2024 Amazon Rainforest Conservation Trip

Each spring, more than 2,800 students and teachers receive school supplies through the Adopt-A-School program.

Claire Lannoye-Hall

Claire Lannoye-Hall

Join us!

Each spring, a partnership between CONAPAC, a Peruvian nonprofit dedicated to rainforest conservation, the Detroit Zoological Society and Amazon Explorama Lodges delivers much-needed school supplies to more than 2,800 students and teachers in remote rainforest communities. Join us as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of this incredible program.

March 15, 2024

Today, we loaded the large, rented cargo boat full of school supplies. Each student will receive their own packet of age-appropriate materials. Classrooms will receive books, paper and other materials for shared use. It takes a whole boat to transport this many supplies on the Amazon and Napo Rivers!

March 16, 2024

A 45-minute boat ride took us to Ceiba Tops, one of Explorama's lodges. In the afternoon, we packed a bag of toys for each of the 42 kindergarten classrooms we'll visit this week and prepared folders that each student and teacher will receive. The folder covers have environmental messages and pictures of rainforest animals. A night hike in the rainforest featured caiman, turtles, bats, spiders and a poison dart frog!

March 17, 2024

We left Ceiba Tops for ExplorNapo, a lodge on the Sucusari River. The boat ride took about two hours. In the afternoon, most of the group toured the Canopy Walkway, while a smaller group stayed behind to load the four boats that will deliver school supplies tomorrow!

March 18, 2024: First Day of Deliveries!

The group divided into four teams today, visiting nine communities. Hundreds of students and teachers received school supplies as they started their second week of their school year. When the groups returned, boats were loaded again for tomorrow!

March 19, 2024: Day Two of Deliveries

The day started with a 45-minute walk from ACTS lodge to ExplorNapo, where we departed for our deliveries. Ten communities received supplies today. From large high schools to some of the smaller community partners, all were excited to spend time together with our volunteers and many provided regional dishes to share for lunch.

March 20, 2024: Day Three of Deliveries

Today was our lightest day of deliveries, with several smaller communities. There was no shortage of smiles and excitement! After dinner, part of the group went on a night boat ride, listened to a chorus of rainforest frogs, heard a dolphin blow nearby and watched lightning far off to the east.

March 21, 2024: Day Four of Deliveries

Today was hot! It was the first really sunny day we've had this week. Nine more communities received supplies today, with one group walking more than a mile and a half one way to make the delivery!

March 22, 2024: Day Five of Deliveries

Yesterday was hot — today was hotter! Despite an unrelenting sun, we wrapped up the week with deliveries to eight more communities. One group spent more than five hours on motorcars and boats (mostly on boats) to reach the two communities furthest out. A late afternoon thunderstorm was just what was needed to cool everyone down.

March 23, 2024: Donor Thank You Packets and a Celebration.

The Adopt-A-School program is not possible without the generosity of individuals from all over the world. Trip participants assembled packets for each donor who supported a school. The packets included photos, a list of supplies, and community letters and drawings. In the evening, participants celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Adopt-A-School program. This incredible achievement underscores the tens of thousands of students, teachers and parents impacted by the program.

March 24, 2024: Hellos and See You Laters

The weekend between trips is always bittersweet. Trip participants who came down for the first week departed for home today, while trip two participants settled in. Many of the trip two individuals visited the canopy walkway, while others stayed behind to visit the giant Ceiba Tree, the gardens and fish pond.

March 25, 2024: Last Day of Deliveries

Today we delivered school supplies to the remaining three communities. With today's count, around 2,800 students and teachers have received supplies in the six days we traveled the Amazon and Napo Rivers and their tributaries. We transferred to Explorama Lodge during the afternoon and prepared materials for tomorrow's visit to Capironal.

March 26, 2024: Community Connections - Working with Capironal

Today was our first day working alongside the community members of Capironal. Over the next four days, our tasks include priming and painting a brand-new water purification tower that will provide clean drinking water to the entire community. (Thank you, Amazon Amigos, for your generosity in funding this critical resource!) We will finish construction on a maloca (gazebo) that students can use as a classroom during high water when their school typically floods. The DZS education staff and trip volunteers planned many nature-based art, math, and literacy activities for the children.

March 27, 2024: Painting, Building, Learning

The team painted the water purification tower today. As well as the fence surrounding it. The maloca's floor was finished, and posts for screening it in were installed. The children practiced a skit based on The Very Hungry Caterpillar, played Bingo and corn hole, used magnifying glasses to observe natural items close up, and made leaf rubbings on linen.

March 28, 2024: Planting Trees and Continuing Projects

Today the team started by planting 70 trees throughout the community. A subset of the team screened in the maloca and hung the banner and plaque on the water tower for tomorrow's inauguration. Everyone in the community, kids, parents, and visitors, made a handprint on the Arbol de Amistad (Friendship Tree). The students practiced their skit for their upcoming performance, made solar paper shadow crafts, tie-dyed bandannas, and played another rousing round of Bingo.

March 29, 2024: Final Day in Capironal

With the maloca and water tower complete, the team set to sanding, repairing and painting the school's desks and chairs. Meanwhile, a representative from each family attended a workshop about the water purification system and how to best manage and use the system. Two visiting teachers led a workshop for the children about the importance of clean drinking water. The day ended with a celebration. A professional acting group presented a skit about protecting the rainforest and everyone enjoyed cake, soda and other treats.

