access to remote and rural areas worldwide.
Many pilots experiments have been done around the world and finally Peru was also on their country list. They looked for us because we were recommended by field logistical expert supporters in Chile and Argentina.
Our requested job was to participate and help in the field logistical matters of the first steps of this pilot project in Peru, which in summary refers mainly in the recovering of all the testing balloons flying above our country.
Balloons last about 90 to 100 days at the stratosphere level before they come back to land on a semi-controlled way. Until now, Ecologistica Peru has successfully recovered 50 balloons.
We still have more challenges ahead of us, the project is moving towards the second stage and our participation is getting strong with very good results.
Welcome 2017 -18!
FROM NOTHING TO NOWHERE – TRANSAMAZONICA (UK)
Since May this year, we were contacted by the British Producer Third Line Productions, who planned their new production; “From nothing to nowhere” in South America; They wanted to cross, by bike, all the continent, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific, using the two more important roads; the Trans-Amazonian highway in Brazil and the Interoceanic highway in Peru. But that wasn’t all, they wanted to also cover the environmental issues of greatest relevance along both roads and for that, they needed a very complex logistics for planning visits, interviews, filming, services, everything.
It was not easy to plan the schedule with the team, as those subjects of interest were many. They would be only 3 people; two players and a cameraman and would bring all cameras of short format that could be used, and of course, a Drone, in addition to their bikes. The work was projected to be very dynamic and changing in the day to day, because practically we would not spend any night in the same place.
Soon came October and the travel, our fixer received them in the border for them temporary intern of equipment in customs and from there, they were 25 days very demanding, of intense work and tense too, traveling and knowing wonderfull places and over all, impressive people from the jungle, the Andes and finally from the coast.
Certainly, it has been one of the more complicated productions in recent years, but thanks to the support of our friends and contacts in the towns and cities which we cross and the warmth and friendliness of the people that we met on the long route, we can say again; Task accomplished! Special thanks to our friend; Antonio Enciso, without him, maybe we would not it had attained.
Until the next adventure…
50 ways to kill your mother – Burning Bright Produtions, UK
Since May, we were contacted by our great friend Bibiana Melzi; another Peruvian fixer, to support her with the field logistics in the jungle region for the Emmy-winning program; “50 ways to kill your Mom”. The idea was to film the adventures of Bas (son) and Nancy (mother), this time accompanied by 2 friends, in a one-night survival experience inside our Amazonian forest.
We moved fast in order to find suitable locations and the best natural landscapes of the Northern jungle. After a few potential option we finally found the appropriate place for this production; the Tahuayo river basin. The beautiful Lake Charo, surround by a healthy primary forest and a small community of 12 families of fishermen who protect the Lake and its resources, were the location that welcome us up to 4 days, to build and set up the base camp for 20 people and then make all the shots required.
Even though it was, only one night in the forest, the deployment of resources and equipment to the area was demanding but thanks to the enthusiasm of our cocha Charo village friends, we could meet and have everything ready for the actor’s arrival and the entire production team.
Our sincere thanks to the great “Llyacko” for the pleasure of working together, all our friends from Charo Cocha village, because without them, nothing would have been possible. Thank you all, and will see you next time!
Marañon river – the source of the Amazon, Red Bull – Pioneer TV, UK
In the mid-2015, we had the call from the British Pioneer TV producer, for a Red Bull production; “Marañón river - the source of the Amazon”, in Peru. It was to follow the renowned SUP paddleboarder; Charlie Head, on its journey from the origins of the Marañón River in the heights of Huaraz to join the Ucayali river, near the town of Nauta, giving birth to the mighty Amazonas, in Loreto.
They would be almost 7 weeks (48 days), between late July and mid-September of logistical support, terrestrial and fluvial, in the 2nd and 3rd stages of the journey, the 1st stage was covered by a group of kayakers led by the experienced Rocky Contos. We would enter to carve with ground support with 4 x 4 trucks from the Trujillo highlands to the village of Saramiriza and from there, continue with outboard boats by river, to the city of Iquitos.
To meet this challenge, we have the 2nd stage with the experience of our partner; David Segurado “El Txaval” who without doubt exceeded the expectations and the demands of day to day with much professionalism and certainly our fixer, Maquisaldo, was in charge of what we most know; the lowland jungle.
