COTERC Blog

November Euchre Night - Tickets now available online

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:16:00 +0000

Get Tickets to COTERC's November Euchre night online and save time registering.

COTERC in the Tillsonburg News

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:27:00 +0000

COTERC sea turtle monitoring program
Turtles, eggs threatened by poachers

By Jeff Tribe
Staff Writer at the Tillsonburg News

Tom Bregman was trying to let us down easily.

But he was clearly flying the highest when one of his beloved green sea turtles came back from the ‘dead’.

“Don’t expect to see turtles,” cautioned the 20-year-old COTERC (Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation) team leader as our six-member party headed out for its inaugural 5 a.m. morning census.

Bregman’s caveat was based on two seasons of night walks and morning census that form the heart of the COTERC sea turtle monitoring program.

Read the Full Article from the Tillsonburg News.

Turtle Tracking on Playa Norte

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:11:00 +0000

David Reid a COTERC volunteer tells his story about his recient visit to the COTERC Caño Palma Biological Station, in Costa Rica. Just in Time for Fiesta Verde: Project Turtle

I recently had the opportunity to return to Caño Palma for the second time. I first went to the station this past January 2009 with COTERC Directors Greg Mayne and Dr. Kym Snarr. I really enjoyed our first trip and when Greg informed me there was another trip being planned for September that would allow us to monitor sea turtles I jumped at the opportunity.

I am a Biologist by training and although I work in fisheries on Lake Huron during my undergrad days I took a course in herpetology and did a literature review on hatching sea turtle orientation. This glimpse into the world of sea turtles peaked my interest and so I was very anxious to finally see them in person.

After flying to San Jose and then taking the bus and boat ride to the station I got settled and planned to participate in the turtle walk the next morning. And morning comes early for turtle walking when you need to be on the beach at 5 a.m.! We were in for a big surprise the next morning because we had only been walking for about 10 minutes when we ran into a female green sea turtle covering her eggs. I was told it was very unusual to see the turtles in the daylight so it was something special to finally get to see my first sea turtle in the light of day. It was amazing to see this big animal covering its eggs with flaps of its large flippers that sends sand in all directions. And it was something to see her struggle her way back to the sea when her duty was done. They are much faster at scurrying on the sand than I would have imagined.

Over the next two weeks Greg kept us busy with many projects around the station including cleaning up the old debris around the buildings, replacing the tire bumpers on the dock, getting the equipment and materials ready that will be needed for the new well etc. Despite this I made sure that I participated on either the morning or night 10 km turtle walk almost every day. I saw about 9 or 10 turtles altogether during my 12 days at the station. Touching them while taking measurements was like travelling back through time and being able to touch a dinosaur.

At first it was rather unnerving to be walking along the black sand beach in the dark. During the first few nights we had a small moon to help us but as the moon rose later and became smaller I did become better at not tripping over the scattered logs. There is something surreal yet calming about walking along a beach in the dark, with a tropical breeze in your face, the waves lapping close by and a million stars in the sky. After walking for sometime you are almost lost in a trance that is at least until you see turtle tracks in the distance.

It was nice to meet the other volunteers and share the camaraderie with them including Mike, the new Station Manager, Tom and Ben from England, David from Winnipeg, locals Andres and Mario as well as of course all my travelling companions from Canada (Greg, Kym & Art, Ted & Teresa, Luca & Anne Marie and Jeff). I do wish Mike a wonderful experience during his time as Station Manager, it will be an adventure he can certainly replay in his mind for the rest of his life.

My two weeks flew by, as I knew that it would, and I can only hope that I will have another opportunity to return to help out around the station and see those amazing turtles once again.

David Reid
Owen Sound, ON

COTERC EUCHRE Night Nov 28, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:30:00 +0000

Click the Image to RSVP

SAIT Students Go Global with GIS Technology

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:07:00 +0000

COTERC's partner SAIT.ca recently provided a great update on a major student project taking place at the COTERC Biological Research Station evolving the use of GIS Technology.

SAIT Writes:
Using satellite imagery, GIS and web tools, the trio has compiled data over the past six months related to the habitat range and foraging behaviour of the Jaguar, Spider Monkey, Baird’s tapir and White-Lipped Peccary in the Central American country. They’ve done the work from a lab on SAIT’s Calgary campus.

It’s all part of their capstone applied research project – a requirement to complete the Bachelor of Applied Technology Geographic Information Systems (BGIS) program. Their client is the Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation (COTERC), a non-profit charity based in Pickering, Ontario.

Using Satellite images obtained from NASA and the COTERC Biological Station as a base will provide useful data to help continue and improve conservation efforts and habitat studies for the jaguar, spider monkey, Baird’s tapir and white-lipped peccary.

