STEM Ed Announcement:Biodiversity at El Eden Ecological Reserve

[Morton Sternheim <mort@k12s.phast.umass.edu>]

This is not a UMass program.
Contact information is below.
===========================

A Field Course in Measuring & Monitoring Biodiversity at El Eden Ecological
Reserve

August 6 - 13, 2011 			Cost: $975. (Plus your airfare)


The El Eden Biological Preserve is located 27 kilometers west of Cancun in
the north/ central region of the Yucatan Peninsula. The enormous biological
diversity is recognized by both the Center for Ecological Studies (Mexico)
and the World Wildlife Fund as a global natural resource. 

Participants will be staying at the El Eden Ecological Reserve field
research station located within the Core Zone of the preserve. This area is
only open to field researchers and is home to over 400 species of birds
(equal to the number of bird species found in all of North America), stable
populations of jaguar, ocelot, and spider monkeys. Additionally, in a one
acre plot, there are more tree species found than in all of North America.

During the course, participants will study tropical botany while learning
field method protocols in conducting biological diversity research.
Invertebrate and vertebrate field surveys will introduce participants to
sampling methods and subsequently, the variety of wildlife found at the
reserve. Evenings will include mist-netting bats, night hikes, and seminars
discussing issues in conservation biology. A scientific purpose of this
course is to establish baseline data on the biodiversity of the reserve.
Overall, this is an unusual and unique field program in that it allows
participants an opportunity to conduct authentic field research while
learning field methods.

Dan Bisaccio has been leading these research courses at El Eden Ecological
Reserve since 1995. He is an adjunct researcher for the Smithsonian
Institution's Monitoring & Assessment of Biodiversity (SIMAB) Program,
education outreach volunteer for the United Nation Environmental Program's
Convention on Biological Diversity, as well as on the Advisory Council for
the El Eden Ecological Reserve. Dan is currently the Director of Science
Education at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.

*If interested, please email Dan Bisaccio by April 20, 2011 for information
and details.

Email: Daniel_Bisaccio@Brown.edu