Nicaragua

Project name:
Volcán Cosiguina Biodiversity Research Project
Project location within country:Reserva Natural Volcán Cosiguina Ranger Station (RNVC-HQ)
Collaboration name:Frontier-Nicaragua
Financed by:Society for Environmental Exploration (SEE)
Start date:January 2004
Completion date:December 2004
Approx. value of services:
US$ 42,000
Name of associate:Fundación Luchadores Integrados al Desarrollo de la Región (LIDER);
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua-Leon (UNAN-Leon)
No. of professional staff provided by associate:5
No. of professional staff provided by SEE: 4
Staff involved and functions performed:Elinor Breman – Research Coordinator
Geoff Moxon–Assistant Volunteer Research Coordinator
Esther Lycett - Assistant Volunteer Research Coordinator
AIM
To carry out baseline biodiversity research in the Cosiguina Nature Reserve in order to provide accurate abundance and distribution information for the slopes of the Volcán Cosiguina.

OBJECTIVES

  1. To record in detail: vegetation, mammal, reptile, amphibian, bird and butterfly data, as well as full details of the changes in floral and faunal abundance and diversity with changes in elevation
  2. To assess the ecological value of the area including the impact of loss of biodiversity, identification of endangered species, monitoring and evaluating biodiversity (especially forest degradation) over time
  3. To monitor the level of human disturbance with records made of any disturbance encountered during surveys.

OUTPUTS
  1. Training in baseline biological survey techniques, resource use and ecological research and monitoring
  2. Training of local NGO staff in sea turtle monitoring
  3. Inventories of flora and fauna through ecological research and monitoring
  4. Set up a multi-species sea turtle hatchery with 56.55% hatching success rate (above the verage for natural conditions)
  5. Socio-economic analyses
  6. Environmental education classes in schools and local communities
  7. Production of sea turtle handbook (Eng, Sp); articles for publication; annual report.

 

Project name:Biodiversity Research in Protected Areas of Northwest Nicaragua
Project location within country:Volcán Cosiguina, Isla Juan Vernado, Estero Padre Ramos
Collaboration name:Frontier-Nicaragua
Financed by:Society for Environmental Exploration (SEE)
Start date:January 2006
Completion date:July 2009
Approx. value of services:US$ 175,000
Name of associate if any:Fundación Luchadores Integrados al Desarrollo de la Región (LIDER);
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua-Leon (UNAN-Leon)
Nicaraguan Navy
No. of professional staff provided by associate:5
No. of professional staff provided by SEE:6

AIM

To carry out baseline biodiversity research in the 3 protected areas of Volcán Cosiguina, Maraflor and Estero Padre Ramos in order to provide accurate abundance and distribution information.


OBJECTIVES

  1. To record in detail: vegetation, mammal, reptile, amphibian, bird and butterfly data
  2. To assess the ecological value of the areas including the impact of loss of biodiversity, identification of endangered species, monitoring and evaluating biodiversity in coastal, mangrove and forest areas
  3. To monitor the level of human disturbance with records made of any disturbance encountered during surveys.
  4. To monitor sea turtle nesting beaches and assess human impact; to set up a multi-species hatchery


OUTPUTS - 2006

  1. Emergence success of Olive Ridley, Hawksbill and Loggerhead turtles in a mixed species hatchery at Playa El Carbon, Cosiguina, Nicaragua
  2. Study on Hawksbill sea turtle shell exploitation for jewellery
  3. To record in detail: vegetation, mammal, reptile, amphibian, bird and butterfly data
  4. To assess the ecological value of the areas including the impact of loss of biodiversity, identification of endangered species, monitoring and evaluating biodiversity in coastal, mangrove and forest areas

Staff involved and functions performed:
Peter Fossan - Resarch Coordinator
Natasha Calderwood - Principal Investigator
Maggie Muurmans - Research Coordinator
Charlie Watson - Research Coordinator
Hana Osman - Volunteer Logistics Manager

OUTPUTS - 2007

  1. To create a: vegetation, mammal, reptile, amphibian, bird and butterfly list for the area
  2. Socio-economic analyses
  3. Biodiversity assessments in RNM and identify priority areas of research in the reserve.

