Summer Intern Spotlight: Parr McQueen

Parr McQueen, an undergraduate student at the University of Richmond traveled to Belize with BFREE earlier this year along with thirteen other classmates. The Field Course led by Dr. Amy Treonis and Dr. Kristine Grayson was focused on using experiential field methods to learn how scientists study the natural world.

Inspired by his trip and what he learned during his semester-long course, Parr returned to BFREE this summer. For just over a month, Parr spent his time working in the field, collecting data to support his research examining cacao based agroforestry and its impact on the rainforest. When he wasn’t busy taking soil samples, Parr explored the many trails around BFREE snapping incredible photos of the wildlife he discovered.

We are so fortunate to have hosted Parr for the second time this year. We can’t wait to see all of the great things he will accomplish!

My Summer Internship at BFREE

By: Parr McQueen 

Earlier this summer I had the fantastic opportunity to stay at the BFREE field station for five weeks as part of the summer internship program. As a current undergraduate student at the University of Richmond, this was a great educational opportunity for me. Doing anything from assisting with the care of the Hickatee turtles to working with school groups, I was able to experience the rainforest more than any week-long field course could offer. This was an incredible experience with too many good memories to write about and has certainly made me grow, providing a stepping stone for future career prospects. In addition to the internship program, I made use of my time in Belize to conduct my own research.

My research examines cacao based agroforestry and its impact on the rainforest. In much of the developing world, forests are being cut down at increasing rates for traditional agriculture. Slash and burn farming is prevalent and it is occurring right up to protected area boundaries, reducing habitat for endangered species and contributing to climate change. Deforestation in the tropics has been estimated to make up 29% of the total emissions from fossil fuels and other sources that cause global warming.

BFREE has an ongoing project to help promote cacao agroforestry, which is a much more sustainable farming method that still provides income for local farmers. This is a way of planting cacao, the raw product to make chocolate, within the established rainforest instead of in a traditional field. Rather than cutting the forest to the ground, smaller plants are thinned out and large trees are left in place. In many studies, this has been shown to preserve biodiversity by providing habitat for avian and mammalian species, but no work at all has been done examining how the microorganisms are affected. With the help of Dr. Amy Treonis, Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Richmond, I am attempting to answer this important question.

While in Belize, I sampled soil from replicate cacao agroforestry farms and the adjacent undisturbed rainforest. Currently, in Richmond, I am in the middle of processing the soils to extract microscopic nematode worms. Nematodes are a commonly studied microorganism and are a good indicator species of soil health. I will be looking at the makeup of the nematode communities present in the soils to get an idea of the health of the soil in the agroforestry systems compared to the health in the undisturbed rainforest. This research is important because we need to know if the cacao agroforestry is impacting the health and biodiversity within the soil. While we can see the colorful birds and cute mammals prospering, we have no idea if the microorganisms in the soil are thriving or not. Healthy soil microorganisms carry out critical nutrient cycling and decomposition processes that are essential to having a fully functioning ecosystem.

Overall I had a wonderful time at the BFREE field station and was able to learn a lot, by fully immersing myself in the day-to-day operations, while at the same time strengthening my own personal research program.

 

2017 BFREE Field Courses

BFREE 2017 Field Course Season wraps up this month with 172 students and instructors visiting the Field Station from as far as Scotland and Alaska. Eleven courses in total, including two junior colleges and one primary school from Belize, all traveled to our small slice of paradise off the Southern Highway.

BFREE field courses are each uniquely developed by the lead instructors and BFREE staff. Courses are created to reflect each school’s curriculum and goals. While each group is different, visitors to BFREE share many similar challenging and rewarding experiences.

Upon arrival to Belize, each group is welcomed at the airport by a BFREE Tour Guide. If you have the pleasure to be greeted by Nelly Cadle then you know you are in for a treat! Nelly’s experience, knowledge, and passion for her country and work are hard to match.

The hike from the Southern Highway to the BFREE Field Station is a memory hard to forget. Traversing several distinct habitats, each with unique plants and animals, leads you to the Bladen River, towering cecropia trees, and your final destination — The BFREE Field Station.

While at BFREE, groups not only learn about the various ongoing program work but have the chance to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty with first-hand experience supporting BFREE’s conservation initiatives. Students have the opportunity to visit the Hicatee Conservation & Research Center (HCRC), a breeding and research facility for the critically endangered hicatee turtle as well as the 15-acre cacao and coffee agroforest, home to over 12,000 cacao trees.