Fall 2009 - Notes From The Chair

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:40:00 +0000

By: Tom Mason

COTERC has definitely had an eventful summer. We have attended functions, developed plans for the station and had a major change in our staff. For this episode, I will concentrate on the last point. In May of this year, Jonathan Willans left the employment of COTERC as manager of the Caño Palma Biological Station and moved on to follow a career in sea turtle research and conservation. Jonathan had been with us for 2 years and will be missed. In August of this year, a new manager, Michael Dunn came through Toronto on his way to the station. He has already contacted us as to how much he loves the area and we know how much work he needs to catch up on. He brings a new perspective and much experience to the position. We hope his stay is pleasant and productive.

Jonathan Willans first arrived at the Station in March of 2007. He was quiet but observant and soon started showing us what could be done. He had just come from the fund raiser at Bill Jamieson’s studios and he was loaded with advice from the Board and a long “to do” list from Greg. He appeared completely overwhelmed with the job he was undertaking. I was lucky enough to be at the station with a group when Jonathan arrived. His first days were spent walking around, assessing problems and planning. Before I left he was already starting to work on his list.

He got the composting toilets built and running, fixed water problems and worked with GVI on turtle monitoring. Later he initiated and ran the large mammal monitoring program under COTERC Director Dr. Kym Snarr. Jonathan continued to work and in his stay much was repaired and even more work was completed. The latest accomplishments were the completion of the new showers and the new water relay system that has increased the water pressure to the wash area.

On top of maintaining the property, Jonathan had time to improve his Spanish, but his greatest achievement and love was his work with the sea turtles. During sea turtle season, Jonathan regularly walked the beach. Ten kilometers were walked every time he went out. This was on soft, loose sand that increases the effort required to cover the distance. If not walking with GVI people, he was covering the times that volunteers were not available. Sometimes he walked twice a day. He was dedicated to providing the best data for the programs underway at the Station.

After two years, Jonathan has taken on a position working on sea turtles in Nicaragua. We wish him all the best in his venture and future plans. He is certainly welcome back any time he wishes to visit the station. So now Michael has arrived. He also has a list to do. Michael comes to us with a lot of experience from around the world. He has his B.Sc. and has spent time in South Africa, Ecuador and recently returned from India.

Michael has traveled with GVI twice, so is well aware of their policies and protocols. When one is hosting 20 people for most the year, it is important to know what you are dealing with. Michael spent a few days in Toronto and region on his way from Grand Prairie, Alberta. It was great to hear that he is a reptile and amphibian enthusiast. He spent a long time in South Africa learning how to handle Black mambas and puff adders. It will be a good specialty for the Cano Palma area. His first job will be to repair the composting toilets that Jonathan set up. In two months, they have seized up, so Michael has one smelly job to start with.

Volunteer Profile: Rinsai ‘Sha’ Rossetti - Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:35:00 +0000

This is a follow-up piece after the end of Rinsai’s 3 months of research during the summer of 2009 where she carried out an examination of group size and composition of howler monkeys to help supplement the large mammal monitoring program.

The canal is my favourite place in Cano Palma. I learned how to kayak while I was here, because I love the freedom of pulling out one of the kayaks and going off down the canal, north or south, in the afternoon, just for pleasure. Because the water is dark, the place has an atmosphere of mystery about it. Sometimes you feel that you may as well be on Mars. It’s a great place to think. But then a motor-boat will go past, and there will be a round of friendly smiles and ‘hola’s” and the spell is broken. I think that the canal is literally the most beautiful place in the world. Going on trips to Tortuguero are great not just for the use of internet (which you really come to appreciate after a few weeks here!) and food from the bakery, but also for the breeze and the sights sweeping past, especially in the morning when fog covers the Cerro and makes it look like something out of the prehistoric age. I lived half my life in the desert, where the color green is a rarity, so I’m feasting on it while I am here.

The research was intimidating at first—it seemed as though everyone else could spot animals in the trees, but it took me ages to see past the camouflage to what had caught their attention. But, to my delight, I picked it up: how to scan through the leaves rather than staring at them, and how to pick up the tell-tale rustling that denotes monkeys. It was something that could only be learned through practice. I was looking for howlers.

I don’t think they liked being watched. Often it seemed that they only came out when my back was turned. I’ve had branches hurled at me (they were pretty good shots) but at least it wasn’t feces, so I count myself lucky! The spider monkeys, on the other hand, seemed to rather like me—on more than one occasion they followed me around as I went past in my kayak. Or maybe I was imagining it?

Buy Fiesta Verde '09: Project Turtle Tickets Online

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:02:00 +0000

For More information on Fiesta Verde please read our announcement: Fiesta Verde '09: Project Turtle

Tickets are limited but more may be released as the event approaches - stay tuned for more information.

Announcing Fiesta Verde '09: Project Turtle

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:58:00 +0000

Want to help? We are looking for Auction Items (live and silent), Volunteers and Gift Bag items that are environmentally friendly and can help us raise finds for our Sea Turtle and other conservation programs.

Celebrate a hundred million year old species at Fiesta Verde: Project Sea Turtles!

