Day 6: Getting Messy at the Mangroves!

Hello!

Before we begin, don’t forget to check out the video blog from today linked at the bottom of this post!

The theme of today was… mangroves! We started off here at Ebiil with another 8 a.m. wake up. First up on the agenda today was a lovely talk with Ms. Ann about the importance of mangroves to the community. The plant serves as a critical part of indigenous Palauan culture. It has medicinal uses, provides building materials in local towns, and offers coastal protection during extreme weather events.

Once we had learned about the benefits of healthy mangroves in Palau, we set off to do some hands-on exploring. We paired up, hopped on some paddle boards, and travelled to the nearby mangroves. Upon arrived, we tied off our paddle boards, strapped on our scuba gear, and split into two groups. With Omar leading one group and Aki leading the other, we swam on in. While there weren’t any sharks, crocodiles, or sting rays to be seen, we still saw some great species. Some top spots include a juvenile batfish, lots of crabs, baby barracudas, rabbitfish, and cardinalfish.

Donika and Micaela snorkeling around the mangroves
Katie, Lydia, and Alaina heading into the ‘groves
Alaina and Myles prepping to enter the forest

After getting to experience the mangroves during high tide, we hiked on out to a summerhouse to enjoy lunch, learn more about the ecology of mangroves, and wait for the tide to go out. Here, we met Rich and his team. Rich is a climate fellow for the U.S. Department of Agriculture conducting research here in Palau. Amazingly, he is the only climate fellow specializing in blue carbon! Blue carbon refers to all the carbon stored in the ocean and marine environments (mangroves, seagrass beds, and salt marshes). Rich taught us some more about mangroves. Through him, we learned that mangrove forests store three-to-five times more carbon than other forest types and their canopy cover has increased by 5% in the last few years because of sediments washed down from wastelands like the bauxite mines.

Rich enriching us in mangrove facts!

Rich was then kind enough to let us join in on a day of surveying the mangroves! It was time to get messy: we trudged through thigh-high mud and sharp pneumatophores to the middle of the mangroves. Here, we set up a circle survey plot measuring 10 meters in diameter, then tagged and measured the DBH and species of each tree in the plot. The DBH measurements will help in estimating biomass of the mangroves. Additionally, we took soil core samples that will return to a lab and be analyzed for carbon content!

Emily and Donika getting ready to take some measurements
A job well done: happy faces and muddy legs

Once each tree had been tagged and measured and soil cores were collected, we hiked back to Ebiil. Ms. Cindy was waiting for us with a fun craft. Many of us joined her in weaving bowls made from palm fronds. We didn’t quite get to finish– hopefully tomorrow! We had a yummy dinner of napa cabbage/chicken soup, rice, kimchi, fruit salad, and tapioca. The last activity of the night was joining Omar in preparing hand reels and fishing lines for tomorrow’s adventure in the Ebiil Channel.

Weaving some baskets!
Preparing hand reels for tomorrow!

Finally, check out our vlog below! We had so much fun making it and hope that you all enjoy :^).

Big thanks to everyone involved in today’s adventures. This blog post was written by Katie Matsuoka and Iris Ford.

Day 5: Plotting and Potting

This morning we hopped on the bus, experiencing our first AC in almost a week, heading to Ngardmau for a reforestation project. In the 1920s, the Japanese began to mine bauxite, a mineral containing aluminum. These regions were stripped of the topsoil, leaving no vegetation or nutrients to facilitate regrowth, further hindered by the heightened aluminum toxicity.  As a result, these areas have remained barren for over 90 years until the Ebiil Society began work on reforestation.

Gary and Myles busting backs and breaking ground

Using the women’s traditional agriculture knowledge from the taro patches, they developed techniques that allowed seedlings to survive the harsh conditions. Through these efforts and the continual monitoring of the patches, they pioneered the most successful reforestation project in Palau!

The homies be posin’

Today, we helped plant 192 seedlings of 6 different native trees, 3 of which were nitrogen fixers and the others provide fruit for birds. Birds are important agents of reforestation, as they help disperse the seeds, encouraging future growth.

After all the work, we took a break for lunch—fish burgers and banana fries—before heading down to a local river to cool off. Waiting for us was a series of stunning waterfalls and relaxing swimming pools, which we were all too happy to enjoy.

