September 2015: Young Scientists

CONSERVATION IN ACTION

Since 2013, our Junior Rangers have participated in citizen science throughout the Paso del Istmo. Twice a month they visit seven routes near their communities to monitor birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. This information is recorded in their field journals, collected by our staff, and organized in a master database. The information they collect is helping inform our conservation strategy and prioritize our efforts.

With support from our staff, the Junior Rangers have also set camera traps along wildlife monitoring routes. Once a month they check their traps and analyze the images. Through this work they are learning more about local wildlife and further contributing to our understanding of the isthmus.
This program is made possible by the Loro Parque Fundacion, Disney Conservation Fund, USFS-International Institute of Tropical Forestry, Prince Bernhard Nature Fund, USFWS Wildlife Withouth Borders - Amphibians in Decline, Surf Industries Manufacturing Association, Los Angeles Zoo, Association of Zoos and Aquariums, IDB- Multilateral Investment Fund, Man and Nature, SEE Turtles, Woodtiger Fund, the Henry and Iris Englund Foundation, and numerous private donors.

IN THE NEWS

On September 19th, roughly 2,500 volunteers participated in Nicaragua's International Coastal Clean-Up and collected a little more than 15 tons of garbage. This is the seventh year Paso Pacifico has organized this event in collaboration with the Ocean Conservancy, Surf Industries Manufacturing Association, IDB- Multilateral Investment Fund, USFS-International Institute of Tropical Forestry and dozens of local partners some of which include the SER-San Antonio, SER Licorera, U.S. Embassy Managua, INTUR, Alcaldia de San Juan del Sur, Alcaldía de Diriamba, Guacalito de la Isla, Grupo Pellas, Casco Safety, and Coca Cola.

Over the years, tens of thousands volunteers have collected more than 100,000 pounds of trash along Nicaragua’s coastline. This year, a staggering 3,920 pounds of trash was collected from one beach alone. Aside from removing trash from the beaches, this event helps bring awareness to the issue of ocean conservation. There is a growing community of people in Nicaragua concerned about ocean pollutants and protecting the region’s marine ecosystems. We look forward to supporting this event for many years to come.

PARTNERS MAKE IT POSSIBLE

For the last three years, Paso Pacifico has worked to study and protect amphibian populations throughout the Paso del Istmo. These efforts have led us to identify two endangered frog species and now our efforts are focused on safeguarding these species. This discovery and the growing conservation effort to protect these species from extinction would not have been possible without our partners on this program.

This work is possible through support from the Detroit Zoological Society, USFWS Wildlife Withouth Borders - Amphibians in Decline, Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, USFS-International Institute of Tropical Forestry, and IDB- Multilateral Investment Fund. With their support our community forest rangers are establishing baseline data on population size, demographic composition, seasonal fluctuations, and reproductive patterns. They are also working with local landowners to limit disturbance to the watershed, and introducing protective measures to avoid the introduction of chytrid fungus. Our ultimate goal is to acquire the land where we have found the robber frog and set it aside as a protected area for the Nicaraguan people.

TEAM MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Julie Martinez has led our environmental education program since it began in 2006. Since then she has mentored over four hundred children, engaging them in their natural world through field trips and interactive lessons on wildlife and environmental stewardship. Through her leadership, Julie has helped to build the concern for nature into a community-based movement.
Julie holds a degree in Biology from the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua (UNAN) and a graduate degree in Environmental Management from Universidad Americana (UAM). She has also received training in experiential education from Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Art Corp. She is a key member of our team and we are deeply grateful for her talents and commitment to Nicaragua’s future.

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IN GRATITUDE

Paso Pacifico would like to extend a special thanks to Olivier Behra. In 1993, Olivier founded the conservation organization Man and Nature with the aim of preserving Madagascar’s biodiversity and empowering local people. The organization has been a tremendous success and has grown to more than 10 countries on 3 continents, aiding thousands of people in recovering their forests and gaining economic stability through high value botanical products.
In 2012, Paso Pacifico began its partnership with Man and Nature to grow two native tree species that contain high value oils and to restore and improve management on two key watersheds in the Paso del Istmo. The more than 60,000 trees planted through this program will protect the waterways and soon provide income for the farming communities that maintain them. We are grateful for Olivier's leadership in identifying the potential for these botanical products and for gaining corporate and philanthropic partners for this endeavor.

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