Did you know?

Although becoming a rare occurrence, Hawksbills have been sited on the beach at Cano Palma and Leatherbacks nest on our shores yearly. COTERC has established regular beach patrols as a measure to reduce poaching. Other conservation measures are in place and we have partnered with various agencies in the pursuit of saving the sea turtles.

How can you save the sea turtles? On October 24th, 2009, we will be holding our fall fundraiser, COTERC Fiesta Verde: Project Sea Turtles. This event will bring together 120-150 of COTERC’s valued members, family, friends and members of the community who share in our concerns and goals. There will be a silent and live auction, dinner, and educational presentations.

We would like to offer you the opportunity to donate items for the silent and live auction. These auction items are a key contributor to the success at this event. Likewise, monetary donations to aid in the funding of the evening’s activities would be greatly appreciated. With your support, COTERC will be able to continue providing leadership in education, research and conservation and the educated use of natural resources in the tropics.

NOTE: For donated items with an expiry date, please consider the date of the event when setting the expiration time.

By donating auction or monetary items, you would help to save the world’s rainforests and benefit from:*

For those who would like to become a sponsor with a monetary donation of $1,000 or more, we would also place your logo on the event’s publicity materials and program, mention your organization as a sponsoring partner in all communications, and provide two tickets to the event.

Contributions can be forwarded to our head office (email us for details).

We thank you in advance for your participation and support.

*Any items received on or after October 3, 2009 may not be recognized in printed materials but will be acknowledged in the internationally distributed newsletter. We reserve the right to save items for the next year’s auction depending upon the breadth and variety of items received. For sponsorships, please inquire as to publication dates to ensure inclusion in marketing materials.

Muimui's Travel Journal | COTERC Adventure

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:24:00 +0000

I stumbled across this blog entry of a recient COTERC Volunteer where they detail there adventures at the Cano Palma Biological research station, and the work they did to help our Marine Turtle programs.

Muimui's Travel Journal - Hello, Marine Turtles!

Here is a short Excerpt from Muimui's article:

Josh, the station manager, welcomed me at the dock. The first thing I said according to him was: this place is quite remote indeed! LOL. I did not know ahead of time what exactly I would be doing at the station for the “conservation work”, but unlike my other volunteering experience in Guatemala, I will soon find out that the station is very well organized and my time there will be spent doing meaningful work. Josh took me for a tour of the station, which consists of various buildings including a dorm where I sleep in bunkbeds in large rooms, a kitchen with dining area, a small library/conference building, a hut for showers/laundry on the other side, some other living quarters for staffs, and toilets.

Read the full post here.

To accompany this post Muimui shares a number of Photo's from this trip, these are defiantly worth a look.

Thanks for taking the time to write about COTERC and your Adventures while staying with us!

Photo Credit: Muimui's Travel Journal

COTERC Signs RainforestSOS Declaration

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:45:00 +0000

I'm happy to announce our support for the RainforestSOS project is now official. The RainforestSOS founded by His Royal Highness Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, in response to reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the immediate need to take actions that will save the planets rainforests.

The RainforestSOS project is targeting two main goals; Raising awareness about the effects of Rainforest Deforestation and Identifying incentives to stop deforestation, by targeting the economic reasons and identifying other sources of income that will benefit the needs of rainforest nations. Here at COTERC we found this to be a natural fit would our objectives.

By signing this declaration COTERC joins a number of esteemed organizations (shown right) working toward the conservation and protection of the planets Rainforests. We also reaffirm our goals and project mandates on Education and Conservation of an irreplaceable resource that is declining at an accelerated rate as demand and populations continue to grow.

About the RainforestSOS Project:
The Prince’s Rainforests Project (PRP) was set up in 2007 by HRH The Prince of Wales following reports from leading climate change experts, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, to promote awareness of the urgent need to take action against tropical deforestation. The Prince of Wales has long been concerned about climate change and about how destruction of the world’s rainforests contributes to rising temperatures and sea levels.

12 New Animal Research FAQ sheets

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Tue, 12 May 2009 18:47:00 +0000

Today we added 12 new FAQ sheets to our Educational Resources.

These include:

Black Tern
Great Kiskadee
Jaguarundi
Mouse Opposum
Northern Jacana
Northern Shoveler
Northern Tamandua
Smoky Jungle Frog
Spectacled Caiman (shown in picture)
Swainsons Thrush
Tink Frog
Yellow Breasted Chat

These additions now bring us to over 50 FAQ sheets on Animals studied at the Caño Palma Biological Station. We are still working on many more, so stay tuned by subscribing to our twitter and RSS feeds.

2008 Fiesta Verde Donors list

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Sun, 10 May 2009 17:56:00 +0000

Big Thanks to all the Donors that helped make Fiesta Verde: Project Frog a huge Success in 2008.

