Mozart loves Orchids

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Illegal Logging within EL Nido Town, Palawan. 

Palawan and especially el nido is known for its landscapes, and marketed as being covered by pristine forest. the truth after 6 days of going through different forested areas is different and heartbreaking. this video was taken within the town of el nido. 

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Vanilla raabii

A few months ago , I while trekking the forests of Panay Peninsula, I came across a vanilla orchid. after a few month and a lot of investigation, this new discovery was named Vanilla raabi after me by Jim Cootes and Paul Ormerod.

 io

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Andria type Terrarium: Cryptanthus and Pilea in a stone , pebble and sand arrangement

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Ombra mai fu : Cloched terrarium with Crytanthus and moss on a wood arrangement

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Basque Type Terrarium : with Cryptanthus, Pilea and Cromelina in a rock and sand arrangement

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I just supported Phonebloks on @ThunderclapIt // @davehakkens

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Mozart loves Orchids turned 1 today!

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To whom it may concern,

  We, the undersigned, are writing with regard to the operation of the Philippine Spotted Deer Conservation Foundation (PSDCF).  The PSDCF was conceived by Mr. ReneeGalang (who is the sole director) and primarily conducts operations in PanayIsland, in the province of Antique. 

  Our experience with Mr. Galang stems from participation inhis volunteer program between 10th June and 10th July2013, during which time we were supposed to have assisted with several research projects initiated by Mr. Galang. These projects were claimed by Mr. Galang to involve researching population demographics and distribution of Rafflesia lobata and Rafflesia speciosa, creating a management plan for Seco Island (municipality of Tibio), investigating Philippine Spotted Deer distribution and habitat, and identifying a potentially new species of Gymnosperm found in a restricted mountainous habitat within the municipality of Sebaste.

  We believe that the operation of this Foundation is being conducted in an irresponsible and deceptive manner and provides no environmental conservation benefit.  Further,claims made by Mr. Galang in his volunteer recruitment advert border on fraudulent.

  This letter provides a summary of significant concerns andissues we have with the operation of PSDCF.

  Of great concern is Mr. Galang’s treatment and deception of volunteers, who were required to each pay P80,000 for participation in his program.  This included all food,transport and accommodation.  Accommodation was advertised to be at Villa Tinigbas (of which Mr. Galang is a joint business partner) at an estimated cost of P12,000 per person, per week.  Once participation of volunteers was confirmed, accommodation was changed to a location in Sebaste, at a cost ofP1,050 per person, per week.  Nomention or offer of refund was made. Despite this considerable change in available funds, food provided to volunteers was poor and minimal. Mr. Galang often commented on how little funding was available for any‘extravagance’.  When questioned how volunteers’ money has been spent, Mr. Galang was vague and despite several requests failed to provide an inventory of expenses. 

  Also of concern is the lack of research methodology behind all projects proposed by Mr. Galang. This resulted in visits to study sites where volunteers were left to conduct research activities of their own accord, with no guidance from Mr.Galang.  Thus, little to no useful data were collected during the entire volunteer program.  A clear lack of preparedness and planning was evident from the part of Mr. Galang.  It is our opinion that damage to study sites far out weighed any conservation benefit derived from Mr. Galang’s operations.

  Finally, we are concerned about recommendations and advise Mr. Galang is providing to officials of Panay, which may be inaccurate or misleading.  Further, Mr. Galang may plan to develop tourism opportunities in Panay and based on recent discussions we believe that these may have serious negative impacts on the environment and on the local community.

  Please feel free to contact us at any time to discuss this matter further,

  Sincerely,

  Timothy Rivett

  Jan Braun

  Raab Bustamante

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SCAM RESEARCH by RENEE GALANG OF PHILIPPINE SPOTTED DEER CONSERVATION

        A few months ago , I came across Renee Galang and the Philippine spotted deer conservation foundation. It purported to be a legitimate conservation foundation that was having an ongoing research on Rafflesia lobata , a Species that Renee Galang claimed to have discovered. I contacted Renee Galang and asked if I can join as a volunteer researcher. He told me it costs 300 Australian dollars ( 12,000 Php ) a week. He emailed me the itinerary and was convincing me to join another research on Drosera sp. from Seco island for another 300 Australian dollars. As I only wanted to be part of the jungle research also to take photos for my website and short on time I said I can only spare 6 days, and I told him I would join if it doesn't involve crossing large rivers which I hated, he assured me we wouldn't cross rivers.

