The Current
Conservation for the Next Generation • Fall 2016
the Caribbean Sea provides a spectacular backdrop for this outdoor classroom and communal dining hall at Pacuare Reserve . Sea turtles often come ashore to lay their eggs just steps away .
1 + 1 = Infinity
By Miguel Fuentes , Regional Branch Director
You learned in kindergarten that 1 + 1 is always 2 . But we just discovered that when ONE education organization ( EPI ) and ONE conservation organization ( Pacuare Reserve ) join forces , the resulting new venture = infinite possibilities !
After fifteen years of collaboration and long-lasting friendship with our founders Scott Pankratz and Julie Osborn , Pacuare Reserve founder John Denham has entrusted this special place to EPI . By making EPI the new stewards , he and his fellow Pacuare trustees ensure that this 3000 acre hub of biodiversity will remain a safe haven for vulnerable leatherbacks and other sea turtles , as well as an incredible array of more than 30 mammal species and 230 bird species , such as elusive agami herons , jaguars , monkeys , and tree frogs . This shift also ensures that critical education and research programs at Pacuare will continue long into the future .
We are humbled by this show of trust and by the outpouring of support we received from all our friends during our Preserve Protect Pacuare campaign earlier this year . Your support , paired with the strong foundation laid by John Denham and by long-time Pacuare Manager Carlos Fernandez , makes all of us tremendously excited for the myriad of opportunities that lie ahead .
We plan to strengthen science , education , and government partnerships ; engage local Costa Ricans in the management of the Reserve ; and share our model of community-based conservation through a new suite of professional development offerings for teachers , scientists , and nonformal educators . And that ’ s just the tip of the iceberg !
John Denham Award for Community Engagement in Conservation
Know a scientist , philanthropist , or NGO leader that actively engages the local community in their work ? Apply or nominate someone for the John Denham Award today : ecologyproject . org / denhamaward . Deadline : November 30 , 2016
As a Costa Rican , I am thankful to John Denham for the love and commitment he has shown to conservation in my country , especially to protecting endangered species . His vision and generous financial support have helped make the Reserve what it is today . It is up to EPI now to carry out John ’ s legacy . We ’ ll work closer with the community , the government , and researchers to continue the excellent work he and his team started . We will build on their successes and demonstrate how 1 + 1 = infinity !
ECOLOGY PROJECT INTERNATIONAL • WWW . ECOLOGYPROJECT . ORG • 406.721.8784