Chapter 10

Jacobina and the Neighborhood

Part II

"Youth is happy because it has the capacity to see beauty.
Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old."

Franz Kafka

Dear reader,

Welcome to a new chapter of our journey to the Cadeia do Espinhaço, the fabulous and diversified chain of mountains where wilderness still reigns in large portions and history melts with the present in surprising ways. In my wanderings on the Caatinga and Cerrado I often have the impression that the clock has stopped and I am transported to a distant past. A comforting sensation of déjà vu.

The northwest of Bahia remains a jewel however battered by the extremes of the climate and overlooked by all level of authorities. In 2014 I visited new extraordinary habitats and met wonderful folks, all struggling to survive in places that offer no jobs and where land and climate (severe drought) are permanent challenges. The illegal deforestation of the Cerrado, dehydrating the soil irreversibly, continues unpunished. Sadly, my remark of years ago stands valid: "Monoculture, fire and other harmful factors are destroying these biomes forever. Undoubtedly, this will result in climate change and loss of species. What was once the habitat of diversified forms of life is now at risk of becoming a desert." How will we feed our population in the future? Globally speaking, the question is more preoccupying. See here.

If you are an enthusiast of bromeliads, orchids and cacti you must visit the area. It also offers fantastic opportunities of adventure in the heart of nature: spectacular landscape, rich fauna, waterfalls, nice people and rich cuisine.

The fauna and flora of Bahia is in decline. Biodiversity is lost at an alarming rate. In 2014 alone the Brazilian savannah lost 6.000 km2 to criminal fires, greed, incompetence and impunity.

The record drought of 2015 hurt very badly the poorest states of Brazil´s Northeast. I visited habitats of superb flora and landscape where Bromeliaceae thrives spectacularly in spite of the adverse conditions. But resilience has a limit, right? I saw Aechmea multiflora, Aechmea patentissima, Billbergia porteana, Encholirium brachypodum, Encholirium spectabile, Hohenbergia catingae (green and red form), Neoglaziovia variegata, Orthophytum catingae, Orthophytum maracasense, Orthophytum saxicola and two unidentified Orhtophytum species (new?), Tillandsia retrorsa and Tillandsia stricta.

Inexplicably, the leisure industry despises the extraordinary potential of the region and the inhabitants suffer the consequences of unemployment and lack of public investment in basic infrastructure. If you plan a visit, the accommodations offered in larger cities such as Jacobina are perfectly acceptable with the advantages of the sporadic tourists. In some places I am received with a sentiment of surprise. Once a local small farmer who was serving as my guide asked why had I come to his small village. Upon learning that I had travelled from Rio de Janeiro in search of Orthophytum navioides (showed him a photo) he couldn't contain his surprise: "And you came this far just for a wild plant?"

Life is short. Happy New Year!

Oscar - Dec. 2015

http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/cotidiano/2015/11/1709460-infratores-ambientais-pagam-so-87-das-multas-aplicadas-pelo-ibama.shtml

http://www.otempo.com.br/cidades/ibama-recebe-apenas-1-8-de-todas-as-multas-que-aplica-1.1175648

