Thank you to everyone who has voted for our ELLAS program in the NatGeo Ashoka Changemakers Geotourism Challenge. We appreciate all the support! El Nuevo Diario yesterday: La iniciativa “ELLAS” que promueve el Organismo No Gubernamental Paso Pacífico, el cual fue escogida por Geotourism Challenge 2010, auspiciado por National Geographic, Ashoka Changemakers y Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo, como uno de los 12 finalistas entre más de 250 participantes de diferentes...
Hoy en La Prensa: El trabajo de un grupo de mujeres nicaragüenses por el desarrollo sostenible podría ser considerado el mejor del mundo, pero para eso necesita votos suficientes que lo certifiquen como ganador. Ese grupo participa de un concurso internacional promovido por National Geographic, Ashoka Changesmakers y el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID), similar al de las Siete Maravillas Naturales del Mundo, en el que participó la Isla de...
From our January newsletter: The endangered Black-handed Spider Monkey is locally extinct across most of western Nicaragua. Through a grant provided by the US Fish and Wildlife Service International Affairs' Wildlife without Borders program, we have begun a monitoring program to document primate populations and to provide employment to local farmers to protect Spider Monkeys at key private reserves across the Paso del Istmo Biological Corridor. Paso Pacífico will also be able to...
From our friend Greg Reitman at The Environmentalist: One of the world’s greatest treasures, sea turtles, is threatened by extinction. With the continued rise of poverty and lack of food resources, egg poaching has become a mainstream commodity and a means for survival. This man-made epidemic has been on the rise for decades, and is most prominent along the beaches of Nicaragua’s Pacific Slope. Poachers, viewed like pirates, roam the...
From Kim Williams-Guillén, our director of conservation science: There are other smaller caves in Masaya. Park rangers know where they are. I have been to only one, which was a cave with a large colony of vampire bats. In the video (also from April 2009) if you look carefully you can see some females with babies hanging on their chests. Many tropical bat species are capable of reproducing throughout the...
From Kim Williams-Guillén, our director of conservation science: This is a video I filmed of nectar bats feeding on a jicaro tree in Montibelli private reserve, which is about 30 minutes from Masaya. This video was filmed in April 2009. It's easiest to watch nectar bats in the dry season (January through April) since that is when many of the tree species in the dry forest flower.
From Kim Williams-Guillén, our director of conservation science: There are two main lava tube caves, and several smaller caves. The largest cave has a colony of what I believe may be thousands of bats, but we have not done any counts. We have captured five species leaving this cave, Pteronotus parnelli, P. personatus, P. gymnonotus, and P. davyi. On one occasion I caught 3 Mormoops megalophylla which was the first time...
We are finalists in NatGeo's Geotourism Challenge on Ashoka's Changemakers website. If we win this challenge, we will receive funding for our watershed and coastal restoration work from the National Geographic foundation, the Multilateral Investment Fund, and the Inter-American Development Bank. The ELLAS Initiative up for a vote is centered around empowering female enviropreneurs to harness market forces and employ voluntary solutions to environmental programs in their local communities. Please take a few...
In December, we worked with our surf ambassadors to organize an environmental education workshop and coastal clean-up. We're really proud that Nicaragua's growing surf community has embraced a culture of conservation. This project is made possible through funding from the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association's SIMA Environmental Fund.
Last night our turtle rangers spotted a Leatherback sea turtle nesting on Playa Brasilon. They watched over her while she deposited 78 eggs in a nest which they will guard. Because the Pacific Leatherback is very close to extinction, we are happy to start the new with this, our very first leatherback nest on Brasilon Beach.
From this weekend's Science Roundup: One of the major uncertainties about global climate change is the effect of clouds, which cool the climate by reflecting incoming solar radiation back to space, but also warm the climate by trapping heat that might otherwise escape. So as the planet warms, will clouds change in ways that counter warming by greenhouse gases (a negative cloud feedback), or further amplify it (a positive cloud...
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species of the Day is the Wrinkle-faced bat. The Wrinkle-faced Bat, Centurio senex, is listed as ‘Least Concern’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM. This striking-looking bat inhabits moist and dry tropical forests of Latin America, from Mexico to Colombia and Venezuela. It is considered to be an uncommon species throughout its range, although occasionally it can be locally abundant under certain conditions. Wrinkle-faced...
From the tropical forests of Nicaragua, Happy New Year! This ocelot cat (Leopardus pardalis) was photographed just this month in a forest we are working to protect. Paso Pacifico scientific intern Robert Euwe caught this image in a motion-detecting "camera trap". Paso Pacifico thanks you for your support in 2010 and welcomes your continued interest in the year to come. Sincerely, Sarah Otterstrom Executive Director Donate on-line by Dec. 31st to receive a...
From the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Nicaragua Sea Turtle Conservation Program we are pleased to announce the new WCS-Nicaragua Youth Group blog. This blog has been created by a group of young adults from Pearl Lagoon, located on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, as a tool that allows them to broadcast their activities in support of sea turtle conservation while learning computer skills and engaging them in collective writing. We...
From this month's CAVU newsletter: The first of CAVU’s three films released this year was created in collaboration with NGO Paso Pacífico. “Paso del Istmo” is a narrow ribbon of land between the vast Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific Ocean which harbors remnant dry tropical forest, and species such as spider monkeys, yellow-naped parrots, freshwater bullsharks and mass arrivals of olive ridley sea turtles. It is a crucial land bridge...
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species of the Day is the Green Turtle. The Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas, is listed as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM. This long-lived and highly migratory species is found in tropical and, to a lesser extent, sub-tropical waters throughout the globe. The Green Turtle has the most numerous and widely dispersed nesting sites of the seven turtle species. Green Turtles...
(Liza Gonzalez Director of Paso Pacifico in Nicaragua meeting with the Nicaraguan National Surf Team) This year's Central American Surf Championship took place on November 19, 20, and 21 at Madera San Juan del Sur Beach in Nicaragua. Paso Pacifico partnered with Nicaragua's National Surf Team to promote the preservation of a healthy marine habit in Nicaragua's Paso Del Ismo. The event featured 80 of the best surfers in Central...
From this month's Science Roundup: Sustainably managing common natural resources, such as fisheries, water, and forests, is essential for our long-term survival. Conventional analysis assumes that groups struggle to manage common natural resources because of free-riders and people who will maximize short-term self-benefits at the expense of long-term sustainability (the so-called "tragedy of the commons"). However, behavioral laboratory experiments have shown evidence that "conditional cooperation" -- individual cooperation contingent upon the cooperation...
ScienceNow has good news for those of us planting trees: "Research shows that deciduous tree leaves, such as those from the maple, aspen, and poplar, suck up far more atmospheric pollutants than previously thought."
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...
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