          The research was scheduled on one june 22, but I got a call from Renee that is was moved to the 15th of june ( there goes my expensive ticket to Catiklan ,Malay, Aklan) I had to buy a new ticket to fly on the 14th. when I got there he called me that the research was moved to the 17th, so I had a day extra, which I decided to trek to Sibaliw, Panay peninsula  to take photos. 

Like this undescribed sp. of Vanila ovalis aff.

Bulbophyllum calophyllum

also saw some interesting stick insects (phasmatodea) 

one day( 11 hours ) one guide cost me only 500 pesos Ph, food was muffins for snacks and and a sandwich for lunch.

    I woke up at 6 am on the seventeen , took a bus to Barangay Idio, Sebaste, Antique. When I got there,  Renee and the other researchers where out getting supplies. I was shown the accommodations, which was what I think was the recovery area for the Barangay maternity clinic. run down rooms, and well you can only imagine what the toilets looked like. thank god I wasn't gonna stay there because we're heading to the mountain that day, well so I thought. 

      At around 30 past twelve , Renee and the volunteers arrived. he informed me that we would be climbing the next day, because it was already too late to pack everything and go. 

       I met the team of 3 australian Environmental Scientist from Deakin University , and a German Illustrator. 

       I should've noticed something was wrong when I told Renee I wanted to pay already, but he told me to do so later when all the guides and researchers where gone. and I also ask what the itinerary was, or what sort of research are we conducting, and he replied that we will see when we get to the jungle.I slept early that night , thinking if we are going to climb the next day it be early.

      I woke at 7am and though that it was late, when I went out of the room nobody was up. It was already 8am when the guides started to arrive and cooked breakfast and I was told that we where not going up the jungle, but will have a day hike by the river.  as I specifically told Renee I do not like rivers, and came unprepared for it. I asked Renee why the sudden change of plans, his reason was they haven't prepared the hammocks for them and the volunteers yet, and it was an easy hike. 

  two hours later, after slipping on some large rocks and about to climb a makeshift ladder on the rockface of a steep waterfall, I regretted joining. as I only saw hoya imbricata and Dendrobium ( Ceraia) Crumenatum so far, It was a risky and useless trek. I did not understand the point of the whole thing , as we neither did anything remotely like research nor was Renee directing us to any process. in fact he was just recording the whole thing on his go pro, to add to his website. 

two days wasted, and nothing learned or to show for.

    Back at the Barangay, they where preparing the hammocks made out of canvas strips tied with some thick nylon looking rope. I was glad that i got to buy a hammock with a mosquito net that i can zip up. I asked Renee if we can go the early the next day as I have a limited amount of time, and did not want to spend all the time trekking from camp to camp. he said we would leave early the next day to be sure. I also asked to make sure if we can reach the cloud forest as he told me we were also going  there, and he said we had enough time to reach it and camp for a night there.

   First day of the jungle expedition they didn't get all the supplies nessesary. so they went to pandan to do this. While i went to the Sari-Sari store ( village convenience store ) to buy cans of sardines and corned beef, some instant pancit canton just in case. 

   we reached the first camp at about 5 pm. I was the last to arrive as I was busy taking pictures of orchids on felled trees (  i.e. illegal logging) some of the species I found on the way are on the ff. pictures

Nervila sp.

Peristylus goodyeroides from the subfamily Orchidoideae

Acanthephippium mantinianum

 Bulbophyllum from section stachysanthes, hewn timber clearly shown.

Pinalia senilis note the Geosesarme sp ( Crab)  on the upper left side 

Mycranthes sp.

