MARINE - Ecology Project International · Seagrass meadows are ecologically important habitats in...

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BELIZE MARINE ECOLOGY PROG R A M

Transcript of MARINE - Ecology Project International · Seagrass meadows are ecologically important habitats in...

Page 1: MARINE - Ecology Project International · Seagrass meadows are ecologically important habitats in marine environments. In the Port Honduras Marine Reserve, seagrass meadows serve

BELIZE M A R I N E ECOLOGY PROGRAM

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BELIZE • PROGRAM OVERVIEW

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Belize

LOCATIONFar from the tourist developments of San Pedro and Caye Caulker lie the undiscovered secrets of Southern Belize, home to EPI’s Belize Marine Ecology Program. Accessed by air, or via the stunning Hummingbird Highway, the region is one of Belize’s least visited and most diverse. The area is rich with cultural heritage. The coastal towns are populated by the Garifuna people and the forested hills are home to Mayan villages where people practice traditional ways of life. The legacy of colonialism, for all its scars, has left a multiculturalism that goes unmatched in the rest of Latin America, with populations of Brits, East Indians, Chinese, and North American immigrants mingling together.

In the “deep south,” the diversity of the people can only be rivaled by the land itself. Ranging from tropical rainforest to pine savannah, and from mangrove caye to coral reef, nearly half of the region is under protection as a national park, wildlife sanctuary, or other reserve. Payne’s Creek National Park and the Port Honduras Marine Reserve, EPI’s two primary field sites, were established and continue to be managed with the help of local conservation organizations.

ACADEMIC CONTENTThe focus of this program is scientific, but the biological research is part of a larger cultural, economic, political, and geographic context. Students will complete 30 hours of coursework in the following subjects:

• Marine ecology• Field investigations• Scientific process• Identifying environmental issues• Belizean culture• Climate change• Conservation management

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BELIZE • RESEARCH

FIELD RESEARCH PROJECTWe invest deeply in the communities where we work. Our in-country field offices, located at each of our program sites, allow us to form partnerships with researchers, national parks, and local communities. For us, local connections are central to our mission of strengthening conservation efforts around the world. For you, it means a deeper, richer course experience.

Every EPI program provides hands-on field experience. While each of our sites has a unique focus and theme, they share a common DNA: meaningful field science and thoughtful engagement in local issues.

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MANATEE MONITORINGResearch Partner: TIDE

Tide is conducting a baseline population study on manatees in the Port Honduras Marine Reserve (PHMR). Data is collected on the behavior, age, and distribution of the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) and the Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus). EPI students will monitor manatees on boats in the PHMR and collect data that will contribute to this baseline study.

Data collection techniques:

Students will head out on boats with TIDE guides. They will monitor and collect observational data on manatees as they come up to breathe (every 8-10 minutes). Students will count manatees and a TIDE researcher will take photos.

Highlights:

• EPI students will monitor manatees in the PHMR.• Manatees are threatened by hunting, boat traffic, and other human activities. • The study will help understand the current threats and population numbers of manatees living in the PHMR.

Expected student contribution: 4 hours of observation and data collection

More information available here: https://tidebelize.org/manatee-baseline/

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BELIZE • ADDITIONAL RESEARCH

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YELLOW-HEADED PARROT ROOST SURVEYSResearch Partner: TIDE

Habitat loss and poaching currently threaten the Yellow-headed Parrot (Amazona oratrix) across its range in Belize. TIDE is working to protect the population through several projects including building artificial nests and monitoring the population within Payne’s Creek National Park (PCNP).

Data collection techniques:

EPI students will support TIDE’s efforts by surveying Yellow-headed Parrots within the PCNP. Students will take visual counts at designated roost sites.

Highlights:

• EPI students will contribute to a new baseline study to establish Yellow-headed Parrot population numbers within the PCNP.

• Establishing population numbers will help inform TIDE of the efficacy of its on-going protection efforts.

Expected student contribution: Approximately 2 hours

More information available here: https://belizebirdconservancy.org/yellowheaded-parrot-project/

SEAGRASS SURVEYResearch Partner: TIDE

Seagrass meadows are ecologically important habitats in marine environments. In the Port Honduras Marine Reserve, seagrass meadows serve as essential nursery grounds for juvenile stages of commercially important conch, lobsters, and fishes. It’s also a critical feeding site for adult fishes and birds. TIDE surveys seagrass beds in order to monitor ecosystem and fishery health.

Data collection techniques:

EPI students will support TIDE’s monitoring efforts by doing randomized sampling of seagrass beds to assess a variety of variables, including abundance, percent cover, species composition, canopy height and more.

Highlights:

• EPI students will conduct surveys and collect data on an essential part of the marine ecosystem.• Assessing seagrass distribution and abundance will help inform TIDE’s management of the fishable areas of the

PHMR.

Expected student contribution: 1 hour per day (approximately 4 hours total)

More information available here: https://tidebelize.org/

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PAYNE’S CREEK RESEARCH STATION Payne’s Creek National Park sits on 37,000 acres in the Toledo District of Southern Belize. You’ll have a chance to explore a wide variety of ecosystems from broadleaf forest, herbaceous marshlands, saline and hypersaline lagoons, and a fragrant pine savannah.

