Week Twenty Three: Lethem We Come

July feels like it’s flying by, and with that momentum comes a reminder to stay present and appreciative. There’s been a lot happening, from creative projects to fieldwork in new parts of the country and I’ve been trying to take it all in.

Lately, I’ve been watching The Bear and appreciating the shift in tone this season. It feels more grounded, letting the characters breathe and grow in ways that are both subtle and deeply emotional. It’s still one of the best shows out there, just now with a different kind of intensity.

Supporting Craftsmanship in the Kanuku Mountains

This past week, we travelled to Lethem and the Kanuku Mountains Protected Area to collaborate with the local PAC team. A big highlight was working with Nicodemus, an Indigenous artist who creates balata animal figures made from natural rubber. He’s one of the last artisans in his community still producing these, and supporting his craft felt important to us at the Trust.

We worked with him to understand his process and helped calculate a more sustainable cost of production, factoring in materials, labour, transport, and decades of expertise. It raised important questions: How do you price craftsmanship fairly? How do you ensure these traditions stay alive while being economically viable for the artist and community?

This kind of work reminds me how closely cultural heritage and conservation are tied, protecting biodiversity includes protecting the people who interpret and share it through their craft.

Building Better Tools for Visitors and Locals

We also continued development on our signage and mapping project, gathering feedback and translations from Indigenous communities. The goal is to ensure visitors understand the area’s value, while locals see themselves reflected in the work. It’s a small but important step toward inclusive conservation and we’re hoping to have signs installed in the coming weeks.

Landscapes in Transition

Being back in Lethem during the rainy season gave the landscape a completely different feel — one that was more lush and alive. Rivers were full, roads were muddy, and everything had this misty, wetlands vibe. It reminded me of how dynamic the environment is here constantly shifting and always beautiful.

And on a lighter note, we managed to grab some surprisingly good pizza in Lethem. You never quite know what to expect, but that made it even better.

What’s Good, What’s Challenging, What’s Next

What’s good: Getting to work directly with artists like Nicodemus and see their stories reflected in our conservation efforts.

What’s challenging: Balancing the details of product development, pricing, and storytelling while wearing many hats.

What’s next: Georgetown is hosting the first-ever Global Biodiversity Summit this week. I’ll be attending with a media pass and am looking forward to learning, connecting, and soaking up as much as I can.