Amanda Bittar -Artist
Barry MacKay -Wildlife Artist
Bird Kingdom
Birds & Beans
Black Creek Pioneer Village
Bowmanville Zoo
Burbs Bistro & Bar
Cacts Hotel (Costa Rica)
Campanario (Costa Rica)
CampbellCraft Consulting
Canadian Geographic
Casa Loma
CN Tower
David Suzuki
Deloitte & Touche Foundation Canada
EDUFUN
Fantasy Fair
Figment Films
Foxmead Quilts
Jewelry by Marilyn
Joseph's Estate Wines
Jungle Cat World Wildlife Park
Kohler
London Regional Children's Museum
Lori Dunn -Artist
McMichael Canadaian Art Collection
National Ballet of Canada
Nature's Scene
Niagara Falls Aviary Inc
Niagara Reptiles
Oh Canada Eh? Dinner Show
Ontario Place
Ontario Science Centre
Port Credit Pets
Rainforest Publications
Reptilia
Ripley's Believe it or Not! Museum
Rockport Boat Line
Rugby Ontario
Safari Bar & Grill
Safari Zoo Camp
Scenic Caves
Shoppers Drug Mart - Steeple Hill (Pickering)
State of Mind
Steam Whistle Brewery
Steinhaus Studio
Stoney Ridge Estate Winery
Strait's Aqualife
Textile Museum of Canada
The Briars
The Toronto Raptors Basketball Club
Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club
Tourmaline Editions Inc.
Turtle Beach Lodge
Valerie Kent Art Studio
Violet Bloom's Fresh Flowers Inc
Wild Water Kingdom
Wind Dancer Boat Charters
Windy Ridge Creative Studio

Join COTERC in the Galapagos Islands

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Fri, 08 May 2009 18:07:00 +0000

(click for larger image)

Join us on a wonderful adventure to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.

November 5th to 20th, 2009

This includes a 7 day cruise of the islands on the Daphne.

Cost for land and cruise US$ 3,675.

Airfare from Toronto to Quito via Air Canada and Avianca is CA$ 1,135.

For a detailed itinerary please contact Annette Simms at 416-654-4844.

Membership to COTERC* included in cost.

*Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation

Tom Mason, Chair
Annette Simms, Volunteer and Member

Spring Euchre Tournament - May 30, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:52:00 +0000

We hope to see you there!

Education Manual - Resource Material For Teachers

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Wed, 06 May 2009 21:13:00 +0000

Tropical forests are beautiful, diverse and provide many global environmental services such as the sequestration of carbon dioxide, habitat for organisms, climate regulation and soil conservation. These fragile ecosystems are facing unprecedented stresses arising from habitat destruction, climate change, pollution and many other variables. The Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation (COTERC) is devoted to the protection and conservation of tropical forests through research and educational initiatives. The aim of COTERC is to stimulate interest and to promote the conservation of tropical forests through the educational activities presented in this resource manual.

All lesson plans, activities and demonstrations presented in this educational manual are designed to facilitate understanding of the complex issues facing tropical ecosystems. All activities were prepared in accordance with the current Ontario Curriculum Expectations. Where applicable, evaluation rubrics and student handout sheets are included with the lesson or activity plan. These may be photocopied or placed on overhead transparencies to reduce the amount of paper consumed during your lesson delivery. Some lesson plans may be modified for multiple courses by reviewing the current Ontario Curriculum Expectations or through the use of the Curriculum Cross-Reference Tool (please note that in some cases specific curriculum expectations have not been listed with cross-referenced lesson plans). Enjoy implementing the activities.

Head to our download form available in our Education resources.

Volunteer Profile: Rinsai ‘Sha’ Rossetti

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Tue, 05 May 2009 19:06:00 +0000

My name is Rinsai ‘Sha’ Rossetti. I am a Thai-Italian-Canadian who has been living in the United Arab Emirates for the past nine years. At the moment I am studying in Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, in the US. I have always thought that summer is the time when I can do what I feel is really worthwhile, since during summer I am not constrained by studying or work or any of the things that are a part of my everyday life. Last summer, for example, I walked a pilgrimage through Spain. This summer seems like it will be even more exciting: I will be an intern at COTERC, helping with the Large Mammal and Primate Monitoring Program, walking the transects, and also volunteering with other, ongoing projects at the station.

It will be my first time at the Cano Palma Biological Station, so I expect I have a lot to learn. I know it will be hard work; I hope it will be an adventure, and most of all I hope I will be able to make a difference, if only in some small way. Because I have never done this before, I am not one hundred percent certain what to expect, and I probably won’t know for sure until I am actually there. Writing my research proposal has definitely helped to make me feel more prepared, but I think that an internship at COTERC is one of those things that you have to experience for yourself before you can imagine what it is like. I am definitely a little nervous, but mainly excited. As a freshman student, I am delighted that such an incredible opportunity is available to me. I think it will be a much more valuable experience than a lot of the other internships out there, because COTERC gives you the chance to really achieve something and work on your own. There are real problems that have to be solved, and real jobs that have to be done. I can’t wait to get there and make myself useful.

