My first time to Nicaragua, I spent a week in an old pick-up truck we parked on a hill each night so we could jumpstart it each morning. We traveled the Paso del Istmo biologicial corridor from one "unconnected" place to another. Along the fertile coasts and in the arid mountain forests, we saw (or heard) amazing wildlife, and met dedicated people who were excited to share everything they knew...
Earlier this month, the first ever Census of Marine Life was published, a culmination of a decade of research. Nearly three thousand scientists from around the world worked together to establish an oceanic baseline for future study. The census includes over 240,000 marine species (presumed to be 25% of the total number of species in the worlds oceans) and has three points of focus: diversity distribution abundance "The census found...
The Yale Project on Climate Change Communication has just released the results of their study on Americans' knowledge of climate change. Among the important findings are that, when it comes to climate change, many Americans "misunderstand the causes and therefore the solutions." Large majorities, however, correctly understand that planting trees and reducing tropical deforestation would reduce global warming if they were done worldwide. We hope this means that more people will support our...
On Friday October 8th, Paso Pacifico's founder and director Sarah Otterstrom was awarded "Outstanding Alumni" at the UC Davis College of Agriculture and Environmental Science's 22nd annual college celebration. Otterstrom was chosen for her innovative work in bringing together landowners, citizens, and community leaders in conserving wildlife and native plant species in Nicaragua. The college celebration acknowledged other alumnus and friends of the college whose contributions to communities around the...
To fill the gaps in knowledge used to determine conservation status, says Eimear Lic Lughadha in the October 1st issue of Science, "plants may be more representative of what's happening to the whole of biodiversity." The reliance of so many species on various plants has led to a new technique called the Sampled Red List Index, using statistical sampling for estimating the risk of extinction within a particular geographic location....
In light of the global warming, which some today feel is just a myth, the reality is coming home sooner to others in a more radical way. In Australia, one of the most treasured environmental icons, the Great Barrier Reef is under siege.Read more from our friend Greg Reitman: http://www.the-environmentalist.org/2010/09/climate-war-comes-home-to-australia.html
From the AAAS Science Roundup:In October 2010, scientists, nongovernmental organizations, and politicians will meet at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to assess the current condition of global biodiversity and to agree on priorities for its future conservation. In the 10 Sep 2010 Science, a Review article and special News Focus section discussed the issues at stake. Rands et al. reviewed recent patterns of biodiversity conservation, highlighting successes, as well as current and...
Paso Pacifico is reaching out to communities across Nicaragua to celebrate the International Coastal Cleanup on September 25th. This year's event is promising to be the largest ever in Nicaragua with approximately 364,000 meters of beaches and riverways across 168 registered sites. Along five world famous surfing beaches in the Rivas province, professional Nicaraguan surfers will be leading groups of volunteers. Many private sector sponsors have joined with Paso Pacifico,...
De nuestros amigos de Parque Maritimo el Coco:Nos es grato informarles que la madrugada del miercoles 1ro de Septiembre del 2010 inicio la primera arribada masiva de tortugas marinas de la variedad Paslama en playa La Flor. Por ser la primera arribada esperada desde el mes de Julio se estima que sera de entre 3,000 a 7,000 tortugas en un periodo de 4 a 5 noches. Las tortugas solamente salen por...
New from Science:The Deepwater Horizon blowout in the Gulf of Mexico is the largest offshore oil spill in history. Both the depth and magnitude of the event pose challenges to assessing the biological effects and the expected fate of the spilled oil. The first peer-reviewed studies of the spill -- published online, ahead-of-print in Science Express this month -- now offer some details about the scope of the subsurface oil...
By, Rick Smith, Paso Pacifico Director and Retired US-National Park Ranger Desde los años medios del siglo 19, la idea de crear áreas protegidas públicas se ha desarrollado en el mundo. Usando las reservas en manos particulares o las reservas reales como una base, ciertos filósofos democráticos labraban el concepto de apartar secciones del terreno publico para preservarlas como ejemplos del patrimonio nacional para el uso y el goce del...
It's that time of year again. In just over one month, Nicaragua will join the world in saying no to garbage and yes to clean waterways and beaches! The International Coastal Clean-up is September 25th, 2010 at a beach or river near you! Did you know that in only its second year participating in the International Coastal Clean-up, Nicaragua had the eleventh highest number of volunteers in the world? Sign...
