Programs and Projects

Environmental Education,  3) Technical support and 4) Capacity-building

  
1)Applied conservation and biodiversity research

Past  Projects have included

         a) Status, natural history, and ecology  of the long-nosed nectar-feeding bat
        Platalina genovensium. (for information go to publications page and download                        
          appropriate .pdf  files).

        b) Pollination biology of the columnar cactus, Weberbauerocereus weberbaueri, in Peru.
           (see publications)

        b) Community-based conservation of the vicuña, Vicugna vicugna. (for                                   
         additional information go to publications page).

        c) Ecology and carrying capacity of vicuña in the Salinas y Aguada Blanca                             
             Reserve, Arequipa-Peru

        d) Impacts of capture and live-shearing on vicuña populations in Peru. (see publications)

Current projects include

         a) Mapping potentially-bat pollinated cacti in Peru:  How many are there and do                      
             they occur in protected areas?
        b) Distribution and status of nectar-feeding bats and columnar cacti in Peru (in                       
              conjunction  with the University of San Marcos Natural History Museum                               
               Departments of Mammalogy and Botany)
        c) Bat and hummingbird mutualisms in the Lomas de Lachay National Reserve,                      
               Peru.
        d) Conservation and habitat use of the endangered Peruvian plant-cutter,  Phytotoma           
              raimondii.,            

2) Environmental education
         Past projects:
         Environmental education in rural communities:  Reserva Nacional Salinas y Aguada               
         Blanca. (1999-2003)
        Current:
         Participation in the Peruvian Program for Bat Conservation:  Environmental                            
         Education program focusing on Platalina genovensium and additional bat species.

3)  Technical support: current and ongoing
         Service on in-country committees (Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of                         
         Agriculture, Salinas Aguada Blanca Management Committee), consulting on                           
         environmental issues.

4) Capacity-buidling.

         Past projects:
          Strengthening the capacity of local-communities with regard to management of the                
           vicuña: from monitoring populations to shearing and sale of fiber.  2000-2003.(see              
           publications)

         Current:
         Developing community-based eco-tourism in the Salinas-Aguada Blanca Reserve,                 
         Arequipa, Peru. (read conatura blog)