I stumbled across COTERC simply because I searched online and liked what I found. I didn’t have a tip from a friend or anything like that. I am just someone who wanted to help out, and who was immediately given an opportunity. I think this goes to show that COTERC really is open to anyone who has the potential and the initiative. You don’t have to be from a particular background in order to be given consideration. I would encourage other students not to feel intimidated, even if they don’t know anyone at the station, and to take a chance volunteering. Personally, I can’t think of a better way to spend my summer.

Want to be a volunteer? Review our volunteer package for more information.

Help Wanted: Biological Station Manager (Costa Rica)

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:15:00 +0000

The Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation (COTERC) seeks a full-time Manager* to administer and operate the Caño Palma Biological Station. Our mission is to provide leadership in education, research, conservation, and the educated use of natural resources in the tropics.The Biological Station is located next to the Caribbean Ocean within the Barra Colorado Wildlife Refuge and north of the Tortuguero National Park; a region renowned for its sea turtles and rainforest. The position is full time with a commitment of at least one year.

Preference will be given to candidates with enthusiasm, an excellent work ethic and experience in construction, grounds maintenance, small engine repair and boating experience. A record of excellence in dealing with volunteers, student groups, researchers, difficult work situations and conflict resolution are crucial. Candidates should have at least a basic level in speaking/writing Spanish. A BSc. or college Diploma in biology or ecology with experience working in tropical ecosystems, conservation, research/monitoring and sustainable development is preferred.

Caño Palma Biological Station has become busy, hosting up to 20 Global Vision International expedition groups, plus student interns and volunteers all working on various monitoring and community conservation programs. The successful candidate is foremost expected to conduct daily Station maintenance, repair and improve the Station’s infrastructure and trail network, ensure the overall quality of experience of users groups and visitors and ensure compliance with Health and Safety standards. Collaboration and development of wildlife monitoring programs will be an important secondary activity and will include marine sea turtles, migratory and resident birds, primates and other mammals and herpetological studies. Special attention is to be given to issues of education, community conservation, sustainability and working with a local village. The Manager reports directly to COTERC, and completes assigned tasks as requested by the Board.

For complete job description information, contact info@coterc.org.

To apply, send a letter of application along with a CV and three references to:
(Electronic submission preferred)

Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation
P.O. Box 335, Pickering, ON
L1V 2R6
Canada
Phone:(905) 831-8809
Fax: (905) 831-4203
email: info at coterc.org

More information is available through our website: (http://www.coterc.org/).
Review of applications will begin immediately with a start date to be negotiated.
* Salary is equivalent to typical Costa Rican wage rates.

Annual General Meeting - May 9th

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:10:00 +0000

The Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation (COTERC) will take place on:

When: Saturday, May 9, 2009, 5:00pm
Where: The Toronto Zoo- the Atrium
Address: 361A Old Finch Ave., Scarborough, M1B 5K7 [Map]
RSVP: (905)831-8809 or (416)910-4882; info at coterc.org
Event Poster: Agenda --- Notice/Proxy Vote (Adobe Reader is required)

We do hope that you will be able to join us, but if you are unable to do so, and you are a member in good standing, please fill out the proxy (found here - pdf) and mail or fax to the office.

Report From The Field: Neotropical Bird And Nesting Program

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 15:46:00 +0000

In partnership with Dr. Steven Furino, University of Waterloo, COTERC continues to work on the Neotropical resident bird monitoring program. This program was established in and has been gathering important baseline data to aid in conservation management decisions. One particular individual has become show particular interest and has been building her research skills with this project. This individual is Charlotte Foale.

Charlotte originally came to know Caño Palma Research Station as a volunteer with Global Vision International in 2008. She stayed on as an intern and became very involved in the program with a building interest in helping to fill in the holes in nesting data. She has strong interests in furthering conservation efforts by partnering with other agencies to help develop education and awareness programs for guides, tour operators, local hotel staff, and local peoples. What follows is a report from Charlotte on her challenges and achievements in the program.

Recent field report from the field by researcher, Charlotte Foale, January 2009.

The nest-search project is now a year old. We are hopefully wiser, definitely greyer, and absolutely ready for 2009. In 2008, we documented over 500 nests, despite over a month taken at during the busiest nesting period to help some over-whelmed bird-banders. In the first week of January 2009, we have documented 42 nests – hopefully a sign of a busy year ahead. I essentially have 9 months to collect, from January to September, with the peak occurring March-May. With the breeding season unknown for 30 local species, I do continue surveys through December, but strategies change, and weather dictates a slower pace. Aside from the shear beauty of the environment I get to work in, the gaps in nesting information for resident species are a great motivation to hit the trail and canals.

