The Purdue crew anchored at the scarlet ibis viewing area in Caroni Swamp.
Chris Adair (HLA) and Amanda Dickson (IPIA) led a Spring Break Study Abroad trip to Trinidad and Tobago March 15th-22nd (and for some, the 23rd!). Purdue Extension Educators Valerie Clingerman (ANR) and Elysia Rodgers (ANR and T&T Farmer to Farmer program instructor) joined the trip this year. HLA students Jane Pickey (SFS) and Mason Naval (SFS) participated in this trip. Ashley Adair (HLA) volunteered to chaperone the trip. Overall, the student group came from a wide variety of personal and academic backgrounds, hailing from a number of different majors across the College of Agriculture and beyond. A few highlights of the trip include a walk across Pitch Lake, the world’s largest natural deposit of asphalt; a street food tour in Port of Spain; chocolate-making, hummingbird-watching, and hiking in Lopinot; viewing endangered leatherback turtles and piping guans at Grande Riviere; a walking and tasting tour of Nutrien’s model farm in Couva; and a boat tour through Caroni Swamp to see scarlet ibises, tree boas, a silky anteater, and tree-climbing crabs.
Learning about leatherback turtles and observing nesting in the darkness at Grande Riviere’s beach.
Ashley and Chris visiting Pax Guest House at Mount Saint Benedict Monastery, where Chris stayed during his first trip to Trinidad and Tobago during a Maymester program with Steve Hallett (HLA) in 2011.
Comparing and contrasting high tunnel tomato production in Trinidad vs Indiana at the Nutrien Model Farm.