STEM Ed Announcement: Measuring & Monitoring Biodiversity in Mexico

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

This is not a UMass Amherst program.
 Contact information is below.
 ==============================================       
 
 A Field Course in Measuring & Monitoring Biodiversity at Nuevo Durango
 Maya Community (Terrestrial)  & Marine Ecosystems -  Quintana, Roo
 Mexico
 
 
  August 4 -11, 2015                      Cost: $1,540. Plus airfare
 		
 Visit: http://www.habitatnetfieldstudies.com/  for more information &
 photos!
 
 The Nuevo Durango Maya community is located 100 kilometers southwest of
 Cancun in the 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 in traditional Maya cabins in a Mayan
 community located near the famous Coba archeological site (which we
 explore during the week). 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 night hikes and
 seminars discussing issues in conservation biology. A scientific
 purpose of this course is to establish baseline data on the
 biodiversity at this Mayan site. 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.
 
 We will also spend the 1st and 2nd weekend exploring the marine ecology
 of the worlds' 2nd largest barrier reef snorkeling on the reef weekend
 1 and spending our last full day off-shore snorkeling with migratory
 whale sharks (Earth's only plankton feeding shark species!).
 
 Dan Bisaccio has been leading these research courses in the Yucatan
 since 1995. Dan is the Director of Science Education at Brown
 University, Providence, Rhode Island. He is also an adjunct researcher
 for the Smithsonian Institution's Monitoring & Assessment of
 Biodiversity (SIMAB) Program and education outreach volunteer for the
 United Nation Environmental Program's Convention on Biological
 Diversity. 
 
 *If interested, please email Dan Bisaccio for information and details.
 
 Email: Daniel_Bisaccio@Brown.edu 
 
 

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