Education Committee Advancing Education and Long-term monitoring at BFREE

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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.

Rotary Wheeling to BFREE

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Interior of Composting toilet

Interior stall of one of the composting toilets at BFREE

By Caitlin Addison-Howard, Rotary Toilet Project Coordinator

Our group of Rotarians from Corozal Rotary Club #1794 was charged with bringing back information on a working composting toilet design. The toilet needed to meet a few requirements: low or no water use, a model that would improve the general health of students and an inexpensive and sustainable design.

Little did we know when we contacted Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education (BFREE) that we would soon be awakened from our environmental stasis and enter the Matrix.

Yes, we knew that a composting toilet had been designed and built at BFREE. We called ahead and had been assured that the units had been working efficiently for over a year. The idea of driving down the Hummingbird Highway to visit the site and experience the toilet gave us a feeling of adventure and expectation.

The adventure quickly became even more challenging. We found that BFREE was located in the Bladen Nature Reserve and we would be “hiking in” about six miles off the main road. Our group dwindled to five and we started packing our bags for the journey.  At the last minute one of our Rotarians came up with a vehicle that he said would take us “all the way”. The drive was beautiful and the terrain went from the flat lands of the Corozal District sugar cane fields to the rolling hills of Stan Creek and Toledo.

At the entrance to Bladen Nature Reserve we parked the car and piled into the four-wheel drive for the last leg of the trip. A Safari could not have been any more fascinating. At the end of the road, we shouldered our packs and crossed the Bladen River. Crossing that river was tantamount to crossing the River Jordan. We came seeking a vision of a sustainable, effective composting toilet. Just one day later we crossed back over the Bladen as converts to the beauty of that toilet. It fulfilled our list of requirements and more.

Jacob Marlin and his courteous staff gave us all the support and information we needed to bring back to our home club. They fed us, led us through a night walk in the jungle and we left knowing that BFREE would be a sacred place in our minds for a long time to come.

2015 Field Courses – Part II

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BFREE groups came from the U.S. and from within Belize to engage in topics ranging from Architecture to Agriculture to Protected Areas to Biology.

April Field Courses

“Future Science Teachers of Belize,” Stann Creek Ecumenical Junior College, Belize – Though not quite a field course, these self-motivated young teachers-to-be, journeyed to BFREE on a Saturday to learn what the field station can offer their students in years to come.

Students from Stann Creek Ecumenical Junior College took personal initiative and visited BFREE for the day.

Students from Stann Creek Ecumenical Junior College took personal initiative and visited BFREE for the day.

“Birding in Belize,” led by Peter Burke of Field Guides

The Field Guides tour,"Birding in Belize," focuses on the southern part of the country.

The Field Guides tour,”Birding in Belize,” focuses on the southern part of the country.

 

May Field Courses

“Belize: Environment and Sustainability,” led by Ed Davis and Laura Hainsworth of Emory and Henry College, Virginia

Emory and Henry College

Emory and Henry College

 

Emory and Henry help shell cacao

Emory and Henry students removed seeds from cacao pods that they harvested – pic by Nelly Cadle.

 

Charles Wygal and David Novotne helped Tom Pop (shown left) plot temperature by depth in the HCRC ponds – pic by Ed Davis.

“Tropical Biology,” led by Halard Lescinsky of Otterbein University, Ohio

Otterbein University

Otterbein University

 

Otterbein students take a break during their tour of the Spice Farm

Otterbein students take a break at the Spice Farm – pic by Sipriano Canti.

 

2015 Field Courses – Part I

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BFREE was proud to host 147 students and instructors through our field courses this season. Groups came from the United States and from within Belize to engage in topics ranging from Architecture to Agriculture to Protected Areas to Biology.  Rainforest experiences lasted anywhere from a day to a week, while the entire time spent in country averaged ten days.

While at BFREE, students were introduced to on-going conservation projects at the field station like the Hicatee Conservation and Research Center and the cacao and coffee agroforest. Many spent an afternoon volunteering with one of the projects. They also participated in hikes and river walks to get a feel for the rainforest. For those who stayed long enough, instructors assigned independent projects in which students were tasked with developing research questions and collecting preliminary data – often presenting results on their last evening at BFREE.