I found this single felled tree with 9 species of orchids, 4 bulbophyllums species, 2 Pinalias species, 1 Mycranthes species, 1 Thelasis species, and 1 phreatia species. 

when I got to camp. they already had the bivouac ready, by cutting down several trees , I thought to my self this wasn't much of a conservation foundation by doing so.

also cutting down palm trees to make dinner. dried fish and palm heart , actually 

he fed us dried fish for 3 days.

the Bivouac

I wouldn't have complained at what he fed us, if only there was research done, there was none. he got GPS readings of the locations of the Rafflesia lobata, but he didn't need researchers that paid 80,000 pesos to do that. 

we moved camp twice, both times cutting trees to make camp. 

at the second camp he wanted to take a bird home ( I secretly let it go when he wasn't looking) 

he was paying the porters only 200 pesos and feeding them basically nothing more than dried fish and rice. they had to supplement their meals by hunting eels and frogs

 my frog and rice dish, when they say it taste like chicken, it really does taste like chicken.

we did not get to the cloud forest, we did not do research. he was just a glorified and really expensive tour guide who wasn't worth the $1180 aus a week . so steer clear of him, you were warned. 

He promised the Australian researchers that they would stay in his resort Villa tinigbas ( which it turns out he swindled a foreigner partner to own ) and charged them $300 aus a week, but changed the lodgings to the run down barangay center and did not even refund them.

 he promised 6 days of research in the jungle for 12k for me. it was 4 days, with out decent food, nor was there any sort of research done.

he said he pays the guides 500 pesos a day, but the guides only get 200 a day. 

he said he had permits, when we got down from the mountain and asked to see it, he can not show me the said permits.

It is sad that as an individual , I nor the foreign scientist can not accomplish any legitimate scientific endevour because we can't obtain permits, but a shady scam operator like Renee Galang can because he has the connections with DENR, and a Organisation that purports to protect and study wildlife.

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Phalaenopsis species from the philippines blooming in my garden

Phalaenopsis deliciosa

P. hieroglyphica

P. equestris

P. bastianii

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Philippine orchid species blooming in my garden

Cleisostoma uriaense

Luisia cordatilabia

Calanthe sp.

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Nubes Monte

Inspired by the cloud forest from my recent climb.

Foreground : Selaginella uncinata & Goodyera clausa

Center : Zeuxine lancifolia & Ludisia Discolor

Background: 3 species of Moss and epiphytic vine on fern slab & Selaginella willdenowii

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Mt. Mandalagan , Negros Occidental

view of Mt. Kanlaon from brgy. Patag, at about 700m

      Last week while I was in Bacolod city to vist my primo Josef , my friend Ronny Boos decided we should climb Mt. Mandalagan.  I said yes, expecting the climb will be with out glitch , I was sorely mistaken. He turned out as the anti thesis of German efficiency, at the 11th hour I was informed I had to prepare food and that we had no car to Brgy. Patag, the jump off point to Mt. Mandalagan. I borrowed my friend's car, but Ronny didn't have a license. had to borrow a driver as well. got a driver, had jollibee take out and 2 hour later at 11am got to brgy. Patag.

     we passed by our guide's house where we saw several orchid species blooming, like this massive clump of Cylindrolobus fastigatifolius formerly belonging to the Genus Eria

and this is the macro shot of the flower.

one of the first orchids found was this Bulbophyllum marivelense

 from the section Stachysathes

while I mostly focused on terrestrials like the following photos of 

gorgeous jewel orchids from the subtribe Goodyerinae. 

Goodyera clausa

Goodyera clausa

Anoectochilius sp.

this one isn't a Goodyerine orchid, but is a jewel to behold, Nephelaphyllum pulchrum

oh and the mosses that comes in all shapes and sizes like this strange one 

while I was busy looking down, Ronny was busy looking up. he focused on epiphytes like this Bulbophyllum catenulatum

as much as I would like to post each and every photo we took, sadly I only have time for these. 

  after spending a good four hours climbing up 'til we reached 1200m we had to go down, it was four O'clock by then.

  on our way down, and just at my eye level I found something special a bulbophyllum from the section Stachysanthes, with the biggest blooms I've ever seen for from the entire section. and probably still unknown species.

  we call it " Snowbell"

though I rather wish that it is called Bulbophyllum bustamantei. but thats just me. and I found it first!

here is a parting shot of the mountain with Ronny

by time we reached the car it was 6pm. we got to bacolod at 8pm. even with that, and the incessant complains of Ronny. the mountain was well worth it. 

ALL PICTURES are courtesy of RONNY BOOS

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Anilao, Mabini town, Batangas 

Sadly not very forested , only saw 4 species of ground orchids in what looks to be a 40 hectare forested area

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Mt. Madjaas cloud forest.

