Trees Fight Pollution

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."

Getting Connected in Nicaragua

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 about the flora and fauna in the area they so lovingly watched over.

Farmers, fishermen, scientists, and schoolchildren took time to explain their people, their land, and the environmental impact of Paso Pacifico. Again and again, I found myself asking these people “are you a Paso Pacifico employee?”  While my traveling companion and passenger was a Paso Pacifico employee, most of people I met were contractors, collaborators, or volunteers. But they were so invested in Paso Pacifico's habitat restoration programs, they used the subject “we.”

In homes ranging from ocean-view villas with swimming pools and wireless internet, to small huts in the woods with no running water, no electricity, and no cell phone reception, people were committed to environmental conservation. Like everything else in that watershed, Paso Pacifico connects people in its mission to mitigate climate change and create migratory corridors for spider monkeys, yellow-naped parrots, sea turtles, and more.

Since 2005, Paso Pacifico has worked with landowners and local communities to promote ecosystem conservation. As a Nicaraguan mobile carrier works to increase coverage in extremely isolated areas, we seek new partners to help us create and repurpose mobile technology to facilitate citizen biodiversity monitoring, and provide scientists worldwide with hyperlocal field data, helping us better understand the migratory patterns of endangered species and restore precious habitat along Central America's Pacific slope.

Census of Marine Life

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:

1. diversity
2. distribution
3. abundance

"The census found life everywhere we looked," Ian Poiner, chairman of the scientific steering committee, told Science, " and it is much more complex and interconnected than we expected. Probably the other [key finding] is that we humans have had far more impact on the oceans than we had imagined."

We look forward to further studies from this bottom-up approach to conservation science and will continue to empower citizen scientists and advance our own understanding of the marine ecosystems in the region where we work.

Knowledge of Climate Change

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 efforts to mitigate climate change through reforestation efforts in Nicaragua.

The especially good news is that "Americans also recognize their own limited understanding. Only 1 in 10 say that they are 'very well informed' about climate change, and 75 percent say they would like to know more about the issue." As an organization dedicated to advancing scientific understanding, we are glad to know that people are eager to learn and understand.

UC Davis Alumni Awards

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 globe enlarge the solid image of UC Davis College of Agriculture and Environmental Science.

“I have taught at UC Davis for 38 years and have known many graduate students. I can say in all honesty that none of them has impressed me so as a person like Sarah has. From our very first contact she was almost overwhelming in her eagerness, her drive, her thirst for knowledge and her desire to serve.” — Arthur M. Shapiro, professor of evolution and ecology

Focus on Flora

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. This method confirms patterns already observed in conservation science; like the fact that birds are less likely to go extinct than mammals and amphibians.

Further evidence that wings are advantageous underscores the importance of migratory corridors. Birds are not as reliant on connectivity as other wildlife, so they are able to survive better when their habitat is fragmented. As we conduct our biodiversity monitoring and reforestation projects, we'll keep the Sampled Red List Index in mind. In the meantime, we'll maintain our commitment to working with various stakeholders to ensure maximum connectivity for our umbrella species, the endangered (and arboreal) black-handed Spider monkey, and for other Nicaraguan wildlife.

Climate War Goes to Australia

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