Gordon, age 13, writes in with questions about rainforest cutting for an I-search report at school. Below are Gordon’s questions and Meg’s answers.

1. What kind of medicines were found in the rainforest?

Over half of our medicines had their origin in tropical plants, mostly from rain forests. There are so many including Cats Claw (for rheumatism and arthritis). Another plant actually has a gummy substance that can be used as a bandaid for a cut, when smushed on your skin.

2. What are some ways that we could contribute to stop the cutting?

We can help conserve rain forests by:
1. buying shade grown coffee (coffee grown in the sun usually has caused complete deforestation, but when grown in the shade of the existing forests, it not only saves the forest but it also tastes better). Always ask your store for shade grown coffee.
2. buying timber that is not grown in the tropics — over 20% of US timber is illegally imported and then bought by americans — we need to do our homework and stop buying tropical timber that is not certified.
3. Educate others — give rain forest books as gifts (there are 3 on my website that give lots of information about the importance of rain forests)
4. support eco-tourism — head to the Amazon instead of London if you are taking an international trip!
5. buy products that advance tropical cultures — there are crafts in some shops from natural products which are sustainably produced.

3. What are some species in the rainforest that are now endangered because of cutting?

Many are endangered, but unfortunately the names are often different from different regions of the rain forest. In Africa, Prunus africana (a cherry-type species) is endangered; in most tropical countries, mahoghany is endangered (but it has a different scientific name in certain places); the kapok tree (Ceiba pentandra) is endangered in Peru; and red cedar (Toona australis) is endangered in Australia.

4. Who is responsible for the massive amounts of rainforest being cut down?

The major responsibility lies with the buyers of timber — America, Europe and China. A secondary problem is agriculture — buying soy products can be harmful to the rain forest if the soy was grown in Brazil, for example.

5. How much of the rainforest (estimate) will be left for our generation?

At the current rates, less than half will be left. The difficult part of the estimates are knowing how the fragments of forest will survive — in other words, with smaller amounts left, they may be more vulnerable to other causes of mortality such as drought or fire. Fingers crossed….

6th Grader Hakim writes:

I’ve been reading a book about you that is amazing and your experience in the forest. I have a question about it and it is why does climbing trees and studying plants and animals amaze you? I have this question because climbing trees and studying plants and animals does not amaze me so I would to know why it amaze someone that is a scientist.that is why I have this question.

It amazes me that over HALF of the species on planet Earth live in the tops of trees — so if we do not climb up there, we never get to see or study all of our closest neighbors. Many of these species give us essential medicines and food supplies — so I think it is totally COOL to climb trees and make these discoveries. it is kind of like going into a cave and finding a pile of gold — but yet it is right over our heads all the time!
yours
Meg

6th Grader Najah writes:

I am in sixth grade. I love science. Do you? My favorite subjects in science are chemistry,rocket science and botanist. I really do not know why I like science. i always have.Have you always like science? I read your story in a imagine it book. I am so interested in your story that i wanted to contact you.I think it is interesting how you study plants and animals.I bet you probably have a lot of patience to live in a tree top. I know I probably couldnt last one day in a jungle because I am pretty sure there are alot of big tropical bugs.If you want to write back please do.

Dear Najah,
Thank you for writing! I do love science, because SCIENCE is all about making discoveries that keep us healthy and make the planet healthy. I am passionate about science! My research was in Botany, as you know — studying the treetops! I hope you can join me someday. Please check out my website for more information
www.canopymeg.com
And keep up the great work in SCIENCE!
Yours,
CanopyMeg

Tefere Gebre, born in Debre Tabor, thanks Dr. Lowman for her blog posts about Ethiopia.  It gives him much hope for Ethiopia’s future well-being.

Tefere Gebre writes:

I was born in Debre Tabor. I now live in San Diego, CA. I left DT when I was 14 years old. Reading your blog post was one of the most hopeful things that I have read about Ethiopia.

I am going to try to sponsor one church in the DT area for fencing. I will follow up soon. This email is just to say thank you. I see and read about fast development in Ethiopia, but that of buildings and industry in Addis. This is the first post that I read dealing with the preservation of Ethiopia’s culture and future existence.