There are 49 species in the local area with information gaps on breeding behaviour. This ranges from the very specific, such as egg descriptions, to species with absolutely no nest record. Among the data collected in 2008, we have previously undocumented incubation and fledging information on the white-collared Manakin, as well as a nest reported to be of the Green Ibis – of which there is no previous record. With an increased knowledge of both of the birds and the area, these are two of the species I will be targeting in 209. I believe we have a good chance of obtaining some solid data for publication, chipping away at the knowledge deficit, raising the awareness, and conservation value of both the species, and the area, and keeping me outside doing what I love!

Pictured here is Charlotte Foale (left), who is partnered with Dr. Furino and COTERC in the resident bird monitoring program, and Greg Mayne, Director of Site Services, discussing the bird nesting program, in San Francisco, Costa Rica, Jan 2009.

Volunteer Profile: Roleen Robinson

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 15:34:00 +0000

Hi I am Roleen Robinson,
I am a Durham College student completing my work placement with COTERC. I chose such a wonderful organization to gain work experience because I admire the dedication and enriching research and conservation that COTERC’s members contribute both in Canada and Costa Rica.

My placement thus far has consisted of working at the Pickering office with June Enright, scanning Raphia newsletters and recently, I have been introduced to the expanding Large Mammal Research project currently being implemented by Dr. Kym Snarr and the team at the Cano Palma Biological station. My involvement with this project includes organizing and updating several checklists of the numerous mammals that have been spotted and recorded at the station. It is truly incredible to see how many different species of animals have been located and observed at the station, including over 20 different types of bats. Important data and research like this makes my involvement very interesting and rewarding and is a great way to contribute to conserving our natural resources and ecosystems in a local way as well as globally.

I look forward to continuing my work placement with COTERC and to uncovering the different aspects and careers available within the environmental conservation and research fields. I am proud to be volunteering and assisting COTERC with their growth and strongly encourage everyone to help out in any way possible because every positive action counts!

Past and Present Research

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:40:00 +0000

Dr. Kymberley A Snarr, Director of Conservation and Research.

Cano Palma Biological Station has been in existence since 1991, bringing a plethora of conservation initiatives and research which has been carried out at the station. Currently, there are a number of research programs which continue year round and seasonally. These can be located in the resources section of the COTERC website. There has been a wide range of academic partners with the station and a number of publications coming from this research. Below, I have listed some of the various publications coming from this exciting research over the years.

Dechmann, Safi, and Vonhof (Oct 2006) Matching morphology and diet in the disc-winged bat Thyroptera tricolour (Chiroptera.) Journal of Mammalogy. 87(5):1013-1019
Vonhof and Fenton (2004) Roost availability and population size of Thyroptera tricolour, a leaf-roosting bat, in north-eastern Costa Rica. Journal of Tropical Ecology. 20:291-305.
Vonhof, Whitehead, and Fenton (2004) Analysis of Spix's disc-winged bat association patterns and roosting home ranges reveal a novel social structure among bats. Animal Behaviour 68:507-521.
Pape, Dechmann, and Vonhof (2002) A new species of Sarcofahrtiopsis Hall(Diptera: Sarcophagidea) living in roosts of Spix's disk-winged bat Thryoptera tricolour Spix (Chiroptera) in Costa Rica. Journal of Natural History. 36:991-998
Riskin and Fenton (2001) Sticking ability in Spix’s disk-winged bat, Thyroptera tricolor (Microchiroptera: Thyropteridae) Canadian Journal of Zoology. 79:2261-21267
Vonhof (2001) Habitat availability, population size, and the composition, stability, and genetic structure of social groups of Spix’s disk-winged bat, Thyroptera tricolor. PhD dissertation. York University, Toronto. Dr. B Fenton, Supervisor.
Fenton, Rydell, Vonhof, Eklof, and Lancaster (1999) Constant-frequency and frequency-modulated components in echolocation calls of three species of small bats (Emballonuridae, Thyropteridae, and Vespertilionidae). Canadian Journal of Zoology. 77(12):1891-1999

In the future, these and other peer-reviewed articles will be listed and available on our website in the reports section so that you can read the full details in the reports area.

Recent research publications include work carried out on a common vine species which has particular medicinal properties related to stress reduction. Dr. Tony Durst from the University of Ottawa and his colleague, Dr. John Arnason also from the University of Ottawa have been working with one of our former station manager’s Mario Garcia, who holds a vast knowledge on ethnobotany, to obtain the needed amounts of sustainably harvested material for testing. Over the past four years, research in the area of the station and the surrounding canals has been aimed at collecting the appropriate material in a sustainable manner with a number of clinical trials on the medicinal aspects of various species of the Souroubea vine. The medicinal action of a particular family of compounds has been shown to reduce stress in various animal species. Currently, the researchers are attempting to locate a biopharmaceutical partner to carry out clinical trials and to see if the product is found to be commercially viable. There may be a good match for community conservation efforts who may be able to grow the relatively common vine in a cooperative manner, creating a win-win situation for local sustainable initiatives. A variety of publications have come from this important and timely researching can be found at the researchers websites, most recently, this one has been published and the abstract is included here.