"A leatherback turtle has made a surprise return to a Malaysian beach after 32 years, a report said Friday, hailed as a 'miracle' by conservationists and renewing hopes for the endangered species." Read more at Discovery News.
This month marks a major milestone for Paso Pacífico, our FIVE YEAR anniversary! We started modestly, and though we have grown, we continue to place emphasis on working at the grass-roots level. By believing in the little non-profit that could, YOU have helped to make this achievement possible. Thank you. Together, we have made an impact by empowering local communities through jobs in conservation and incentives for good stewardship. We...
Conservation begins and ends with education. Given the right tools to protect their environment, the next generation can give our world a cleaner, more sustainable future. The importance of educating people, particularly children, has not gone overlooked by Paso Pacifico as we work to conserve natural resources and native wildlife species. In the past few weeks, Paso Pacifico launched its newest conservation and environmental education project. With generous support from...
Our friends at SeaTurtle.org remind us of the many resources they make available to people interested in studying and protecting sea turtles: Satellite Tracking Website Satellite Tracking and Analysis Tool (STAT) Sea Turtle Nest Monitoring System (STNMS) Sea Turtle Rehabilitation and Necropsy Database (STRAND) International Sea Turtle Observation Registry (ISTOR) Sea Turtle Volunteer Log Sea Turtle Document Library Sea Turtle Job and Volunteer Board Sea Turtle Glossary Sea Turtle Groups Directory Cinema and Sea...
In partnership with farmers and local communities, Paso Pacífico has recently reforested four new sites at key locations across the Paso del Istmo. Reforestation took place within areas of tropical dry forest, which is the most endangered forest ecosystem in Nicaragua and one of the most threatened worldwide. Sixteen thousand trees, composed of fourteen native species, were planted across areas totaling more than sixty acres. To reforest these properties, Paso...
We've already posted about the Changing Oceans special issue of Science, but we think it's important to focus on how climate change is affecting marine wildlife habitat. Marine ecosystems are centrally important to the biology of the planet, yet a comprehensive understanding of how anthropogenic climate change is affecting them has been poorly developed. Recent studies indicate that rapidly rising greenhouse gas concentrations are driving ocean systems toward conditions not...
Felicitaciones to our friends at Fauna & Flora International. Their Leatherback Conservation project was named Eco-Index Eco-Initiative of the Month: Through this project, Fauna and Flora International (FFI) aims to contribute to the conservation of the critically endangered leatherback turtles on the three most important nesting beaches of Nicaragua’s Pacific Coast. This goal builds on FFI’s progress in beach monitoring and capacity building since 2002, and implements critical elements of...
This week only, you can support Paso Pacífico by participating in this e-Bay auction for one of eight solar powered, designer handbags. Proceeds will go to supporting Paso Pacífico’s program in partnership with Portable Light, which distributes solar-powered lights to women and children in energy-poor Nicaraguan communities. For the many families without electricity, simple nightly tasks like finishing homework or cooking dinner become possible for the first time. Additionally, Paso Pacífico...
"The ocean is a dynamic and rapidly evolving environment, a long-appreciated truth which becomes increasingly apparent as we observe it ever more carefully." Last month, Science magazine ran a special issue on ocean science and ocean conservation. We especially liked the updates on new technologies for studying the ocean. Two such examples are buoys and fiber-optic cables. Buoys: There are now over 4000 science buoys in the world's oceans, gathering temperatures, wave...
Paso Pacífico’s sea turtle program is made possible through collaboration and information sharing with scientists around the world. Our work with the Eastern Pacific Hawksbill Initiative (ICAPO) focuses on the Hawksbill turtle, one of the rarest, most endangered sea turtles in the Eastern Pacific. Last year, Paso Pacífico and scientists from this network successfully placed the first satellite tag on a Hawksbill Sea Turtle in Nicaragua, allowing us to track the...
News that CBS’s hit reality television show Survivor is filming its Fall 2010 season in the Paso del Istmo dominated Nicaraguan headlines this past month. Filming is taking place south of the popular beach town San Juan del Sur, in a section of the Paso del Istmo Biological Corridor which Paso Pacifico is striving to preserve. For those unfamiliar with the show, Survivor contestants are left to “survive” unfamiliar terrain,...
As our Community Forester, Miguel Melendez plays a lead role conserving forests in the Paso del Istmo by assessing the status of tree seedlings and coordinating the teams of workers that clear weeds and brush. A lifetime farmer, Don Miguel’s leadership and years of experience have helped the trees in our reforestation projects thrive. Don Miguel is also a leader in his community, helping catalyze improvements to schools, roads, and...