Each and every one of them, were key to comply with such changing conditions of travel and demanding moments during the filming, but once again, It was shown that when we want to leave Peru in the upper view, all together, we did a great job. Let’s wait for more projects like this!
STAYING ALIVE for Bannavara TV – Nederland
Almost finishing the year and when normally we do not receive services requests in jungle by rains, we were contacted by the Dutch Bannavara TV for their production “Staying Alive” in which the presenter tells famous stories of survival in the world, and in Peru, the Juliane´s Koepcke survival history in December 1971 in the jungle, was for them fascinating.
Immediately and being a new area for us, we deploy all our ability to locate contacts and most suitable stakeholders and programed a 1st recce trip to the area before Christmas. It was not easy to locate and obtain all the necessary conditions in a so short period of time and prior to the arrival of the film crew in January, but thanks to our local contacts, everything was ready for filming on time.
The 2nd recce trip joined the filming one, so we had to redouble efforts to not only monitor and ensure that the forest and the camp was ready for work, but also attend and address the needs of the team during their displacement of almost 4 days through the forest.
The architect of our success was with no doubt, Don Wilmer, who with their unbeatable team of boys and local contacts, led by our fixer, covered and surpassed the expectations of our customers. Our most sincere and deepest thanks to them. See you next time!
RBI Medio Putumayo - Rio Algodón
Rapid Biological Inventory (RBI) Medio Putumayo – Algodón River
Once again, the Field Museum of Chicago´s Department of Science and Education summoned Ecologística Peru, to lead one of the groups that would be in charge of the construction of camp #3 for the Rapid Biological Inventory that would take place on the proposed area of conservation along the Algodón River. This area together with other proposal and protected areas form a mosaic of different ecosystems and habitats that are crucial to protected in the region, specifically in the northern part of the Peruvian Amazon.
On this opportunity, the logistic work lasted approximately 13 days and consisted mainly on implementing a camping area that could comfortably host 25 people for 5 days, a heliport and a system of trails, covering more or less 20km that would lead to the different habitats and types of forests present in the surrounding area. It is important to point out that the habitats surrounding the area were mainly flooded forest that, during rainy season, are completely covered by water. Like in other similar areas in the region, the trail system was design to reach many Varillales and Turberas, which are always very interesting from the scientific point of view.
The job was possible thanks to the cooperation of our friends from the communities of Estrecho, Esperanza, Porvenir, Florida, Nuevo Horizonte and San Pedro, all of them located in the main Putumayo River. This amazing team played a key role in successfully fulfilling the objective of this project.
One Planet - BBC 2015 ( series : Deserts)
Deserts Series – Peru
During the month of September 2015, we had the opportunity to be a part of a documentary production the BBC has been simultaneously doing in many countries around the globe. This time, the chosen location in our country was the Lachay National Reserve.
Lachay is a unique ecosystem found in the coastal desert, north of Lima, with two very distinct seasons. On this occasion, the production was focused on the wet season, on getting shots of the landscape and the most representative resources. Our work was based specifically on giving logistical support during the two weeks of filming. We were also in charge of organizing every detail before the beginning of the production.
Another visit of the same team is expected at the beginning of next year, this time to document the drastic changes the landscape goes through during the dry season. We thank the Lachay National Reserve and its park rangers for all the support they have given us during this first visit.
See you next year!
Rapid Biological Inventory (RBI) Tapiche – Blanco Rivers
During September of 2014, Ecologistica Perú was summoned by the Field Museum of Chicago’s Deparment of Science and Education, to lead one of the groups that would be in charge of the construction of camp #1 for the Rapid Biological Inventory that would take place on the proposed area of conservation at the rivers Tapiche-Blanco in Loreto.
On this occassion, the logistic work lasted approximately 15 days and consisted mainly on implementing a camping area that could comfortably host 20 people for 5 days, an heliport and a system of trails, covering more or less 22km, that would lead to the different habitats and types of forests present in the surrounding area. It is important to point out that the habitats surrounding the area were basically white- sand forests and flooded forest that, during rain season, are completely covered by water. It was definitely an interesting area from a scientific point of view, and it was a surprise for us to find patches of Varillal forest and Turberas which, without a doubt, will throw an interesting record of fauna and flora.
The job was possible thanks to the cooperation of our friends from the communities of Nueva Esperanza, Frontera, Lobo, Nuevo Progreso and Morales, who played a key role in succesfully fulfilling the objective of this project.