Assigned by their instructors, many students are tasked with developing research questions and collecting preliminary data while spending several days working on independent projects.

Students may choose to participate in various field experiments such as conducting river studies in the Bladen River, setting up small mammal traps for the Small Mammal Community Study or surveying selected plots in the Fruit Phenology Study.

In addition to the BFREE Field Station, many groups incorporate a marine component, learning about the second largest barrier reef system in the world, snorkeling from various islands around Belize.

There is nothing quite like traveling to a remote field station deep in a tropical rainforest to create memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.

On behalf of all of us at BFREE, we would like to extend a sincere thank you to all of the instructors, administrators, students, and parents that helped make the 2017 BFREE Field Season one of the best yet! We can’t wait to see you all again!

If you are interested in visiting BFREE, whether it be a student group, family vacation, solo adventure or interest in volunteering, we would be thrilled to have you! Contact BFREE Program Coordinator, Tyler Sanville at tsanville@bfreebz.org for more information.

 

2017 BFREE Field Courses 

 

For even more Field Course information check out these links below: 

University of Richmond Story Map

Click the link above to visit the University of Richmond’s Story Map put together by the fourteen students that visited BFREE this year.

Vermont Commons School Video: Belize is Our Classroom!

Vermont Commons School creates a compelling video documenting their trip to BFREE, check it out on YouTube: Belize is Our Classroom! 

Volunteer with BFREE

BFREE is now looking for volunteers to work with HCRC Manager, Tom Pop and the nearly 70 newly hatched hicatee turtles. Visit the link below for more info!

BFREE flickr Page

Find even more photos from the 2017 BFREE Field Course season on flickr!

Slideshow on Student Alumni Facebook Group

Watch all the group photos from 2017 in this slideshow on the BFREE Student Alumni Group Page. If you are a student alum, be sure to follow along!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bladen Review 2017

The fourth edition of BFREE’s annual magazine is now available in an interactive format online at Issuu! Get the latest news from the field station and learn about exciting research and educational projects taking place in and around the rainforests of Belize.

 

 

Click here to download a PDF version of The Bladen Review.

Belize is Our Classroom

Vermont Commons School Educators, Jennifer Cohen and Mark Cline Lucey on the beach of Placencia at the end of their student trip to Belize in January.

Vermont Commons School Educator, Social Studies Department Chair and Research & Service Program Director, Mark Cline Lucey is no stranger to Belize or the BFREE Field Station. Having first met BFREE Executive Director, Jacob Marlin, during his junior year of college while studying abroad in Belize. Mark returned several years later to live and work from the BFREE Field Station. In 2004, Mark joined the team at Vermont Commons School and soon after, he and Vermont Commons School English Instructor, Jennifer Cohen, began bringing student groups to Belize. Mark and Jennifer are passionate advocates for both Belize and BFREE having traveled with more than five student groups over the last ten years.

Mark and Jennifer both have an intimate knowledge of the players, wildlife, cultures and the developmental and political issues facing Belize. This depth of knowledge and understanding shines through their incredibly informational and inspiring field courses year after year.

We are so fortunate to work with many educators like Mark and Jennifer who are deeply invested in their students as well as the BFREE mission. Together we strive to inspire students to be global citizens, who care about their environment and recognize their role to take positive action.

Check out Mark and Jennifer’s group of incredibly smart and talented students and receive a glimpse of a BFREE field course through their eyes by watching this student made short-film documenting their trip to Belize in January, 2017:

 

 

 

Emily Buege – Fish Research on the Bladen River

Emily Buege and Melito Bustamante during their cichlid study.

Emily Buege and Melito Bustamante in the Bladen River while studying cichlids. Pic by Tyler Sanville

My name is Emily Buege, and I’m a master’s student in the geography department at the University of Alabama.  I’m finishing my first year in the program with my thesis fieldwork at BFREE!  Originally from Dakota, Minnesota, I grew up on a state park, so I’ve always been close to nature.  I obtained my undergrad degree in biology just down the road at Winona State University (WSU) in spring 2015.

At WSU, I met Dr. Jennifer Cochran-Biederman (then Mrs.), someone who would become one of the most influential people in my life. Jennifer’s master’s thesis had been on the diets of cichlids in the Bladen River and she based out of BFREE. In 2012, I participated in a student trip to Belize that she organized for Winona students. Never traveling to the tropics before, I wasn’t sure what to expect.  Having the BFREE experience lessened the appeal of more tourist-based attractions for me.  The wildlife is only part of that experience; the scenery, food, company, and accommodations were also big factors that drew me back for my master’s.