Room type Students per room Running water Toilet type Hot water Electricity

cabin or dorm 3 - 4 flush

BIG FALLS HOUSEA 30-minute drive from Punta Gorda, this beautiful house is situated on 11 acres of land formerly an orange orchard. Here, you’ll hear frogs by night and witness the abundance of birdlife by day.

Room type Students per room Running water Toilet type Hot water Electricity

dormitory 3 - 4 flush

COCKSCOMB RESEARCH STATIONCockscomb Research Station is in the middle of Belize’s national jaguar sanctuary, accessed via a 6-mile dirt road. Cockscomb provides a quiet, rustic environment that makes it easy for participants to focus on wildlife observation and learning.

Room type Students per room Running water Toilet type Hot water Electricity

dormitory 6 flush

MONKEY BAY WILDLIFE SANCTUARYThis nature preserve is also an experiment in sustainable living. With 44 square kilometers, there are unlimited trails to explore during your stay. Some EPI groups spend one night here at the end of their course.

Room type Students per room Running water Toilet type Hot water Electricity

bedroom up to 6 flush

TROPICAL EDUCATION CENTERThe Tropical Education Center is situated within a lowland savannah that covers miles of Belize’s inland region. This area is a crucial part of the corridor lowland that connects the northern and western parts of the country to enable the migration of many animals like wild jaguars. Some EPI groups will stay here on their last evening on course.

Room type Students per room Running water Toilet type Hot water Electricity

cabin 2 - 4 flush

BELIZE • LODGING

While on course, EPI students will stay in rustic, but comfortable accommodations. Rooms are separated by gender, and students typically stay 3 to 4 to a room.

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BELIZE • RISK MANAGEMENT

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Risk management and student safety always come first on an EPI course. EPI operates all programs to minimize the risk of injury or illness. Our goal is to provide a physically and emotionally safe environment on course. Risk management is addressed at every level in our organization from participant preparation, instructor selection and training, program design, and administration.

PROGRAM DESIGN• Program activities are selected with careful consideration of risk. • EPI hires professional outfitters to guide us during certain higher-risk

activities. We contract outfitters with excellent safety records.• Third party vendors (transportation, lodging, food services, etc.) are

reviewed to ensure quality of service and appropriate attention to safety.

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT• Medical protocols, first aid kits, and emergency action plans are

developed in consultation with a U.S. based physician, a wilderness medical advisor, and our local partners. These processes are evaluated and revised every year.

• We have an established Emergency Response System which is reviewed and updated annually.

• Instructors carry a communication device in the field, and each program location operates a 24-hour contact phone while participants are in the field.

• An additional 24-hour contact phone is operated by our U.S. headquarters staff throughout our operating season.

• EPI has a Child Protection Policy that is built from internally recognized standards based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

INSTRUCTORS• At a minimum, all instructors are trained and certified in Wilderness first

aid and CPR.• All courses have at least one certified Wilderness First Responder.• Instructors are trained in risk management on-site, with program-

specific training prior to each season.• Each instructor’s performance is reviewed after each course and at the

end of each season.• All staff and adults in a leadership role with groups must pass a

background check.

PARTICIPANTS• All participants are required to provide a detailed medical form signed

by a licensed medical professional which is then reviewed by EPI’s medical review team.

• Participants are provided with a risk management briefing before activities.

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KNOWLEDGE

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the environment and the circumstances and conditions affecting it, particularly in relation to biodiversity and ecosystems

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of society’s impact on the natural world (e.g., population growth, population development, resource consumption rate, etc.)

DISPOSITIONS Demonstrate the interest, sensitivity, responsibility, and intention to act for the sustainable use of natural resources

COMPETENCIES Demonstrate the skills and abilities to investigate and analyze environmental issues and make accurate conclusions about effective solutions

BEHAVIOR Take individual and collective action towards addressing environmental challenges (e.g., participating in global actions, designing solutions that inspire action on environmental issues, etc.)

INCREASING ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACYIn order for our participants to become stewards of conservation, they need to understand and value nature, have the necessary and relevant skills to take appropriate actions, and have the right dispositions to guide their behavior. In other words, they need to be environmentally literate.

While there are many definitions of environmental literacy, EPI draws upon the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) original concept and the North American Association of Environmental Education (NAAEE) revision to define an environmentally literate person as someone who demonstrates

the knowledge, dispositions, competencies, and behavior to actively engage, individually or as a group, in addressing environmental

challenges. The EPI curriculum is built around addressing these four components to increase environmental literacy in youth:

EPI’S FOUNDATIONTo build our educational framework, we researched best practices, lessons learned, and the latest developments in environmental and science education. Our framework integrates and builds upon components from:

• UNESCO Belgrade Declaration on Environmental Education (1978) • Framework for Assessing Environmental Literacy from the North American Association of Environmental Education (2011) • Framework for K-12 Science Education from the National Resource Council (2012) • Framework for 21st Century Learning from the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (2012) • North American Conservation Strategy from the Association of Fish and Wildlife Services (2011)

WHAT MAKES EPI UNIQUE:While there are many initiatives that contribute to gains in knowledge and shifts in dispositions towards conservation, there are very few that contribute significantly to these attributes in addition to the development, application, and transfer of competencies. This approach is exactly what sets EPI apart. Our curriculum places a strong emphasis on competencies related to scientific inquiry as a process to increase critical thinking and creativity in our participants.

BELIZE • ACADEMICS

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