Hi! My name is Dave Freeman. I'm leading this expedition into the Peruvian Amazon rainforest. We are heading to the Pacaya Samiria Reserve in northern Peru. Our team will consist of 5 people including Anna (a teacher from Indiana), Patrick (a biologist from Ohio), Warren (a Spanish-speaking park ranger from Lagunas, Peru), Ruben ( a Spanish/English speaking naturalist from Lima, Peru), and me. We will be in the rainforest from April 3, 2006, until May 5, 2006. That's a long time and we will need your help!

Many people ask how we are able to camp in the woods for months at a time. They say that it must be very hard, and they wonder how we can do it. In reality, the thought and planning that goes into a project like Project Peru 2 is often harder than the actual adventure. We have been planning Project Peru 2 for nearly 2 years, since May of 2004. It is the time and effort we put in before we leave the US that allows us to have a safe and enjoyable time in the Amazon.

You and your class will play an important role during this adventure. We will contact you while we are gone and rely on the work you do in your classrooms to help guide our journey. Ask questions and conduct research! Let us know if there are any dangers we may have missed in our planning. Ask lots and LOTS of questions! We are going to learn so much while we are gone. Like all good adventurers, we will share what we discover with our colleagues. You are a partner!

Learning about the area and careful planning are the most important parts of a successful adventure. This is where we need you! We need students like you to learn about the rainforest and help us make decisions that will keep us safe as we explore the flooded forest. So log on to our website and we'll keep in touch!

Keep Exploring!

Dave Freeman
Expedition Director
www.wildernessclassroom.com

P.S. I would like to send a "shout out" to the 8th grade students at Old Quarry Middle School. I am sorry that we will not be able to visit your school before we leave. I am excited that you will be joining us, and look forward to meeting you when we return. Last year your school used our website more than any other school. I hope that you will continue the tradition and be active players in our upcoming adventure!