The pathway to paradise
Unbothered. Moisturized. Happy. In my lane. Focused. Flourishing
On the edge of glory

After returning from our day’s adventures, Auntie Margie and Auntie Patty show us how to prepare the next generation of seedlings, using their ingenious methods to accelerate germination. These creative techniques included pod popping, giving the seeds a manicure, and beating them with a rock. The rocks proved particularly popular.

Propagation Station

After dinner, Ms. Joyce, Ann’s sister, gave a presentation about PAN, the Palau Protected Area Network Fund, and the work they’ve done to protect the island’s watersheds. Because these watersheds cross state lines, interstate cooperation was paramount to the project’s success. Through their tireless efforts, 11% of Babeldaob—Palau’s largest island—is now designated as a protected area.

Ms. Joyce doing us a learn

We’d like to thank the Ngardmau Rangers and the Ebiil Society for the time and knowledge they shared with us today. Their dedication and persistence in rebuilding what was destroyed is inspirational, and we hope our efforts help them get one step closer to their goal.

Today’s blog post was written by: Myles Tallmadge, Micaela Muñoz, and Lydia Dapkus

Day 4: From Patch to Plate

We started today off by heading to the Mesei, or the taro patch. Ms. Ann and Ms. Ann Marie shared their knowledge about farming in the taro patch, how to plant and pull taro, and the medicinal herbs they keep in the patch. Ms. Ann spoke about how the medicinal plants they grow are good for both plants and people to keep everyone healthy! She also spoke about how food is an important part of community. It is expected to share food with guests who come into your home. 

Ms. Cindy showing Megan how to clean taro

Ms. Ann Marie and Ms. Ann shared how the taro patch is not only a place for women to farm, but also to congregate and talk freely, building strong relationships between women. 

After pulling taro, we rinsed them and cut them to bring back to Camp Ebiil for processing. After boiling the taro for 2 hours, we peeled them and mashed them up with coconut oil. While we waited for the taro to boil, Omar and KB taught us how to break open coconuts to make coconut oil. We finished off the day with a meal made from the taro we helped to harvest.

Through today’s activities, we learned the cultural significance of localized food systems and got to experience the work and care that goes into bringing each piece of food from patch to plate.

Today’s blog post was written by: Emma Schnabel and Alaina Houser

Day 3: Poo of the Sea Cucumber

Today we talked about sea cucumbers and how they are important to our oceans. There are over 1200 different species in the world and 31 of them call Palau home. If you want a snack, eight species can be eaten. An important ecological aspect about sea cucumbers is their poop. When sea cucumbers eat they take in organic matter within the sediment and poop out oxygenated nutrient-rich sand. This is really good for maintaining healthy sea grass habitats. In the past the sea cucumber were suddenly over harvested in Palau by foreign entities, with 84% depleted in one year, leading to Ebiil Society’s effort to protect and aid in their spawning.

We had an early morning to get out on the water around 8am in order to set up our surveying plot. In groups of two we paddle boarded out and measured the surveying field. Using measuring tapes we plotted out a large rectangle with 12 parallel lines, which were marked with stakes. Within this field we would later count the sea cucumbers along each line.

Morning Trials and Tribulations

We had the privilege of talking to Ms. Margie, a traditional fisherwoman, about the history of the Palauan fishing community, and the role of women in caring for and managing sea cucumber, clam and other nearshore resources. Traditionally women were the ones who knew the way to care for and manage this culturally significant resources . This process has allowed Palauans, particularly Palauan women to lead restoration efforts of the local sea cucumber population.

Ms. Ann (left) & Ms. Margie (right) discussing the history of local women fisheries.

Afterwards we had to wait for the tide to go out and come back in. Between the tides the entire area we were surveying became completely above water. During low tide some of us spent some time on the pier and had some cool drinks to help combat the heat. Then we had lunch and a longer delay than expected because the tides didn’t come back in for about an hour and a half longer than anticipated.

Big difference at low tide

Around 4:30 we were finally able to head back out to our plot in teams of 3 to survey the sea cucumber population. This delay ended up being really enjoyable because the temperature had been dropping steadily throughout the day and we were eventually able to see the sunset.

Timelapse drone imagery of sea cucumber monitoring. Imagery by Garrett Roberts

We had to snorkel along out parallel lines counting and identifying the sea cucumbers we’d come across such as the Molech and Ngimes, Palauan names for the Sandfish and Brown Curry sea cucumbers.

It was much more difficult than it looked, and the sun was setting fast. After breaking out the flashlights we were instantly humbled by the efforts the Palauan women would have gone to in order to harvest these vital poo-ers. Learning how to monitor the population of sea cucumber from Ebiil Society was an incredible experience and we all look forward to what tomorrow will bring.

