June 26 - Bosque Colibrí (Villacarmelo), Reserva Natural

 June 26, 2022

Today we got to explore the Bosque Colibrí, which is a nature reserve that also cultivates several crops, such as coffee and honey. The entire experience from start to end seemed very intentional and introspective, and we also got to learn so much about how they maintain the reserve and how it sustains itself. Everything that we came in contact with was very environmentally-conscious and connected to the ecosystem in which it is situated. 

When we arrived, we enjoyed a short yet steep hike to the gates of the reserve, where we were greeted by our guide, a biology student at the Javeriana. We then walked up even further, learning about the different birds and trees that surrounded us and finally reached a house with several outdoor spaces to facilitate our learning and reflection. When we reached the reserve, we got to meet the owners of 12 years and are professors at the Javeriana. 

We learned about the different geographical nuances of Cali and Valle del Cauca, which is where we have spent the last month, as well as some of the plants and animals that inhabit these areas. During this presentation, we enjoyed agua de panela, a sweet water made with sugar cane, and a freshly prepared chicken taco with veggies and a delicious sauce. 

Afterwards, the group divided in two to have either a more reflective segment, or a walking tour focused more on learning; after about an hour, the groups switched and we got to experience the other option. 

Our student guide lead us through the property and described how the water is separated by categories (gray and black water) and then filtered by four sections of an invasive species plant that must be highly regulated by the workers. Each row of the plant that the dirty water passes through, it gets cleaner and cleaner until it reaches 98% purity, a much higher level than that of the city center.

 

Then, we learned about how the coffee is cultivated and separated to make different batches, depending on the quality of the bean and its taste. We also learned about how certain waste products are used within the reserve for other purposes, such as compost and fertilizer. There was a luscious garden full of many types of herbs, and smelling all of them, especially the lemongrass, might have been my favorite part. 

In the reflection part of the tour, we learned the details of how honey is produced by the bees, and how different bees behave in certain situations. Then, we got to get up close and personal with some other plants, such as a furry leaf or a "tissue of the forest." We then walked down to a man-made spider web that held all six of us, and we spent some time in quiet reflection listening to the sounds of the forest. 

After this two-hour tour ended, we all met up as one large group at the waterfall, where we partook in forest bathing, which was frigid, yet cleansing and invigorating. After we found our way back up to the house (despite getting temporarily lost), we were welcomed with a fresh lunch of jugo de lulo con hierba buena, chicken, rice, cream of pumpkin soup, plátanos, and more. It was a great way to end our many excursions together.

Special mention to Christina for celebrating her birthday with us at the reserve.