Staff involved and functions performed:
Hana Osmon - Logistics Manager
Gail Reddihough - Assistant Research Officer
Ros Shaw - Assistant Research Officer
Dan Hart - Assistant Research Officer
Michael Osbourn - Assistant Research Officer
Neal Haddaway - Assistant Research Officer
Ben Newman - Assistant Research Officer

OUTPUTS - 2008

  1. Monitoring and tracking of Scarlet macaws
  2. Analyse life spans of arger fauna and discover different areas of biodiversity within Nicaragua.
  3. Continuing monitoring and patrolling of sea turtle nesting beaches
  4. Running and monitoring sea turtle hatchery

Staff involved and functions performed:
Sophie Elliot - Research Officer
Carmen Lishman - Principal Investigator
Vero Mendez - Research Officer
Robert Thorburn - Research Officer
Gemma Cope - Vounteer Research Coordinator
Stephen Whitfield - Vounteer Research Coordinator

OUTPUTS - 2009

  1. Effect of shade-grown coffee plantation practices on earthworm populations in Nicaragua.
  2. Popular article: Oro Verde - A Mountain of Organic Green Gold
  3. To monitor the level of human disturbance with records made of any disturbance encountered during surveys.
  4. Waste Management Workshop

Staff involved and functions performed:
Carmen Lishman - Principal Investigator
Candra Shank - Assistant Research Officer
Stuart Lee - Research Officer
Sally McPhee - Assistant Research Officer
Natalie Hall - Assistant Research Officer

Project name:
Capacity Building for Sustainable Management of the Nicaraguan Pacific North Region.
Project location within country:Isla Juan Venado, Estero Padre Ramos and Volcan Cosiguina
Collaboration name:Frontier-Nicaragua
Name of client:Darwin Initiative
Financed by:Darwin Initiative (UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs)
Start date:January 2005
Completion date:July 2005
Approx. value of services:$120, 000
Name of associate:Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua-Leon (UNAN-Leon)
No. of professional staff provided by associate:2
No. of professional staff provided by SEE:3
Staff involved and functions performed:Paul Rubio – Project Leader
Maggie Muurmans – Scientific Trainer
Natasha Calderwood – Research Coordinator

AIM
To design and implement a training programme in conservation skills and monitoring techniques to build the capacity of local and regional institutions to sustainably manage resources in the Pacific North region of Nicaragua.

OBJECTIVES

  1. To provide information on the biological value and conservation importance of selected
  2. forest areas, to assist the development and implementation of management plans for these
  3. sites;
  4. To train Nature Reserve rangers in patrolling, law enforcement, survey and monitoring, eco-tourism initiatives, and local community awareness.
  5. To conduct socio-economic surveys within local communities in order to assess current
  6. threats to, and benefits derived from, the forest area
  7. To devise and implement terrestrial and coastal monitoring schemes for threatened, endangered and critically endangered species within three protected areas of Nicaragua’s Pacific North region: Isla Juan Venado (2,934 ha), Estero Padre Ramos (9, 157), and Volcan Cosiguina (13, 168 ha).
  8. To develop and implement tailor-made BTEC (Business and Technical Education Council) qualifications with the local and regional NGOs SELVA (La Asociacion somos Ecologistas en lucha por la vida y elambiente), LIDER (Luchadores Integrados al Dsearrollo de la Region), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua-Leon (UNAN-Leon), and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARENA)


OUTPUTS

  1. Biodiversity surveys used for management planning
  2. Technical reports; articles for publication for Isla Juan Venado, Estero Padre Ramos and Volcan Cosiguina
  3. BTEC in Conservation Management produced for training programme