March 30, 2024: Final Day

The morning started early with an opportunity to go birding and catch an amazing Amazon River sunrise. Most of the group visited a mariposaria (butterfly house) in the community of Las Palmas after breakfast. After lunch, there was an opportunity to go piranha fishing. Most of the second trip participants will start their long journey home tomorrow. Despite the unusually high temperatures and incessent sun, both trips were a tremendous success. We are incredibly grateful for everyone who shared their time, skills and resources to join us in the Amazon. Profound gratitude also goes to the international donor base whose generosity makes the Adopt-A-School program possible. To support the conservation programming in the Amazon Rainforest, visit: https://detroitzoo.org/support/give/adopt-a-school/

March 19, 2024: Day Two of Deliveries

The day started with a 45-minute walk from ACTS lodge to ExplorNapo, where we departed for our deliveries. Ten communities received supplies today. From large high schools to some of the smaller community partners, all were excited to spend time together with our volunteers and many provided regional dishes to share for lunch.

March 20, 2024: Day Three of Deliveries

Today was our lightest day of deliveries, with several smaller communities. There was no shortage of smiles and excitement! After dinner, part of the group went on a night boat ride, listened to a chorus of rainforest frogs, heard a dolphin blow nearby and watched lightning far off to the east.

March 21, 2024: Day Four of Deliveries

Today was hot! It was the first really sunny day we've had this week. Nine more communities received supplies today, with one group walking more than a mile and a half one way to make the delivery!

March 22, 2024: Day Five of Deliveries

Yesterday was hot — today was hotter! Despite an unrelenting sun, we wrapped up the week with deliveries to eight more communities. One group spent more than five hours on motorcars and boats (mostly on boats) to reach the two communities furthest out. A late afternoon thunderstorm was just what was needed to cool everyone down.

March 23, 2024: Donor Thank You Packets and a Celebration.

The Adopt-A-School program is not possible without the generosity of individuals from all over the world. Trip participants assembled packets for each donor who supported a school. The packets included photos, a list of supplies, and community letters and drawings. In the evening, participants celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Adopt-A-School program. This incredible achievement underscores the tens of thousands of students, teachers and parents impacted by the program.

March 24, 2024: Hellos and See You Laters

The weekend between trips is always bittersweet. Trip participants who came down for the first week departed for home today, while trip two participants settled in. Many of the trip two individuals visited the canopy walkway, while others stayed behind to visit the giant Ceiba Tree, the gardens and fish pond.

March 25, 2024: Last Day of Deliveries

Today we delivered school supplies to the remaining three communities. With today's count, around 2,800 students and teachers have received supplies in the six days we traveled the Amazon and Napo Rivers and their tributaries. We transferred to Explorama Lodge during the afternoon and prepared materials for tomorrow's visit to Capironal.

March 26, 2024: Community Connections - Working with Capironal

Today was our first day working alongside the community members of Capironal. Over the next four days, our tasks include priming and painting a brand-new water purification tower that will provide clean drinking water to the entire community. (Thank you, Amazon Amigos, for your generosity in funding this critical resource!) We will finish construction on a maloca (gazebo) that students can use as a classroom during high water when their school typically floods. The DZS education staff and trip volunteers planned many nature-based art, math, and literacy activities for the children.

March 27, 2024: Painting, Building, Learning

The team painted the water purification tower today. As well as the fence surrounding it. The maloca's floor was finished, and posts for screening it in were installed. The children practiced a skit based on The Very Hungry Caterpillar, played Bingo and corn hole, used magnifying glasses to observe natural items close up, and made leaf rubbings on linen.

March 28, 2024: Planting Trees and Continuing Projects

Today the team started by planting 70 trees throughout the community. A subset of the team screened in the maloca and hung the banner and plaque on the water tower for tomorrow's inauguration. Everyone in the community, kids, parents, and visitors, made a handprint on the Arbol de Amistad (Friendship Tree). The students practiced their skit for their upcoming performance, made solar paper shadow crafts, tie-dyed bandannas, and played another rousing round of Bingo.

March 29, 2024: Final Day in Capironal

With the maloca and water tower complete, the team set to sanding, repairing and painting the school's desks and chairs. Meanwhile, a representative from each family attended a workshop about the water purification system and how to best manage and use the system. Two visiting teachers led a workshop for the children about the importance of clean drinking water. The day ended with a celebration. A professional acting group presented a skit about protecting the rainforest and everyone enjoyed cake, soda and other treats.

March 30, 2024: Final Day

The morning started early with an opportunity to go birding and catch an amazing Amazon River sunrise. Most of the group visited a mariposaria (butterfly house) in the community of Las Palmas after breakfast. After lunch, there was an opportunity to go piranha fishing. Most of the second trip participants will start their long journey home tomorrow. Despite the unusually high temperatures and incessent sun, both trips were a tremendous success. We are incredibly grateful for everyone who shared their time, skills and resources to join us in the Amazon. Profound gratitude also goes to the international donor base whose generosity makes the Adopt-A-School program possible. To support the conservation programming in the Amazon Rainforest, visit:  https://detroitzoo.org/support/give/adopt-a-school/ 

See you next spring!

Be the first to like this item