Iracambi Annual Report, 2014 Our year of 2014

Funding

Shortly after the Kombi arrived, we accepted a challenge from CA Technologies who promised us 50,000 if we could out-click everybody else in a click campaign. Iracambistas from all over the world rose to the challenge and clicked like fury and we did it! Thank you, CA Mainframe! Encouraged by the success of this and minutes after his arrival on campus, Gui manned another challenge to raise $8000 to replace our aging file server and GIS computer. GlobalGiving then included us in a year long program of communications and marketing mentoring by professional volunteers from the Aegis Dentsu network – and we sincerely hope that our improved communications and marketing reflect this support!

Giving Tuesday in early December gave us the opportunity for a lightning funding campaign to support our Young Eco Leaders, and we were also selected for a grant from HB Fuller of Minnesota, a global leader in industrial adhesives. Once again, a huge thank you to all of you who supported us so generously!
Policy Representation Amigos de Iracambi

Robin continued to represent Iracambi in environmental policy at local and state level (the county environmental committee and the State Environmental Policy Commission,) and after a long and confused process, Iracambi was re-elected to the Council of the Serra do Brigadeiro State Park.

In the second semester, two of our volunteers expanded our community outreach efforts. In our attempts to work more closely with the local community and to promote more interaction between locals and Iracambistas, several of our students and volunteers are working in different capacities with the local community.

In March we hosted a group from the Friendship Force from Chicago, and were able to show them something of life in the rural communities. We were also delighted to have a visit from Seth Reynolds, who was formerly one of our GlobalGiving advisors.

In April we had a return visit from the bird watching group EcoAvis. They tested – and approved - the new trail made on the Pico da Graminha Reserve.
In early June the county nature walk was held at the Research Center with around 300 people participating. We also had a group of 27 high schoolers from the nearby town of Ervália, and are not sure who enjoyed it most: the kids or the Iracambistas.
In September we had a group from partner organizations Partners of the Americas and Farmer to Farmer, returning from the convention in Florianopolis which we had been unable to attend. They were able to brief us, and we were able to host them for a gloriously happy few days.
In October Limeira municipality hosted a week of activities with the local handicapped children's organization, and of course Iracambi was part of it. Muckhaye, our water shed specialist and dance teacher, performed two African dances with the children at the opening ceremony in the town´s main square (everybody loved it!). We also welcomed the kids to an exciting class with Toni at our native tree nursery, followed by a delicious picnic.
In late November we received 70 children from both Limeira´s schools (state and city school) for a medicinal plants class in our medicinal plants trail. Some of them are going to paint us new signs for the trail, so soon we'll have more information available about the medicinal plants for our visitors.
Marcelo Amaral, who coordinated our program for the Inter American Foundation and now works for the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve, paid us a visit with the object of including Iracambi in the network of biological field stations, Iracambista Anna Baumann (who had been with us in 2013) paid us a flying visit and was able to surprise her host family in one of the local communities, and we also welcomed back former GIS coordinator Cliff Jones who we hope will pay us an extended visit later this year.
See you next year…

Once again, our huge thanks for all those who supported us throughout the year. We hope we have lived up to your expectations - if we haven't, please tell us!