We arrived in Alta Verapaz after a night in Guatemala City and were immediately introduced to the work and environment of CCFC. The first days focused on orientation: touring restored cloud forest areas, wetlands, and reforested hillsides, and learning how years of conservation work have transformed formerly degraded land into functioning ecosystems. Rob introduced CCFC’s mission and the environmental pressures facing the region, particularly deforestation driven by agricultural expansion. Forest clearing has increased runoff, reduced water retention, and lowered water quality, contributing to more frequent floods and droughts. CCFC’s role is to provide scientific insight so communities and local leaders can make informed decisions.
Midway through the first week, we began shaping our project design and getting familiar with the area and CCFC staff. Over the weekend, we visited Biotopo del Quetzal and Ranchitos, which offered insight into intact cloud forest systems and their biodiversity.
In the second week, the focus shifted from exploration to implementation. After a planning meeting to structure our timeline and goals, we concentrated on installing LogTags (temperature and humidity sensors). We designed and tested pulley systems to mount sensors high in trees without climbing, experimenting with ropes, shooting mechanisms, and different installation methods. After testing on two trees, we installed our first setup in the cloud forest above the Mestelá catchment.
We also began testing homemade heat shields made from aluminum trays to protect sensors from incoming solar radiation. Alongside fieldwork, we worked on the Design of Experiment document, prepared QGIS maps to select measurement locations, developed our literature review on fog and forest hydrology, and reviewed previous Cloud Chasers modeling efforts using the FIESTA framework.
By the end of week two, we had transitioned from orientation to active field deployment, with sensors installed and the study design in place. With this foundation established, the project will now move into structured data collection and analysis.