Photos by Oscar Ribeiro

Adroaldo and Pedro	Aechmea aquilega	Aechmea aquilega	Aechmea aquilega	Aechmea bromelifolia
Aechmea bromelifolia	Aechmea species	Aechmea patentissima	Aechmea species	Aloe vera (Asphodelaceae)
A place in the sun	Arvore	Arvore	Billbergia porteana	Billbergia porteana
Bodinho	Bomarea (Liliaceae)	Borboleta	Bromelia arenaria	Bromelia arenaria
Bromelia arenaria	Bromelia arenaria	Bromelia arenaria	Bromelia arenaria	Melocactus ernestii
Melocactus oreas subsp. cremnophilus	Melocactus oreas subsp. cremnophilus	Casa no campo	Casa no campo	Casa no campo
Casa no campo	Casa no campo	Cassutinga Croton heliotropiifolius (Euphorbiaceae)	Ceiba glaziovii (Malvaceae)	Centrosema coriaceum (Leguminosae)
Commiphora leptophloeos (Burseraceae)	Corn on the cob	Diversity	Diversity	Diversity
Diversity	Diversity	Diversity	Diversity	Diversity
Dyckia species	Dyckia species	Dyckia species	Dyckia species	Dyckia species
Encholirium brachypodum	Encholirium brachypodum	Encholirium brachypodum	Encholirium brachypodum	Encholirium brachypodum
Encholirium brachypodum	Encholirium brachypodum	Encholirium brachypodum	Encholirium brachypodum	Encholirium brachypodum
Encholirium spectabile	Encholirium spectabile	Encholirium spectabile	Encholirium spectabile	Encholirium spectabile
Encholirium spectabile	Entre amigos	Epifitas	Epifitas	Epifitas
Epifitas	Epifitas	Flamboyant	Hohenbergia	Hohenbergia
Hohenbergia	Hohenbergia catingae	Hohenbergia catingae	Hohenbergia catingae	Hohenbergia catingae RED
Inselberg	Itapicuru	Jiboia	Lagarto	Lagarto
Lagarto	Lagarto	Lagarto	Lajeado branco	Lajeado branco
Lajeado branco	Landscape	Landscape	Landscape	Landscape
Landscape	Landscape	Landscape	Landscape	Landscape
Landscape	Landscape	Landscape	Landscape	Landscape
Landscape	Landscape	Landscape	Landscape	Landscape
Landscape	Landscape	Landscape	Landscape	Landscape
Landscape	Landscape	Landscape	Landscape	Landscape
Landscape	Landscape	Lichen	Neoglaziovia variegata	Neoglaziovia variegata
Neoglaziovia variegata	Orchidaceae	Orchidaceae	Orchidaceae	Orchidaceae
Orchidaceae	Orthophytum	Orthophytum	Orthophytum	Orthophytum
Orthophytum	Orthophytum	Orthophytum	Orthophytum catingae	Orthophytum catingae
Orthophytum catingae	Orthophytum maracasense	Orthophytum maracasense	Orthophytum maracasense	Orthophytum maracasense
Orthophytum maracasense	Orthophytum maracasense	Orthophytum saxicola	Orthophytum saxicola	Orthophytum saxicola
Orthophytum saxicola	Orthophytum saxicola	Partnership	Pedro	Pedro
Perereca	Pilosocereus pachycladus	Pilosocereus pachycladus	Portulaca (Portulaceae)	Road to Heaven
Road to Heaven	Road to Heaven	Road to Heaven	Road to Heaven	Road to Heaven
Road to Heaven	Road to Heaven	Road to Heaven	Road to Heaven	Road to Heaven
Road to Heaven	Road to Heaven	Road to Heaven	Road to Heaven	Road to Heaven
Salanum (Solanaceae)	Sida galheirensis (Malvaceae)	Syagrus (Arecaceae)	Syagrus (Arecaceae)	Syagrus vagans
Syagrus vagans	Tacinga palmadora	Temnadenia violacea (Apocynaceae)	Terrain	Terrain
Terrain	The Circle of life	The earth is laughing	The earth is laughing	The earth is laughing
The earth is laughing	The earth is laughing	The earth is laughing	The earth is laughing	The earth is laughing
Tibouchina (Melastomataceae)	Tillandsia	Tillandsia	Tillandsia	Tillandsia
Tillandsia retrorsa	Tillandsia retrorsa	Tillandsia retrorsa	Tillandsia retrorsa	Tillandsia retrorsa
Tillandsia retrorsa	Tillandsia species	Tillandsia species	Tillandsia species	Tillandsia species
Tillandsia tenuifolia	Tillandsia tenuifolia	Tillandsia tenuifolia	Tillandsia tenuifolia	Tillandsia tenuifolia
Tres Morros	Tres Morros	Tres Morros	Tres Morros	Tres Morros
Tres Morros	Tres Morros	Tres Morros	Tres Morros	Vassouras
Vriesea lancifolia	Vriesea lancifolia	Watch your step	Water is a miracle	Water is a miracle

Water is a miracle

Xique xique (Pilosocereus polygonus)

Oscar Curral dos Bodes

Por do sol