I’m interested in all animal taxa – butterflies to jaguar – but I chose a fish-based master’s project because my advisor is a river specialist.  My initial plan was to study African tilapia – a highly invasive and destructive species throughout Belize (and much of the rest of the world).  I got to Belize and found 3 individuals within reasonable working distance from BFREE, which isn’t exactly enough for an entire study!  So, I redirected my research to nesting sites of native cichlids. (Hopefully it’s a testament to BFREE that I was willing to change the entire focus of my study rather than my study site!)

Emily and Sarah Praskievicz in the Bladen River.

Emily and Sarah Praskievicz in the Bladen River. Pic by T. Sanville

 

During my time in Belize, I closely analyzed the habitat in the stretch of river near the BFREE crossing and up to Blue Pool.  Melito Bustamante, my field guide, and Sarah Praskievicz, my advisor, worked with me during different phases of my study. We noted locations of as many cichlid nests as we could find, and I hope to build a map that reveals the condition types each of four main species prefers to nest in.  I’ll be using the data I collected while in Belize to shape my thesis over the next year.

When not in the river, I went for walks in the forest.  Melito is an incredible birder, so when we went for walks together, I learned an incredible amount about the bird community here – toucans, tanagers, tinamous.  I also encountered a tayra (aka bush dog) near the river; I had never heard of that species until I read about it in a book the night before we sighted it!  Another highlight that was different than my last trip was that I had the incredible opportunity to really get to know the staff!  I’ve really connected with people I would never have gotten the chance to meet if I weren’t doing this project.

For me, this whole experience has been a lesson in taking life one day at a time.  I’m a planner, so I struggled when my project changed.  On top of that, I developed an ear infection, Melito got sick and had to leave, and other various challenges arose as I worked through my time at BFREE.

If I were to offer advice to other researches it would be to prepare for everything to go according to plan, but know that it might not!  Also, work hard, but don’t let opportunities to experience great things slip away.  Finally, get up early and go birding or stay up late and get to know the staff.  It all goes by so fast, and you don’t want to leave feeling like you missed out!

A note of thanks:

I want to extend a big thank you to everyone who helped me out during my stay!  Between seeking remedies for infections and looking for help in the field, I feel that I kept everyone at BFREE busy.  I’m so grateful for all the physical and moral support that I’ve received throughout this experience. Also, many thanks to both my advisors, Dr. Sarah Praskievicz who helped me immensely with the execution of physical habitat sampling and Dr. Peter Esselman who provided invaluable biological guidance in selecting not one, but two, projects. THANK YOU!

P.S. Despite a somewhat chaotic change of research topic at the beginning of my trip, I’m still hoping to continue on with a PhD after my master’s. I’m not sure what animal taxa I envision working on next, but there’s a neotropical river otter that I’ve caught on my fish cameras that seems to be asking me to study it!

“Wings of Hope” premiere in Gainesville, Florida

In US for BFREE’s home town of Gainesville, Florida our documentary “Wings of Hope” was shown at the 7th annual Cinema Verde International Film Festival. The festival showcased over 30 films from around the world with a goal “to increase public awareness about environmental practices that enhance public health and that improve the quality of life for all.” The Festival also served as a forum for community organizations, businesses, and citizens to discuss ways to work together to create a sustainable culture.

Juvenile harpy eagle - Photo by Kai Reed

Juvenile harpy eagle – Photo by Kai Reed

“Wings of Hope,” is a 20-minute documentary that chronicles the re-discovery of a population of wild Harpy Eagles in the Maya Mountains of southern Belize. The documentary showcases the history of the BFREE and University of North Carolina, Wilmington initiative born from this discovery – the Integrated Community-based Harpy Eagle and Avian Conservation Program. Created by Emmy-award winning filmmakers, Richard and Carol Foster of Wildlife Film Productions, and narrated by Jacob Marlin, this film is rich with breath-taking footage of adult and juvenile Harpy eagles and other wildlife and vistas found in the pristine tropical forests of the Bladen Nature Reserve. Over the seven year duration of the project, the Fosters followed project trainees William Garcia, Liberato Pop, Alejandro Cholum and Thomas Pop as they work to learn about and ultimately protect this rare bird and its diminishing habitat.

BFREE was honored to have “Wings of Hope” shown as part of the Cinema Verde International Film Festival at the Hippodrome State Theater. Following the film, BFREE Director Jacob Marlin along with members of the Alachua Audubon Society answered questions from viewers about harpy eagles, migratory birds and how we can all work together to best protect them.


