Sunday 25 August 2013

What is Geocaching?


Wednesday 21 August 2013

Parks and gardens in cities are a school for our children.



  Every city has an area of ​​gardens and parks that you can visit and spend some time,and sometimes make small snacks sitting on the grass.
 What many of us dont do, is to observe with our eyes what is around us and to see all the biodiversity that exists there, if we care to look we will see many species of butterflies, beetles, ants, other insects and even birds, and other fauna that for our children is something spectacular.
 For our children to see a bee on a flower is something new, and have an explanation of why the bee is there and how important for us as humans, pollination by insects is, something they love to know, as are watching that everything is interconnected and that we must protect all species because they are all important to us, even when living in a city urbanized.
 Just this week I took my son and went to the park right here near home, to give some food to fish and swans living in the lake there , and he already had been there before, but he had still a lot of questions about the animals that were there, and between one and other question I  clarify something things and learn others, because nobody knows everything and nowadays with the amount of information that comes to our children, they are often in explaining and we learning.


A child watching a seed of a plant wonder how that will give a new plant is something enriching for us as adults, as we feel that feeling that we teach something that will follow them for the rest theyre life and education like that is right. Create values ​​in our children on how to proceed in relation to nature is one of the priorities that we have because,we have to teach respect for all that surrounds us, or respect for others is one of the values ​​that we instill in our children , because then we will create a better society.

 Explain that when we eat the cookies we carry in our bag we put the outer carton in blue bucket and plastic in yellow bucket, is not difficult and we must take it into account when we go there in the trash recycling center of the park.

 For example we pass tru a pile of leaves, he asked what it was, and there took two minutes to see the signs that there was talking about composting and what is composting, then came new ideas, "Daddy can bring home peels vegetables and plant leaves to here to help nature. "

 Leave home take your children to walk in the parks and gardens, learn and teach and will see that will be a couple of hours well spent.


Cláudio Jardim 21/08/2013

Tuesday 20 August 2013

Images from Natureza0




UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Santana Madeira


 Well from a few moths until today we seen that a few times we have seen in many regional conferences, national or even international, Santana has been one of the main themes, it has much prestige its project despite being only the beginning of a long journey.
  For as covered here on our blog we have several paths some of which have already been addressed here such as:


  And on these trails and Levadas you can find magical places like waterfalls, ponds, great views over the huge stain Laurel Forest of Madeira, and you can watch many, many species endemic to the region from fauna or flora.



  But UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is not only that it takes into account the whole heritage of the region, namely the famous Houses of Santana, the traditional festivals such as the feast of compadres or 24 hours to dance, among others.
  The reserve also takes into account the attitudes contained in populations, local governments and local businesses on how to protect nature where they belong.

  Should you wish to know more about this reserve and the species and traditions Santana should go to the official site in http://santanamadeirabiosfera.com/pt/


Claudio Jardim 20/08/2013

Monday 12 August 2013

Levada do Rei (A Trail in São Jorge)




 The Levada do Rei begins in São Jorge after the Water Mill in the North Island, this Water Mill is a mandatory stop for locals and for tourists because it is the last mill of its kind on the island and has more than three hundred years of existence.
 Just above the Water Mill also has a  Water Saw which is running during the week and can also be visited by anyone who goes there.




 With respect to the path, it is very easy whit only a small slope in the initial part and then immediately plane of which always can be performed by whole families from 8 to 80 years.
 In the early part of the route we can see how some invasive species are competing directly with the stain of Lauros Forest existing there which is a shame as at risk as forest ancient as ours, but leaving that aside we have a great journey ahead in we can observe beautiful landscapes of our island.

Thursday 8 August 2013

Wiki Pearls

 One day a Harvard professor thought he could imitate nature and create a package for different products, then began to put into practice the idea and so David Edwards created the Wiki Pearls.
  The idea is very interesting because, did you ever thought about the pollution we have when we eat an ice cream or a soda, yes it is a lot. We have packing, stick, tin, packet, among others. The Wiki Pearls created a "skin" which can involve ice cream, juice or even coffee so that when consuming products such waste is reduced to 0%, because they are generally consumed.


 At this time are already available such as Mango some ice cream on "skin" coconut, vanilla or "skin" peanut, among others, will appear soon on the market yogurt, coffee and cheese.
  An idea that in our view has great potential, but must be applied with care as there is not much information possible contamination of the "skin" by external agents such as bacteria, ie the application on large surfaces, such as supermarkets will always force a carton.

Claudio Garden 08/08/2013

Mr. Johannes Stotter Bodypaint

Today I bumped on the Internet with an excellent artist off bodypaint Mr. Johannes Stotter, which makes body paint to mimic nature, many of the works which we must be vigilant to see the number of models used for the realization of their work.


It's worth a visit to his site (http://www.johannesstoetterart.com/) they can see spectacular images.

Cláudio Jardim 08/08/2013


Thursday 1 August 2013

Monachus monachus in the Clube Naval do Funchal 01/08/2013

 Today during lunch time I was in the club swiiming and having lunch, and I just barely get out of the water it was sighted a monk seal (Monachus monachus) right there, around 30m from the land to feed.
 As published this week on our facebook page we advise not to try to interact with these animals because they are not aggressive, but we must always have in mind that they are not domesticated and they are wild animals that are in that territory for the purpose, to feed themselves, and therefore may have a natural behavior of territory defense.

Withdrawal - http://www3.uma.pt/filipe/web/?p=519

 Below you can see the description of this species as given on the website of the Natural Park of Madeira, this entity which as done excellent work in the conservation of this species.

Description of the species

Distribution
Originally its distribution area encompassed the entire Mediterranean basin, the Black Sea and the Atlantic, across the NW African coast from Senegal, and the Azores, Madeira and the Canaries. Currently, and due to the extinction of this species in most places, the monk seal is primarily in the Northeast of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic: Northwest African coast at Cape Blanco and the archipelago of Madeira .Where the area of distribution includes the Desert Islands and Madeira.

Morphology
At birth have a woolly appearance, is black with a white patch cord. Is about 100 cm and weighing 15 to 20 kg with age and by the successive seedlings, the color will be changing and can vary from black to fawn showing generally a white spot in the stomach. Can reach 3 feet in length and reaching 350 Kg

Habitat
Marine mammals that depend also on land to rest and play. Preferably use beaches inside the caves, probably to escape the persecution they suffered by the man. However in recent years reverted to occasionally open beaches.

Diet
They feed on fish, cephalopods and crustaceans, making it rather in the coastal zone. To do so, perform dips which can last for 15 minutes.

Reproduction
Usually go alone or in small groups becoming more gregarious during the breeding season. Females looking for a place to have it and monitor the pups during their first months of life. Males take this time to try, with greater success, acasalamento.Os births occur more frequently in October / November, although they may register throughout the year. The period of 9 months gestation round and refers to a single creates. The breastfeeding period can go up to four months. Sexual maturity is reached in females, as a rule, at 4 years.

By: Claudio Jardim 01/08/2013