Thank you

Author, Mary Lowd, fondly recognizes CanopyMeg’s book, “Life in the Treetops,” as an inspiration for her science-fiction story. Ms. Lowd had been researching information about trees and forests when she discovered CanopyMeg’s amazing story about life as a woman scientist in Australia in “the Nineteen Seventies.” The story Ms. Lowd ended up writing is called, “Life with the Tumblers,” and is about a woman anthropologist who lives on an alien planet and studies the indigenous alien lifeforms. Although the stories differ, Ms. Lowd contributes her ideas to the valuable knowledge gained in CanopyMeg’s book.

If you would like to read, “Life with the Tumblers,” it’s available at
the following link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/23665

Heather writes in to say what advice she learned from the trees after hearing Dr. Lowman’s award speech at World of Difference award night:

All I know was learned by observing trees:
1.stand tall and proud
2. Sink your roots into the earth
3. Be content with natural beauty
4. Go out on a limb!
5. Drink lots of water
6. Remember your roots
7. Enjoy the view
8. Celebrate diversity and nurture it in your canopy

Magda from the University College of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm, Sweden writes:

I found out about you and your adventures while doing research for my master thesis project which can be described as an alternative world guide book but in the form of a game.

The project/game encourage travellers to explore other things than usually described in a guidebook. The whole game will be in english and is not site-specific but can be used anywhere in the world.

I will also make a small book which deals with exploring the concept of traveling from different perspectives – historically, philosophically, personally, politically etc.

I am contacting you to ask if you would be interested in answering four questions to include in this small book? Would be extremely interesting to have your view upon this!

If you have time, here are the questions:

Below are the questions with Dr. Lowman’s answers:

1. Is there some particular journey that you still dream about doing? (It could be a possible or impossible journey).

I dream about going from the headwaters to the mouth of the Amazon, before it has been fragmented and altered by oil company leases.

2. Tell me about your first travel experience!

My first travel experience was going to the state science fair in 5th grade (I ended as the only girl in a large auditorium of boys exhibiting or experimenting) — I won second prize for my wildflower collections and research — but my dad forgot to put gas in the car and we ended up coasting down the hill into Syracuse New York at 6 AM in the morning –a dubious start to my career in science!

3. Which travel experience has affected you the most?

I believe seeing the Amazon with my children — although I am passionate about rain forest conservation, I am also a devoted mom and so sharing this amazing world of biodiversity with two enthusiastic young boys was truly a special moment for me.

4. I you could bring a person of your choice to any destination – which destination would you choose and who would you take with you?

I would love to take Bill and Melinda Gates to the Amazon — so they would realize that health (of people) relies on health of the planet, and their very generous foundation might share some of its generosity to environmental conservation issues

5. Describe a special meeting that you have had during a journey!

My most special meeting was with the 15 chiefs of a remote village in Western Samoa, when they chanted and drank kava for 7 hours while they decided if we should build them a canopy walkway to help them keep from logging their forest (see the second chapter in my book, Its a Jungle Up There, which provides all the fun details of that day!!)

6. Where in the world have you found the most beautiful tree? Describe it!

My favorite tree is the FIG tree (Ficus watkinsiana in Australia, but there are other Ficus species around the world). i wrote about figs in the last chapter of my first book, Life in the Treetops. Any tree that starts its life from the top, and sends its roots down to the ground, has to be VERY COOL and also very smart in the sense that it is guaranteed to have light which is a limited commodity if you start growing from the forest floor upward.

Below is feedback Dr. Lowman has received regarding her column in the Herald-Tribune: A science mom’s priorities.  Some of the feedback will be followed by Dr. Lowman’s responses.

Judy writes:

Thank you, thank you, thank you for speaking your truth in today’s Herald Tribune.

Thank you for emphasizing the critical issues facing our country.

Thank you for pointing out which candidates grasp the important issues and which ones should go back home (to Arizona and Alaska).

Thank you especially for asking others to “walk the talk” as you so ably do.

Thank you for the clarity with which you wrote.

Thank you for so eloquently expressing what so many of us know to be the truth.

Thank you for standing up and being counted as a spokesperson for the world we will leave our children.

Thank you for being the special woman you are, you are greatly appreciated.

Big hugs to you!

Judy

Suzanne writes:

Hello Meg, just a brief note to say thank you for an outstanding outing last Saturday at Red Bug Slough. Your students were terrific and actually give me renewed hope for the future of this country. I was thrilled to find out that the Virginia Creeper that I brought for your identification is something that can be easily kept under control on our cabbage palms here at Mira Lago.
If you have a mailing list for your talks and activities, I would very much like to be included on it. All my best, Suzanne

Below is feedback Dr. Lowman has received regarding her column in the Herald-Tribune: An iguana in every pot.  Some of the feedback will be followed by Dr. Lowman’s responses.