Mullally, Martha; Kramp, Kari; Saleem, Ammar; Rojas, Marco Otorola; Vindas, Pablo Sanchez; Garcia, Mario; Alvarez, Luis Poveda; Durst, Tony; Trudeau, Vance L.; Arnason, John T. Characterization and quantification of triterpenes in the neotropical medicinal plant Souroubea sympetala (Marcgraviaceae) by HPLC-APCI-MS. Natural Product Communications (2008), 3(11), 1885-1888.

Abstract: A rapid, two-solvent, HPLC-APCI-MS method was developed to identify and quantify four pentacyclic triterpenes (betulinic acid, ursolic acid, alpha-amyrin and beta-amyrin) in extracts of the neotropical medicinal plant Souroubea sympetala. Analysis of plant organs, wood, bark, leaves, immature fruit and flowers, indicated that the phytochemical distribution and quantity of triterpenes varies across the plant, with betulinic acid and ursolic acid the major constituents in the bark, wood, fruit and flowers and
the amyrins the major constituents of the leaves.

Mario Garcia has also supplied COTERC with an up-to-date version of plants and their scientific names found at the station. He continues to work in partnership with the National Biodiversity Institute and is currently working on publishing a book which deals with the ethobotany from the area. We have also recently added to the research/reports area the station’s founder, Marilyn Cole’s Masters in Environmental Studies thesis, The Founding of Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation (COTERC), Faculty of Environment, York University.

Further updates on important research carried out at Cano Palma Biological Station will be included in future RAPHIA newsletters, and look for update on COTERC.org

I would like to generously thank Jonathan Willans, our station manager to bringing to my attention that there were published reports located on our base camp, and for making some initial contacts with researchers, including Mario Garcia.

The Bats of Caño Palma

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:56:00 +0000

CHECKLIST TO THE BATS OF CAÑO PALMA
BIOLOGICAL STATION AND SURROUNDING AREA
Updated on March, 2009

Bats play an important role because they disperse seeds and many plants depend completely on bats as their only pollinators. There are approximately 109 bats species that have been recorded in Costa Rica to date; approximately half of the country’s 216 mammal species and about 12 percent of the world’s bat species. Costa Rica has the most carefully studied bat fauna of any Central American country and a few species have been studied extensively. Yet, we know relatively little of the basic biology of most bat species due to the difficulty in entailed in field studies. For this reason, specific conservation plans cannot be developed at this time for most species despite the endangered status of certain species.

Caño Palma Biological Station and surrounding area offers ample opportunity to study an astonishing diversity of bats, which vary in size, appearance, diet and roost sites. The Bulldog Bat (Noctilio leporinus) fishes with a radar system that detects ripples in the water that are produced by fish; having located its prey, the bat plunges down and grabs the fish with its claws. The Greater Sac-winged Bat (Saccopteryx bilineata) is one of the most commonly seen in the rainforest as they often roost on the outside of large trees. Long-nosed bats (Rhynconycteris naso) roosting on the underside of the dock lookout provide easy viewing. A practiced eye can discern evidence of several tent-making bat species alongside the station’s trail system. Honduran white bats (Ectophylla alba) fold Heleconia leaves into tents by biting through side veins until the leaf collapses. Neotropical fruit-eating bats of the genus Artebius modify Palm and Arum leaves by a similar method; often housing one male and a harem of several females. The common tent-making bat (Uroderma bilobatum) cuts through the midrib of banana (Musa sp.) and other plant leaves to form tents. The vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) can be found in caves at the base of the Cerro just south of the station.

This Field Checklist provides bat enthusiasts with a summary of 30 species identified to date in the Caño Palma area. Many more are likely to be found but further study is required. This information is largely based on the work of the Dr. Loren K. Ammerman, of Texas Wesleyan University, Fort Worth, Texas and records from Station Managers. Additional records have been provided by visitors. We encourage researchers to visit Caño Palma for additional bat study and to submit records of observations with complete documentation to COTERC.

