Tropical Forests as Carbon Sinks

Tropical forests store a fifth of the world’s 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 Environmental Director for Central America; Tito Sequeira, from the Coalition of Rainforest Nations. and Dr. Jaime Incer Barquero of Fondo Natura and FUNDENIC. 

Nicaragua is already vulnerable to extreme weather conditions, and the frequency and severity of extreme storms is likely to increase with climate change in coming years. In fact, Nicaragua is considered the third most vulnerable country globally to extreme weather events, according to the 2009 Global Climate Risk Index, thus the need to protect the country's natural resources is becoming ever more critical. Forums such as this are important for increasing dialogue and developing adaptive responses to climate change impacts.

Visualizing Climate Change

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 is expected to rise with climate change.

Visit the Kids versus Global Warming website to learn more about the Sea Level Awareness Project and what they are doing to educate youth about the science of global warming, and empower them to take action.

Sea turtles in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

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 Future

The 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 perilous times for the Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempi). Having been reduced to a small fraction of its historic population, and now assailed by the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the slowly recovering L. kempi population remains too close to extinction for comfort. Much will depend on continuing efforts to save it. It's the most sweeping campaign yet mounted in behalf of a marine turtle species.
...

All of this is certainly not to say that the Kemp's ridley is doomed. In fact, things have been looking up for the species. Over 6,000 nests were counted in 2000, and while that's nowhere near the 40,000+ of the historic arribadas, it's 30 times the number recorded in the 1970s and 1980s. The total population of mature Kemp's ridleys is now thought to be in the neighborhood of 8,000. Full recovery is no longer just a dim prospect.

News from Pelican Eyes Hotel and Resort

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 good homes, thanks to the tireless effort of Katie Horn, now with World Vets, Paso Pacifico, and Elvis of Stones and Waves Vet Clinic. The 8 spider monkeys that once resided at Pelican Eyes have all been relocated to a spacious wildlife reserve in Nandaime. The removal of cats has already cleared the way for Nicaragua's natural wildlife to return to Pelican Eyes. Numerous bird species, butterflies, and iguanas have all begun to return to their natural habitats here among the Pelican Landscape. Hummingbird feeders have been installed throughout the property, as well.

Solar Handbags: A Powerful Accessory

"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.

Survivor: Nicaragua

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 Pacific coastline will become the setting of the newest edition of Survivor...

The show will follow the daily lives of 20 contestants as they compete to survive on the beaches of San Juan del Sur in Rivas.

We hope as the world turns to watch and see the natural beauty of Nicaragua, they'll join us in working to create a culture of conservation.

Protecting Neotropical Migratory Birds

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 countries.

Protecting Neotropical Migratory Birds and Key Habitats in the Paso del Istmo Corridor Rivas, Nicaragua

This project aims to protect Neotropical migratory birds and key habitats across private reserves in the Paso del Istmo Biological Corridor on the Rivas Isthmus. This area provides refuge to at least 36 species of Conservation Concern and is an important land bridge for migrating swallows and raptors. Paso Pacifico will restore 400 hectares of cattle pasture to natural forest by using native tree species and facilitated natural regeneration, and will assist private reserve owners in mapping key habitats, developing and designing interpretive bird lists, and developing management plans to protect these habitat types. Additionally, Paso Pacifico will carry out year two of a long-term monitoring program established in 2009, and will increase local capacity through training workshops and by sharing monitoring results at regional conservation meetings. Finally, Paso Pacifico will reduce bird mortality through a slingshot exchange program where two hundred binoculars and bird-focused curricula will be delivered to children in rural schools in exchange for slingshots. This outreach program will culminate in the celebration of International Migratory Bird Day, a first-time event for Rivas Nicaragua.

Project Partners:

• Optics for the Tropics
• Carbonfund.org
• Red de Reservas Silvestres de Nicaragua