Here are the Deltas and their projects!

The Deltas are spending a night out in jungle camp as I type, sleeping under the stars, some having built their own beds, others with just a mozzie net for protection. They're camping in their Delta groups because they found out this morning which projects they'll be working on for the next three weeks. So, again without further ado, here we go:

Delta 1 - Turrimacho trek, Costa Rica

 

In Delta 1 are: Alex Shaw, Annelotte Jens, Briony Wood, David Eames, Harriet Marsh, Jasmine Henry, Justino Enrique Lira, Karla Elena Arroyo Chaves, Nicola Milner, Richard Mandell, Saskia Donat, Scott Baxter.

This trek has an incredible start climbing between two active volcanoes – Irazu and Turrialba to over 3000 metres. On a good day from the top you can see the Caribbean Sea. From the top you pass by the Guayabo National Monument – the ruins of an ancient settlement in the jungle before passing close to fieldbase and then on to the Tapanti National Park.  After climbing up to nearly 3,000 metres the group will then follow the ridges of the Fila de Bustamante towards Cerro Dragon, before heading down to the Pacific ocean at Playa Palo Seco.

Delta 2 - Momotombo trek, Nicaragua

In Delta 2 are: Andres Chavarria Navarro, Christiana Florman, Claudia Mendzil, Elizabeth Hedges, Jessy Boon Cowler, Kazakao Laird, Lucia Arias Vargas, Lucy Pearson, Sem Veeger, Simon Keirle, Victorine Pot, Will Jackson.

In the far north of Nicaragua, close to the border with Honduras, this Raleigh group will walk along a mountain ridge through the pine forests above Esteli. From here you will head along a ridge that passes by the Estanzuela waterfall and protected area going through remote communities. This route has never been attempted before on a Raleigh expedition. The trek heads towards the Momotombo Volcano from which the trek takes its name before climbing up Volcan El Hoyo with fabulous views over Lake Managua. The trek finishes at the crater lake of Asososca – a beautiful crystal clear lake that was once a volcanic crater.

Delta 3 - Piedras Blancas environmental project, Costa Rica

In Delta 3 are: Abigail Tyer, Alex Lingwood, Christopher Reynolds, Jay Lancaster, Julian Krantz, Larry Castillo, Maryam Almaghrabi, Olivia Christie, Rebecca Eno, Samantha Tate, Vanessa Paulina.

Piedras Blancas is a relatively new national park in the south of Costa Rica where important primary forests on the north coast of Golfo Dulce act as vital biological corridors between Corcovado National Park and the mountains.  Raleigh International will be working in partnership with the Costa Rican National Parks authority to connect the ranger station at El Bonito with the outside world. The ranger station is currently only accessible by driving up the river but this means that during the rainy season access is really difficult and dangerous for the rangers. So the idea is to rehabilitate an old road that runs through the rainforest that used to connect to some old farms that were once in the park.  This area is important for the development of tourism, to prevent poaching and also for scientists who are studying the biodiversity that the park has to offer. The volunteers will have the opportunity to live in the forest and to learn about conservation in this beautiful national park.

Delta 4 - Chirripo environmental project, Costa Rica

In Delta 4 are: Alan Gwilt, Benny Gamsu, Clementine Boks, David Ford, Dawn Tennant, Esmie Warne, Fatima Tercero Morales, Gyneska Velazquez Ramirez, Hannah MacKenzie, Maria Bedford, Rose Ashbourn, Stephan Moehrke.

Cerro Chirripó is the highest mountain in Costa Rica, with an altitude of 3,820 meters. It is located in the Chirripó National Park and is noted for its ecological wealth. The high peaks in this and La Amistad International Park host important areas of Talamancan montane forest and Costa Rican Páramo with high endemism and an extremely high biodiversity. Due to the height of these mountains, its peaks are sky islands for many species of plants and animals, snowfall happens from time to time in the peak. From the summit it is possible (only on clear days) to see across the entire continent, from the Pacific Ocean to the Caribbean Sea. For the first time Raleigh will be working in this national park to repair the trails for the many thousands of visitors who undertake to climb this stunning mountain.

Delta 5 - Cosiguina (Potosi), Nicaragua

In Delta 5 are: Charlotte Stephen, Emilie Kielstra, Faruk Patel, Freddie Soames, Ignacio David Camacho Piedra, Kelly Yaxiry Reyes Cruz, Lauren Mortimer, Lucy Hill, Magomed Chilaev, Mary McCann, Nicole Boardman, Sarah Lamming.

Around the Cosiguina Volcano there are a number of communities that are living amongst extreme poverty. At present the local communities have few amenities and one of the biggest challenges facing them is access to clean water and safe sanitation. The Raleigh group will be working with the local population to build a gravity feed water project for the communities of Potosi and El Capulin benefiting hundreds of families. The benefits of improved sanitation services will be felt by many generations to come. The venturers will be living in the village alongside the families and will help out with their day to day tasks.

Delta 6 - El Cebollal (Miraflor), Nicaragua

In Delta 6 are: Aisling Bury, Alex Kretowicz, Gilles Bouman, Hollie Camilleri-Denis, Hugh MacDonald, Iena Dua, Jade Pearson, Jessica Bridge-Dunk, Mauricio Otarola Mora, Naomi Morrice, Rosanna Lorrison, Yendry Castro Loria.

The Miraflor reserve is 206sqkm of beautiful mountainous terrain with various different ecosystems such as tropical savannah, dry tropical forest and mountain cloud forest. Within the reserve there are a number of communities living through subsistence farming and gaining income from coffee growing, cattle farming and some small tourism initiatives. However the people have few resources and lack access to basic services such as health and education. On this project the participants will be building a community centre in the communities of Wiscanal which will be used for community meetings, cooperative meetings, adult education, pre-school education and recreational activities. We will also be working on a disaster relief project to rebuild houses in communities affected by hurricanes in the last few months of 2010.