FireDogLake posts on the continuing challenges of the gulf oil spill: The Pensacola News Journal states that heat indices of 114 have regularly been observed on the beach there. It should not be surprising then, that with the health of cleanup workers in mind, the efforts are being moved to nighttime, when conditions are much more tolerable. Sadly, however, lighting Florida beaches at night is a huge mistake, because hatchling...
From the AAAS Policy Alert:Representatives from 90 countries have joined together to approve the formation of an Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) by the UN General Assembly. IPBES will carry out high-quality peer reviews of the science on biodiversity and ecosystems to provide gold standard reports to governments and will outline policy options and responses making sense of reports and assessments conducted by United Nations...
We're pleased to be working with Pelican Eyes Hotel and Resort to reestablish populations of native Green Iguanas in the natural habitats surrounding San Juan del Sur, educate visitors and local population about the valuable role that these reptiles play, and the importance of wildlife protection.
Our friends at SeaTurtle.org remind us that there are a number of sea turtles that are being actively tracked by satellite in the Gulf of Mexico. They are also aggregating news on the oil spill: http://www.seaturtle.org/news/
Tropical forests store a fifth of the worlds carbon emissions, making our conservation efforts in Central America a particularly important climate change solution.Last month, we partnered with Nicaraguan NGO FUNDENIC to host a well-attended forum on the Climate Change-related Challenges and Opportunities for Biodiversity in Nicaragua. Our Executive Director, Sarah Otterstrom, presented on Components for Adaptation to Climate Change Impacts. Other presenters included Tim Lattimer, the US Department of State's...
Our friend and colleague, Teresa, blogs at Project Groundswell about Visualizing Climate Change on the Ventura Boardwalk:SLAP stands for the Sea Level Awareness Project, and it is one of a number of initiatives from the group Kids versus Global Warming, founded by 15 year old Alec Loorv. Alec and volunteers constructed and installed SLAP sticks all along Ventura’s Boardwalk back in 2008 to mark the point to which sea level...
Paso Pacifico Board Member Rick Smith just forwarded the latest article from the National Parks Traveler:Creature Feature: The Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle Faces an Uncertain FutureThe Kemp's ridley may be little as sea turtles go, but its got big problems. It was already the world's most endangered marine turtle before the mammoth Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico threatened to wreak havoc on its vital habitat.These are...
From this month's Pelican Eyes newsletter:Stones and Waves Vet Clinic continues to thrive, under the leadership of Elvis Cortez, and the financial support of World Vets. The next clinic is scheduled for this week at the Escuela Agricultura in Rivas. In addition, great progress has been made with the animals that previously lived at the hotel. All of the dogs and the majority of cats have been adopted out to...
"High fashion is going high-tech with designers creating this season's must-have accessory: a handbag that recharges your cell phone or Blackberry." ELLE magazine will be running an eBay auction on these high end handbags. Money will go to Paso Pacifico and our work with the Portable Light Project. Reuters has the video.
La Prensa has a preview of the newest installment of Survivor, filmed in the Paso del Istmo where we work: "Las playas en la costa sur del Pacífico de Nicaragua se convertirán en el nuevo escenario de Survivor... "El programa consiste en filmar la vida cotidiana de 20 concursantes que competirán por sobrevivir en las playas de San Juan del Sur, en el departamento de Rivas..." The beaches of Nicaragua's...
Today the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced more than $4.9 million in grants for 37 projects that support neotropical migratory bird conservation throughout the Western Hemisphere. Matched by more than $14.8 million in additional funds from partners, the projects will support habitat restoration, environmental education, population monitoring and other priority activities within the ranges of neotropical birds in the United States, Canada, Mexico and 27 Latin American and Caribbean...
"In 1990, an unprecedented effort was launched to preserve the western hemisphere's bird life." Celebrate the 20th anniversary of this collaborative effort to bird conservation. Its mission: To keep common birds common by protecting the core of avian diversity and maintaining the integrity of habitats and ecosystems across continents. To promote partnerships for birds, habitats, and people by working together to create solutions and supporting partnerships at every level. Watch...
In today's New York Times: To Help Jaguars Survive, Ease Their Commute LAS LOMAS, Costa Rica — Héctor Porras-Valverdo tried to adopt a Zen attitude when he discovered recently that jaguars had turned two of his cows into carcasses. ... “I understand cats do this because they need to survive,” said Mr. Porras-Valverdo, 41, a burly dairy farmer. A few years ago, he acknowledged, his first reaction might have been...