When exploring other parts of Belize, students visited banana plantations, participated in cultural homestays, snorkeled at the Belize Barrier Reef, and saw wildlife up close at the Belize Zoo. Though time moves slowly in Belize, the departure day always seemed to come too soon.

January Field Courses

  • “Architecture Study Abroad,” led by Lia Dikigoropoulou of New York City College of Technology

    New York City of Technology visits the Spice Farm (Ken Hopper – left – joined the group)

NYCCT get to see a fer-de-lance up close

Jacob Marlin gives a presentation on the fer-de-lance for NYCCT students

  • “Tropical Biology,” led by Jerry Bricker of Nebraska Wesleyan University
    Nebraska Weselyan University

    Nebraska Wesleyan University

    Nebraska Wesleyan spend time birding with Nelly Cadle

    Nebraska Wesleyan spend time birding with Nelly Cadle

  • “Eat Locally: Think Globally,” led by Elizabeth Ransom and Amy Treonis of University of Richmond, Virginia
University of Richmond

University of Richmond

University of Richmond students check out a termite mound

University of Richmond students check out a termite mound

February Field Courses

  • “Protected Areas Management,” led by Abigail Parham-Garbutt and Godfrey Arzu of Independence Junior College, Belize

    Independence Junior College

    Independence Junior College

Independence Junior College students learn about bird research from Lucy Welsh

Independence Junior College students learn about current bird research from Smithsonian Avian Technician, Lucy Welsh

March Field Courses

  • “International Field Experience in Environmental Studies,” led by Jamie Rotenberg and Vibeke Olson of University of North Carolina, Wilmington
University of North Carolina - Wilmington

University of North Carolina – Wilmington

UNCW students waiting for their snorkle trip to Laughing Bird Caye

UNCW students waiting for their snorkle trip to Laughing Bird Caye

  • “Tropical Field Biology,” led by Sean Werle, Nuno Goncalves, Adam Porter, Steve McCormick, Paul Sievert, Tristram Seidler , and Frank Carellini of University of Massachusetts, Amherst
    University of Massachusetts - Amherst

    University of Massachusetts – Amherst

    UMass students work on independent projects - pic by Sean Werle

    UMass students work on independent projects – pic by Sean Werle

    Stay tuned for our next issue which will include pics of the second half of the field season!

Support BFREE’s outreach programs on Giving Tuesday

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After their visit to Belize Zoo, Golden Stream students received Harpy Eagle shirts.

After their BFREE field trip to the Belize Zoo, Golden Stream students received Harpy Eagle shirts.

#GivingTuesday started last year as a charitable answer to the retail shopping days of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. This year, BFREE would like you to consider donating to our outreach education programs to schools in communities surrounding BFREE and the Bladen Nature Reserve.

Since 2007, BFREE has offered outreach programs to primary school students in the neighboring villages of Golden Stream, Trio, Bladen, Bella Vista, San Jose, Indian Creek, San Isidro and Medina Bank. These programs have taken the form of classroom visits and field trips and encourage students to learn about and appreciate the forests and wildlife in their backyard. With over 1700 students participating over the past six years, we are encouraged and excited to continue to grow these programs.

In response to the recent Harpy Eagle sightings near some of the communities, BFREE focused its efforts on Harpy Eagle awareness in 2012 and 2013. With the help of the Belize Zoo, we hosted five field trips in 2013 to the zoo so students could see Harpy Eagles up close and learn more about these amazing creatures. The Mountain Corporation helped support our efforts with donation of specially designed t-shirts to the project.Golden Stream

During the next two years, BFREE plans to expand our outreach focus to introduce students to agroforestry and investigate how cacao and other shade-grown crops become healthy homes for wildlife, including migratory birds who travel between the Canada, the United States and Central America.  Help us to expand our curriculum to include agroforestry and offer more field trips to BFREE in 2014!  Our goal is to raise $1,500 to host field trips for 5th grade students this year.

Follow this link to donate to BFREE on #GivingTuesday!