August 2010 Archives
We are all familiar with the major actors in the global conservation movement. Large international organizations have become household names as the pressing need for global environmental action has become part of our social dialogue. These institutions, along with many other non-profits, government agencies, and other international bodies, have been vital to the conservation of the world's precious ecosystems and biodiversity that have been under regular threat from the development of the human species. Whether through influencing domestic or international policy, or the creation and management of protected areas on land and in our oceans, these global organizations play a key role in protecting the environment and the world's biodiversity through a variety of essential approaches.
However, there are other actors - smaller actors - that have just as important a role in the conservation movement as any of the giant organizations. These are the local, indigenous communities themselves. Communities that live in tandem with the environment around them, and have done so for centuries, often make the best conservationists. Throughout the world, indigenous peoples have come to rely upon their local biodiversity as an essential component to their culture, economy, and sustenance. They thus have a real stake in the preservation of their environment, and for generations have managed their natural resources before there were any formal conservation systems in place.
Seacology's project at Mt. Elimbari, Chimbu Province in Papua New Guinea funded the construction of a literacy school for the Gaigibi community in support of the establishment of a 25-acre community conserved forest area
Though in
some ecosystems, forest fires can be a necessary element of the ecology, fires
are often devastating events that can destroy the homes of humans as well as
wildlife. Tragically, Seacology's project in Madeira recently suffered the
effects of a forest fire, as seen in the photos below.
Less than ten years ago, marine biologists discovered that during the months of
June to September the world's largest aggregation of whale sharks takes place
off the coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. In recent years they can be
found north of Isla Mujeres, a small island just off the coast of Cancun.
A smaller number can also be found off of Holbox Island near the northern tip
of the Yucatan Peninsula. Whale Sharks are listed on the International
Union of the Conservation of Nature's (IUCN's) Red List of Vulnerable Species,
meaning their future is in danger.Seacology recently partnered with the Comcáac nation, a
tribe of Native Americans living in the Gulf of California. One of the most
distinct native tribes of Mexico, the Comcáac fled to the region in the early
twentieth century when they faced persecution by the government. Today, the Comcáac
inhabit Tiburón Island and nearby areas, maintaining the traditions and
environment of their forefathers. Unfortunately, like many islands, Tiburón
suffers from the problem of waste management. Its beaches are scattered with
waste from both the island and the mainland, and the Comcáac community lacks
the resources to properly dispose of the waste. Seacology is collaborating with
them to address this problem, funding waste and recycling facilities as well as
signage to educate the community and visitors about environmental and waste
issues.
In exchange for Seacology's support, the Comcáacs will
conserve both Tiburón and nearby Canal Infiernillo, which runs between the
island and the mainland. The
area provides one of the most intact examples of Sonoran Desert habitat, and it
contains an abundance of species that are already rare or have disappeared from
the mainland. The waters around this island host 34 marine mammal species,
including sea lions, blue and fin whales and the world's most endangered
cetacean, a small porpoise called the vaquita. Five species of sea turtles
thrive in these waters, and green turtles nest on these beaches.
Seacology's Executive Director Duane Silverstein recently visited Tiburón with Field Representative Jose Angel Sanchez-Pacheco to meet the Comcáac and tour the island. Seacology's newest video tells the story of their visit, the history of the Comcáac, and Seacology's project on Tiburón.
