|
|
|
|
CONSERVATION IN ACTION
This November and December, we were very fortunate to welcome two interns to our projects in El Salvador. Tasha Woodworth and Pasha Whitmire work for Patagonia, a B Corporation, and have backgrounds in outdoor athletics, design, and materials engineering. Thanks to Patagonia’s environmental internship program, they traveled to El Salvador and gave us a fresh view on our developing programs.
Tasha and Pasha spent their days hiking, interviewing landowners, and meeting with partners from the government, NGO, and tourism sectors. It was truly enlightening for our biologists to learn from their unique perspectives. Key accomplishments from their internship include:
- Documenting resources, threats and opportunities along the "Wild East," where we are working with local partners. This area has some of the country's last dry tropical forest and critically-endangered Salvadoran spider monkeys, and we are excited to begin protect them. We are also moving to establish a World Surfing Reserve to safeguard the marine resources and world-class surf breaks of Punta Mango and Las Flores.
- Drafting a proposal to improve tourism infrastructure in the Taquillo Natural Area (pictured above). This protected reserve is part of El Salvador’s Surf City, a newly launched tourism destination on the Balsam Coast.
- Strengthening our ties with the Enrique Figueroa Foundation, a key partner organization. This includes supporting the foundation in its efforts to protect northern El Salvador's last remaining yellow-naped Amazon parrots. They helped build a fence to protect the parrot nest (below left).
|
|
|
We are extremely grateful to our numerous partners in El Salvador who made this trip so productive. These include: the Enrique Figueroa Lemus Foundation, Fundación Zoológica Salvadoreña (FUNZEL), Palo Verde Sustainable Hotel, El Salvador's Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (MARN), Asociación Sociedad Salvaje, Hacienda Los Nacimientos, and Julio Acosta of the El Salvador Birding Guide. El Salvador and its people truly showed that that it is a country grande como su gente.
|
|
|
Thank you to Tasha and Pasha for all of their hard work and to Patagonia for their commitment to supporting grassroots organizations. We look forward to sharing future outcomes from this visit.
|
|
|
|
TEAM MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Anabel Chévez is a key member of our environmental education team. As the community library coordinator in Ostional, Nicaragua, she supports more than 100 children each month through helping them select books and complete homework. She ensures that they have a safe and supportive place to spend time each day. This year, Anabel also encouraged youth in making art from from garbage collected from local beaches in the Paso del Istmo Biological Corridor. Her creativity led to new designs in recycled art projects.
Anabel is bilingual and has a degree in tourism business. She often looks for quiet moments at the library to teach the kids some English that will be useful in tourism. She says she enjoys working at Paso Pacífico because the work combines her biggest loves: local children and their environment. Anabel is an anchor in her community and we are so grateful to have her as part of the team.
|
|
We would like to congratulate Cristina Murillo-Barrick on her recent completion of a Masters in Science in Community Development from the University of California, Davis, and thank her for her work with us. For two years, Murillo-Barrick carried out applied research in Nicaragua's Paso del Istmo Biological Corridor. Her thesis examines approaches used by government agencies and NGOs for engaging communities in conservation.
A central conclusion was that programs that involve communities in decision-making, environmental education, and the economic benefits of conservation (i.e. tourism, community rangers) generate goodwill towards conservation goals and create a foundation upon which to build further nature protection efforts. We will be using her research findings to strengthen our programs.
A portion of Murillo-Barrick's research was carried out as a "participant observer," and she taught local youth lessons related to the environment and tourism. Through that process, she quickly endeared herself to members of the community and has many lasting friendships in this rural area of Nicaragua. As a Costa Rican American, she has a special love for the region and since graduation has volunteered to support Paso Pacífico with her writing and project research skills. Thank you and felicidades, Cristina!
|
|
|
|
|
This past fall, we were fortunate to connect with Dr. Jane Goodall during the fall Wildlife Conservation Expo hosted by the Wildlife Conservation Network. A quote from Dr. Goodall is something we agree with: "Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference." As the year draws to a close, do not underestimate the impact that your gift, large or small, can have on our conservation programs. Please make your gift today.
|
|
PARTNERS MAKE IT POSSIBLE
|
|
Thanks to support from the IUCN Netherlands, we established the Mono Bayo Reserve in 2017. This reserve is helping rebuild the Paso del Istmo Biological Corridor, benefiting communities and endangered wildlife. Last month, we shared our strategy for leveraging this small area to achieve a larger impact during the III Latin America and Caribbean Congress of Protected Areas in Lima, Peru. Executive Director Dr. Sarah Otterstrom shared the stage with speakers working in conservation in five different Latin American countries. Their session, entitled "The additional value and impact of privately protected areas," was organized by the IUCN Netherlands and the World Land Trust.
Together, the IUCN Netherlands and the World Land Trust have over 50 years of experience in funding the creation or extension of privately protected areas (PPAs). They have funded 200 projects in 41 countries working with 120 NGOs. A total of 340,000 hectares of precious ecosystems like cloud forest, mountain grassland, and dry forest are now protected thanks to these partners. We are privileged to be a part of this global network of conservationists and are grateful to have participated in this inspiring session.
.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
