OBCR staff have been making the most of their free time in isolation together by brushing up on their outdoor and teambuilding skills. The OBCR base is surrounded by 1600 acres of rainforest reserve, a perfect setting to put their navigation and camp building abilities to the test!
Armed with a map of the surrounding terrain, the OBCR staff were briefed by Executive Director, Jim Rowe, on the basics of using a compass, understanding contour lines, and measuring distances using the map scale. The team were going to explore the routes used by participants who are completing the Expedition phase of their Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Award with OBCR.
During their hike along the rainforest trails, staff familiarized themselves with local flora and fauna and learned about the connection that indigenous populations have with the natural environment. Staff were also given a session about the different roles in indigenous communities in Central America and the differences in cultures and rituals.
As they climbed higher into the reserve, the staff were split into pairs and challenged to find the best route to the final destination. After a small river crossing and some scrambling, the teams made it to the camp and were rewarded with an abundance of sweet yellow raspberries growing all around the campsite! After collecting as many raspberries as they could carry, the group made their return journey to base for nightfall.
Always ready for more challenges, OBCR staff also completed an overnight campout with team building activities on base. These included putting up tents in the fastest time possible, a blind-folded navigation challenge, and plenty of reflection activities focused on personal development. OBCR strives to incorporate personal development activities on course with students and with staff to ensure that learning and growth happens within OBCR and outside it too.
To finish, the team honored the campout tradition of building a fire and making s’mores before cozying up in their tents for the night!
OBCR staff live and work together on our rainforest base and are able to complete these activities under the current regulations during COVID-19. We encourage readers to engage in activities that help connect you with the outdoors while practicing social distancing.
For resources to help build your map reading and navigation skills from home, visit:
https://getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/guides/beginners-guides-map-reading/
For more information on a future DofE Expedition with OBCR contact: [email protected]