Common Name [Scientific Name]
Intermediate Fruit-eating Bat [Artibeus intermedius]
Jamaican Fruit-eating Bat [Artibeus jamaicensis]
Large Fruit-eating Bat [Artibeus phaeotis]
Toltec Fruit-eating Bat [Artibeus toltecus]
Allen’s Short-tailed Bat [Carollia brevicauda]
Chestnut Short-tailed Bat [Carollia castanea]
Seba’s Short-tailed Bat [Carollia perspicillata]
Shaggy Bat [Centronycteris maximiliari]
Godman’s Whiskered Bat [Choeroniscus godmani]
Short-eared Bat [Cyttarops alecto]
Wagner’s Sac-winged Bat [Cormura brevirostris]
Common Vampire Bat [Desmodus rotundus]
Hairy-legged Vampire Bat [Diphylla ecaudata]
Honduran White (Tent) Bat [Ectophylla alba]
Argentine Brown Bat [Eptesicus furinalis]
Commissaris's Long-tongued Bat [Glossophaga commissarisi]
Pallas's Long-tongued Bat [Glossophaga soricina]
Underwood’s Long-tongued Bat [Hylonycteris underwoodi]
Yellow-throated Big-eared Bat [Lampronycteris brachyotis]
Orange-nectar Bat [Lonchophylla robusta]
Brazilian Big-eared Bat [Micronycteris megalotis]
Niceforo’s large-eared Bat [Micronycteris nicefori]
Schmidt’s Big-eared Bat [Micronycteris schmidtorum]
Sinoloan Mastiff Bat [Molossus sinaloae]
Black Myotis [Myotis nigricans]
Riparian Myotis [Myotis riparius]
Bulldog Bat (Fishing bat) [Noctilio sp.]
Heller’s Broad-nosed Bat [Platyrrhinus (vampyrops) helleri]
Pale-faced Bat [Phylloderma stenops]
Little Yellow Bat [Rhogeesa tumida]
Long-nosed Bat [Rhynconycteris naso]
Greater Sac-winged Bat (White-lined Bat) [Saccopteryx bilineata]
Lesser Sac-winged Bat [Saccopteryx leptura]
Disk-winged Bat [Thyroptera tricolor]
Pygmy Round-eared Bat [Tonatia brasiliensis]
D’Orbigyny’s Round-eared Bat [Tonatia silvicola]
Fringe-lipped Bat [Trachops cirrhosus]
Tent-making Bat [Uroderma bilobatum]
Striped Yellow-eared Bat [Vampyressa nymphaea]

References:

Laval, R.K. and Perez, I.J. 2002. Murcielagos de Costa Rica/ Costa Rica Bats. Heredia, Costa Rica: INBio.
Laval, R.K and Rodriguez-Herrera, B. 2002. Conserving Costa Rica's Bats: New Program Takes 110 Bat Species Under its Wing. BATS. 20 (4).
Kunz, T. 1994. The World of Tent-making Bats. BATS 12(1).

Most recent data updated by: Roleen Robinson

Boardwalk Completed at Caño Palma Biological Station

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 03:54:00 +0000

A new 200 metre boardwalk serves as an amenity to provide safe access to the tropical wet forest surrounding Caño Palma Biological Station while minimizing the ecological impact of soil compaction and disturbance. Typically, researchers and students skirt around water-filled depressions exacerbating the impact to trails winding along the canals and through the lush tropical forest. The new boardwalk sits three feet above the soil to permit passage of wildlife, elevating observers above the undergrowth and keeping feet dry.

"As improvements to the station go, this is a milestone and a dream realized for many board directors and COTERC supporters since the station opened its doors in 1991" reports Greg Mayne, current Site Services Director and former Station Manager. "It will provide visitors, students, researchers and local school children with a new venue to appreciate the serene beauty of the rainforest so important in providing habitat to one of Mesoamerica's most biological diverse regions."

We considered different types of materials, of which many are unavailable in Costa Rica. We settled on using the heartwood of naturally fallen Pentaclethra macroloba, or "Gavilan". The outer sapwood is quickly eaten by termites leaving the insect-resistant heartwood to sit on the forest floor for decades. The trees have served their ecological and structural function and this was found to be the most sustainable method to construct he boardwalk.
(Jonathan Willans, current Station Manager)

Staff and volunteers of Caño Palma Biological Station built the boardwalk with funds from the Furino family, long-time supporters of COTERC and ardent supporters of the bird monitoring programs. "Without a doubt, its direct involvement like this that every environmental non-profit organization relies on and we thank the Furino's from the bottom of our hearts." In fact, the Furinos have committed to another $2500.00 in funding provided that COTERC can match the donation. Please help us by donating (see right column for donation instructions) so that we can construct another 200 metres and provide access to the poorly understood and little-studied palm swamp forest of the Atlantic lowland rainforest.

By: Greg Mayne - Director-Site Services

Volunteer Profile: Kaitlin Secord

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 21:00:00 +0000

My Name is Kaitlin Secord, and I recently began my volunteer work, and I am already confident that my efforts are making a difference. I am currently working directly with June Enright, helping her to archive old Raphia newsletters onto coterc.org.

I hope that members choose to read some of these articles – I know I have before scanning them onto the computer – and realize how much the organization has evolved. COTERC has some amazing stories to it’s name, and has been through so much. When I first got the offer to volunteer at COTERC, I’ll admit I wasn’t even sure what the letters stood for, let alone the goal of the organization. So I did some research, on what I can say is a very well constructed website, and found that it’s a place I would be happy to work, and a cause I would be happy to help. So even sitting at a desk, scanning old newsletters, I’m learning, I’m helping, and I’m making a difference. And for that, I’m truly grateful.