Sunset Yoga

Today blog post written by: Emily Dye, Jacob Colvin, and Megan Haner

Day 2: Bus rides, Bais, and Basins

In today’s adventures in Palau we found ourselves on a journey to the northern tip of the island, a small town called Ollei, which is home to our next gracious hosts, the Ebiil Society. Before our day truly began, we were met with more downpouring rain, but made a quick escape to our first destination of the day in Melekeok. 

Hiking on the hand-placed stone path (created hundreds of years ago) towards the Bai Melekeong.
A friendly snake, found on our hike up to the Bai. 

On the eastern coast of the island, our phenomenal and knowledgeable guide named Demei Elechuus told us the incredible stories of the people, chiefs, and histories that they experienced throughout years of colonization. After several stops accompanied by Demei’s formidable storytelling, we arrived at our final destination–at least for this introductory hike–the Bai Melekeong. Here we were fortunate enough to be granted permission to enter the impressively old and sacred traditional house of the Palauan men, and even received a detailed tour of the Bai’s art and its deeper meanings. 

OSU students admire the artistic representations of historical Palauan stories.
Ridge to Reef class of 2024 outside of the Bai Melekeong, featuring Demei.

Our second stop on the way to our new home for the week was the Ngardmau Waterfall, which would require a 1.5 mile hike in, covering over 400 stairs, abandoned Japanese railroad tracks, and flowing water over slick rocks. This was a feat in and of itself, but was entirely worth the mud soaked sandals and sweat, for the waterfall was nothing short of awe-inspiring. Amidst roaring blasts of mist and wind evoked by the 712 foot waterfall, students swam, waded, splashed, and laughed throughout the incredible break from the heat. 

The hike to the Ngardmau Waterfall that is seen in the distance.
OSU student’s unleash their inner-child while playing in the waterfall.

To conclude today’s activities, we completed our bus travels to the Ebiil Society in Ollei, exhausting the northernmost roads of Palau. Here we were greeted and welcomed by the staff of the Ebiil Society, who were so kind as to cook us an incredible meal of fried fish, taro, and mango salsa. After an exhausting day, we are ready for bed, and looking forward to whatever tomorrow brings!

Today’s post written by Lydia Dapkus and Gary Esvelt

Day 0 and 1: Arrivals and Orientation

Today we have officially kicked off the Oregon State University 2024 Ridge to Reef course! But before class started, some of our students have already had adventures in Palau. 

Myles arrived a few days early and thus had some extra time to go diving. Booking two days with Sam’s Tours, a diving company recommended by Scott, he dove the Sandbar, Ulong Channel, and the Hafa Adei wreck the first day, then met up with Scott the second day to dive Blue Holes, Blue Corner, and German Channel. Blue Corner in particular was stunning, with enormous schools of Red-Tooth Triggerfish, various fusilier, and three different kinds of reef shark. 

Grey reef shark surrounded by red toothed triggerfish at Blue Corner
School of black barred barracudas at Blue Corner

Iris, Megan and Katie hitched a ride with Bryan and Garrett around Palau where they saw the capitol building. They also stopped at Kuabes park, a beach in Ulimang, where they went hunting for shells. There were so many Hermit crabs and Ghost crabs! 

Palau Capitol Building
Kuabes Park Beachcombing with Iris, Megan and Katie

Finally, Alaina and Donika started their trip with a snorkeling and kayaking trip through Nikko Bay with Paddling Palau, visiting amazing coral reefs, cathedral cave, and a marine lake!

Nikko Bay Kayaking with Paddling Palau

After all our preclass adventures, it was time for the course to start. Our first outing was to the Belau National Museum. The museum gave an extensive history of Palau from first settlement, through years of colonization, to Palau today as an sovereign country.  

Bai at Belau National Museum
Close up of the Art on the Bai

We finished off the day with a lovely dinner from Chef Alina and presentation from Senior Naturalist Guide Mac with Paddling Palau, learning all about the ecotourism, conservation and research that Paddling Palau facilitates in the Rock Islands and beyond. 

Dinner with Paddling Palau at their amazing shop in Koror
Scott picking out food made by Chef Alina and Paddling Palau

Today’s blog post was written by: Katie Matsuoka, Myles Tallmadge and Alaina Houser

Iris enjoying the sunny weather in Palau during rainy season