Mt.. Madjaas at 2113 meters high, is the tallest peak in Panay island.   after a two hour trip from Catiklan, we arrived in Culasi town. we went to the tourism office of Mr. John Sumanting. located on the second floor of the culasi public market. there we had to pay a 150 per person fee for permission to access the mountain. we also had to check in with the local police.  the tourism office called for transportation ( in this case two motorcycles ). we then bought supplies in the market for us and the guides and porters. after a 30 or so minute ride on dirt road we arrived at our starting point, Brgy flores. where the motorcyles took us to the house of our guide Josue.  the climb started easy enough, at 400m, brgy flores is the closes point to access the mountain. the trail was arduous, and very often steep. on the trail we saw Spathoglottis kimbaliana var. antiquense  

a beautiful terrestrial orchid growing amidst the cogon fields. we also nibbled on some berries ( Rubus rosifolius ). much like strawberries. at around 4pm we arrived at the campsite located 1100 m.                                                        THE CLOUD FOREST At this level, everything was covered in moss & orchids. species like bulbophyllum, thelasis and dendrochilium is  found everywhere.  so where the jewel orchids.

Anoectochilus sp.

Zuxine sp. flower

Zuxine sp.

Liparis dumaguetensis

Phaius fragilis

We camped overnight near a water source at 1100 m the next day, we woke up early and tried to reach 1800m amonst the trees I found several liparis ( stichorchis ) philippinense one of which was flowering .

with the thousands of Dendrochilum plants growing we only saw one that was blooming , Dendrochilum hastatum 

by the time we arrived at 1400m I just stayed behind, I told the Bulbophyllum expert to go ahead and try reaching 1800m. while i was resting, I still was looking for terrestrial orchids, which can be confusing because some orchids which where normally epiphytes are growing as terrestrials in this mossy forest. like this Appendicula luzonensis

at 1200 til 1400 m we found 

Corybas sp.

Goodyera sp.

Dendrobium auriculatum

The Bulbophyllum expert came back saying he didn't reach 1800, because the 1400m level is large.so we all headed back to camp. while on our way back , we saw orchids we missed. like

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Orchids of Mt. Madjaas. blogging about my climb soon.

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What's behind Puerto Galera?

What's behind Puerto Galera , literally.

Puerto Galera, one of the well know Diving destinations of the Philippines has more to offer than the surf and the beach. Last Jan 19, 2013 Ravan Schieder, the resident expert on orchids of Mindoro ( several of which are named after him D.ravani, Gram. ravani etc. ) took me through the old abandoned marble quarry a 5 hour trek that started from Ponderosa Golf course at about 400 m. above sea level.

About 15 minutes of a relatively easy walk, I found our first orchid Nervila plicata (sadly not in bloom) 

    Ravan has never noticed this, but who can blame him if the orchid doesn't look at all like a typical orchid.

minutes later we came  across more nervila plicata.

also along the way was habenaria hystrix and habenaria sp. 

along the way you can see the colourful flora and flora of mindoro, though i only took pictures of plants and invertebrates. 

like these two millepedes 

I have no Idea what they're doing, but it looks fun.

A female Carpenter Bee

I've never seen a female before. just the big black male. which is seen here peeking from the inside of their nest.

this is a sight you'd never expect at 400 m 

 a hermit crab , which usually live on lowland forest close to the coast. 

snails, forest snails... 

pretty right, ok i got something better.

or better yet. 

and for full effect

 ok will stop with the snails.

something move alive I guess. 

ok, maybe not as alive. but much more interesting, this frog was just sitting there oblivious to the camera.

wasps.

Can you gues what this is? Phasmatodea .. or the stick insect.

ok, back to the orchids. here is a new Ludisia sp. so new it hasn't been described. for over a century since the last and only other Ludisia sp. ( Ludisia discolor)was described.

Paphiopedillum henissianum at 700 m

the cloud forest at 1000 m

and my favorite orchid of all Anoectochilus sp. 

Peloric form

normal anoectochilus flower and bud

Anoectochilus habit, this jewel orchid is hard to grow.

Macro shot of anoectochilus flower