Haven’t seen “Wings of Hope”? Watch it here.

 

Education Committee Advancing Education and Long-term monitoring at BFREE

Dr. Stewart Skeate of Lees-McRae College and Sipriano Canti, BFREE Head Ranger and Tour Guide tag trees in the cacao grid for the fruit phenology study

Dr. Stewart Skeate of Lees-McRae College and Sipriano Canti, BFREE Head Ranger and Tour Guide, tag trees in the cacao grid for the fruit phenology study

BY DR. PETER ESSELMAN
US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY and BFREE BOARD MEMBER

The BFREE Education Committee was convened in late 2014 to help BFREE deliver the highest quality field courses possible. The committee is chaired by board member Dr. Peter Esselman (US Geological Survey), and composed of professors with long running study abroad programs at BFREE, including Dr. Sara Ash (University of the Cumberlands), Dr. Stewart Skeate (Lees-McRae College), Dr. Maarten Vonhof (Western Michigan University), Dr. James Rotenberg (University of North Carolina Wilmington and BFREE Board Member), and Mr. Mark Lucey (Vermont Commons School).

University of the Cumberlands students learn to extract small mammals from Sherman Traps as part of the small mammal community study.

University of the Cumberlands students learn to extract small mammals from Sherman Traps as part of the small mammal community study.

Over the past year, the committee met monthly and developed a model for curricula that would simultaneously provide valuable field-experiences to students and high-quality data to BFREE’s science and conservation programs. Two curricula have been developed and piloted so far, focuses on comparing small mammal communities and tree flowering and fruiting patterns between cacao and broadleaf forest habitats (developed by Dr. Ash and Skeate respectively). Additional curricula are in development including: a study of bird communities in edge, cacao, and forest habitats; invasive tilapia abundance and effects on native fauna; and stream macro invertebrate community composition and structure. Once piloted, each will be available for implementation by any of the many student groups that come through.

Through the commitment of the Education Committee members, BFREE is not only enhancing its educational offerings, but also contributing to scientific understanding of the Maya Mountains of southern Belize.

Student Spotlight

BFREE Program Coordinator, Tyler Sanville, Interviews UNC Wilmington Graduate Student, James Abbott

Tyler: Hi James, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
James: I’m James Abbott, originally from Yorktown, VA but I have been in Wilmington, NC since 2008. I am a second year graduate student in the Environmental Studies Department at UNCW concentrating in Environmental Education. My undergraduate background from UNCW is in Conservation Biology and Wildlife, specifically birds. I would like to use my research into the conservation of threatened habitats and species as a means to educate and connect people to our environment, our role in that environment, and the positive impact we can have on our environment.

Tapir photographed in the Bladen River by James Abbott

Baird’s Tapir photographed in the Bladen River by James Abbott

Tyler: How did you find out about BFREE and when did you visit?
James: I began volunteering with Dr. Rotenberg’s painted bunting banding program in 2010 as an undergraduate and learned of his work with harpy eagle in Belize. In 2011, I had the chance to visit Belize with Dr. Rotenberg for the first time, though not BFREE. I heard a lot about BFREE that trip from both Dr. Rotenberg and Judy Dourson (Director of Educational Programs at BFREE from 2007-2012)  and told myself that if I got the chance I would try to come back to Belize to visit BFREE.

I graduated and worked as a threatened and endangered species biologist on a Marine Corps base near Wilmington, Camp Lejeune. I left that job to pursue graduate school and it just so happened that Dr. Rotenberg was running his Belize spring break class, the very same I had gone on back in 2011, and this time the class was traveling to BFREE. I couldn’t pass it up. I don’t think Dr. Rotenberg would have let me miss it anyway! That visit to BFREE was for a week in March 2015. The more recent expedition to search for the harpy eagle was over the New Year’s holiday for ten days.

Tyler: What did you do while you were at the BFREE field station?
James: This most recent trip to BFREE was an expedition into the Bladen Nature Reserve up to the harpy eagle nest to see if the birds were nesting or were in the area. We spent one night at BFREE then hiked up into the reserve and spent five days up near the nest. A team of people containing researchers, rangers, harpy experts, BFREE Avian Technicians William Garcia and Gato Pop, and finally BFREE Director Jacob Marlin made the all-day hike up the Bladen River. We did not find the harpy eagles on the nest so we spent the remaining days looking for the birds in nearby areas and from observation points on ridge lines. We returned to BFREE and conducted an unofficial Christmas Bird Count on the BFREE property.