Don from Venice writes:

Meg, I have suggested to Irwin Starr that we ask the Sara Bay club, our new venue for the Roundtable, to consider putting Iguana Stew on their menu for us. All this being contingent on you being kind enough to snare one for us and get it to their kitchen in time for whatever needs to be done. I thought this was the least I could do inasmuch as Python seems to be out of the question. I did have a Florida panther (juvenile) cross the street near this house during my walk last week. Panther pie entered my mind until the youngster stopped and gave me a look that changed my mind. Just trying to help.

George writes:

Darn! They’re not kosher! (Great article.)

Kent writes:

I enjoyed reading your column last week about the solution to Florida’s iguana infestation. I have never eaten iguana BUT I’m finally writing the email I *intended* to send when I read your Aug 11 article about python infestation.

I’ve been travelling to and working in Thailand since 1990. I’ve eaten some interesting things there…ant eggs, live “jumping” shrimp, horseshoe crab eggs, water beetle essence (actually in lots of Thai curries), most organ meats, and plenty of fried grasshoppers (a great bagged snack, especially when hanging out at bars frequented by tourists).

I’ve drawn the line at brain and drinking snake’s blood.

But in the early 90′s I visited a “jungle restaurant” in Chiang Mai a few times and one exotic meat really stood out. It wasn’t the cobra…a black meat served in sausage patties because it has lots of fishlike bones. It was yellow python. I liked that one so much I returned about 6 months later and had it again.

Python was, hands down, one of the best meats I’ve tasted. A thick, tender piece of white meat a little firmer than fish (I’d compare it to swordfish) and a bit more delicate than pork tenderloin.

Actually, the swordfish comparison is pretty good. Both times I had it the same way “gratiam prik thai” which is a pan fried Thai dish style based on “garlic black pepper.”

The snake was cut into a section about 5″ long…join your thumbs and middle fingers together in an “O” and it was a bit bigger than that. They used a big snake so it was like a chateaubriand in size.

But what amazed me is that, once the snake is cleaned there’s nothing there but meat__Lots of meat__and a few large bones that just fell right out (like they do in tender pork ribs). The skin also fell right off, just like swordfish.

I’ve eaten alligator many times in Florida…tough and chewy for the most part. And anything deep fried…well what’s not to like? (-:

Python is much better, much more delicate and downright tasty! I could only find one python eater online here http://www.beastfeaster.co.uk/2008/04/how-to-cook-python-fangers-and-mash.html but I can tell you looking at his fillets that the Vietnamese sent him a measly python. He also said it was chewy, which was totally unlike my experience.

So, another non-native Florida animal infestation solved…with the right cooking class!

With best regards,

Kent

PS – My wife is Thai. Her food rule is that she won’t eat things that eat people…so no shark or alligator! When we moved back to the states we sought out some unusual (to me, anyhow) organ meats; pig intestine, which I don’t really care for and veal kidney. Veal kidney is amazing, at least the way she prepares it.

The funny thing is that when we first got here in 1995 the local stores considered veal kidney a “trash meat”…you know, for feeding your pets. It was 50 cents a pound and a cheap delicacy (like lobsters in the 18th century New England jails). But don’t you know that when the butchers figured out people ate it the price skyrocketed by more than 1,000%. Now that most food stores don’t butcher the whole animal we can only find veal kidney as special order frozen for $6+ per pound.

So let’s stock up on python steaks before you put the word out! (-;

Kent,
Thanks for your wonderful convictions about the art of eating sustainably! I am thrilled to get your input on python consumption — and perhaps you should publish a recipe book for invasive species? Florida certainly has a growing problem (no pun intended) and it would be great if folks collectively could work to thwart these exotics before they become ridiculously expensive to control.
Happy cuisine,
Meg

Lauren writes:

I don’t know if you remember me, but I did a book report on your book Life in the Treetops about two years ago, when I was in 7th grade. I got so busy after I turned the book report in that I forgot about taking a picture of the puppet I made of you! I am now in 9th grade and starting high school. While remodeling my room, I came across the puppet, and figured better late then never. So here it is; your puppet!
I hope you’re doing well!

Lauren,
Wow and many thanks for sharing! You can go on my website and see what different projects I have been up to over the past 2 years — hope school is going well for you and that you continue to enjoy science.
Can I put this photo on my website? I love your puppet!!!!
cheers,
CanopyMeg