As top predators, carnivores are the keystone of any healthy ecosystem, but hunting and habitat loss threaten their survival in Nicaragua. Over the past few months, local farmers have reported numerous jaguar and puma sightings to Paso Pacifico biologists, while Paso Pacifico staff have directly observed large cat tracks and sighted smaller carnivores such as Ocelots and Jaguarundis. This year, Paso Pacifico will be working to validate the presence of...
A dynamo in the field, Paso Pacifico's Forester Claudia Perla manages the reforestation plans for Paso Pacifico's nine Return to Forest plantation sites, where over 200,000 native trees have been planted since 2007. When on site, Claudia has a reputation for being "tough as nails," frequently spending the entire day in the field, braving the elements and the mud, and managing her numerous male counterparts. Her no-nonsense approach combined with...
We've just received this trailer for a forthcoming documentary on "the tumultuous topic of land ownership and development in politically volatile Nicaragua" in the year 2006 (and leading up the Ortega's re-election in 2007). "The only thing we have is land," says a man at the outset. In a story of tourism vs. terrorism, one is never quite sure who has the upper hand nor if anyone is telling the...
The bad news is Nicaragua is a hotspot for plastic bottle pollution. The good news is that our outstanding community of coastal cleanup volunteers did an excellent job of picking them up at our coastal clean up last fall. This serves two purposes: first, volunteers got the plastic away from the coastline; second, knowing where the garbage is can help prioritize global cleanup efforts. From the International Coastal Cleanup Report:...
Earth Day with Rob Caughlan Celebrate Earth Day's 40th Anniversary with environmental advocate and filmmaker Rob Caughlan, who will discuss A Brief History of the American Environmental Movement. Rob has been riding the waves of social change for 45 years. He co-founded Friends of the River and was the first President of the Surfrider Foundation.
Trash in Our Ocean has Become One of the Worst Pollution Problems We Face Threatening Ecosystems, Wildlife, and Coastal EconomiesData collected during the 24th annual International Coastal Cleanup provide the only global snapshot of the marine debris problem; 500,000 volunteers around the world removed 7.4 million pounds of trash from our ocean, lakes and riversWashington, DC – Today, Ocean Conservancy releases Trash Travels: From OurHands to the Sea, Around the Globe, and Through Time...
ECO TALLERES EN ALTERECO CELEBRANDO EL DlA DE LA TIERRA 2010 Carla taller es de 12.30 a 2 pm Almuerzos a precios cómodos estarán disponibles Del Hospital Monte España, 1c y media a llago, pegado a Mama Delfina 15 Abril Jardines FeIices con Abono Orgánico y Lombrices Kevyn Wightman y Ligia Belli Vivimos diariamente el problema de la basura. Desechamos una gran cantidad de residuos que se podrían aprovechar para...
A new study published in Conservation Letters provides the first global perspective of fisheries bycatch for marine turtles. According to the study, which is based on data collected across all methods of fishing around the world from 1990-2008, the total reported bycatch over the same period was approximately 85,0000 sea turtles. The authors acknowledge that, due to under reporting in smallscale fisheries, the actual number is likely higher. Smallscale fishing operations are common along the...
International Cooperation Award: Bird Conservation Partnerships for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Sustainability in Mesoamerica Starting in 1996, the US Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry started training Nicaraguan university students and aspiring biologists, local NGO staff, and local community members in bird conservation methods and sustainable community-based tourism. The emphasis has been on migratory birds and tropical resident species, and the surrounding forest ecosystem. Programs have been designed to conserve...
Our friends at Fauna & Flora International have spotted a rare albino howler monkey baby on Nicaragua's Ometepe Island. Yes, they have a photo on their website!
Meet the youngest member of the Spider Monkey Sanctuary at Domitila Reserve.
Last week, we told you the OceanGybe crew was in Ostional to do a cleanup with local kids. Now that folks are back from the field, we have photos to share from the event.
A few nights ago, there was a four-acre wildfire near Brasilon Beach within the La Flor Wildlife Refuge. Paso Pacifico rangers and the landowner guards put it out with very limited tools (machetes). We're told the MARENA Rangers arrived the next afternoon to check things out. We still have two more months of a very difficult dry season and need some basic firefighting tools (shovels, rakes, brooms, etc.) as soon as possible. You...
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