James Abbott traveled with Dr. Jamie Rotenberg on an expedition in search of the Harpy eagle

James Abbott traveled with Dr. Jamie Rotenberg on a January expedition in search of the harpy eagle

Tyler: Do you have a favorite moment from your trip?
James: My favorite moments at BFREE are mornings camping by the river crossing in a hammock and listening to the river and the rainforest wake up; it is a surreal and immersive experience. My favorite activity at BFREE is climbing up to the top of the observation tower to see the 360 degree view of the canopy, the mountains, and the all of the birds and monkeys around you – all at eye level.

Tyler: Is there anything that you miss since leaving the BFREE field station?
James: I think the two things I miss the most about BFREE are the camaraderie between the visiting groups and the staff at the station. Everyone is very welcoming and it creates a great atmosphere for learning and research. The second thing I miss is that special kind of peace that comes from a total disconnect of contact from all of the information and technology that clouds up everyday life in the states. It really makes you appreciate the natural world and your real part in it.

Tyler: Do you have any advice for someone visiting the BFREE field station?
James: 

  • Welcome the full experience – the field station and the rainforest it helps protect are truly special.
  • Realize how liberating it is to be BFREE and how much more natural you feel.
  • Talk to the staff and any other people visiting the station. You will get a greater understanding and appreciation of life in Belize. Other visiting researchers and groups have a wealth of knowledge and experience in many different fields so it is a great place learn.
  • Embrace long pants and shirts, howler monkey wake up calls, and bring an umbrella.

Workshop designs strategy to safeguard long-term survival of the Hicatee turtle in Belize

On February 25-26, 2016, Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education (BFREE) in collaboration with Turtle Survival Alliance, the Belize Fisheries Department, and the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens hosted the 2nd Hicatee Conservation Forum and Workshop at the BFREE Field Station in southern Belize.  Unique to Belize, Guatemala and Mexico, the Central American River Turtle, locally known as the Hicatee (Dermatemys mawii), has been driven to the edge of extinction throughout its range by illegal harvesting and overconsumption.

hicatee forum 1

Workshop participants compare Hicatee hatchling tail size as a way to determine whether they are male or female

To address this risk, the forum brought together stakeholders from the scientific community, government officials, NGOs and other stakeholders to share findings and information on the status of the Hicatee turtle, present ongoing initiatives, and map out future efforts to conserve this critically endangered river turtle. Twenty-seven participants traveled from Guatemala, Brazil, the USA and from within Belize to attend the two-day workshop.

Four major themes were addressed during the forum 1) Legislation and Law Enforcement, 2) Public Outreach and Education, 3) Captive Management, and 4) Research and Surveys.  Presentations by invited participants focused on regional efforts within these areas.  Each theme was deliberated on in detail. From these discussions two working groups were formed.  One working group will compile a report based on the most current harvest and survey data and will present recommendations to the Belize Fisheries Department for a revised version of the laws and regulations regarding the Hicatee.  The second working group will develop a long-term research and monitoring strategy including the identification of priority populations for protection that can serve as source populations for the species’ recovery.  Additionally, workshop attendees participated in an IUCN Red List meeting to update the species report– now ten years out of date –  based on the most current information,  This species continues to be ranked Critically Endangered and faces a high risk of extinction throughout its range. Participants also discussed advocating for the Hicatee to become officially recognized as the “National Reptile of Belize.”


Hicatee hatchling

Hicatee hatchling

Jacob Marlin and Tom Pop lead a tour of the Hicatee Conservation and Research Center

Jacob Marlin and Tom Pop lead a tour of the Hicatee Conservation and Research Center

Participants traveled from Guatemala, the US and from within Belize for the two day Hicatee Conservation Forum and Workshop

2nd Hicatee Conservation Forum and Workshop

“Progress toward long-term conservation of Dermatemys mawii, Hicatee turtle” 

On February 25 and 26, BFREE in collaboration with Turtle Survival Alliance, the Belize Fisheries Department, and Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens will host the 2nd Hicatee Conservation Forum and Workshop at the BFREE Field Station.  The forum will bring together members of the scientific community, government officials, NGOs and community-based organizations to share findings and information on the status of the hicatee turtle (Dermatemys mawii) throughout its range and to evaluate the success of ongoing conservation initiatives. Participants will travel from Guatemala, Mexico, the USA and from within Belize to attend the two-day program.


 

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Hicatee Forum Agenda 2016

Hicatee Forum Abstracts 2016