Opwall's Field Notes

Cristi Gherghiceanu is the executive president of Fundatia ADEPT, a Romanian non-profit dedicated to protecting Transylvanian biodiversity and traditional agriculture through innovation and education. ADEPT partnered with Opwall to set up our projects in Transylvania, and have deepened the relationship by working with Friends of Wallacea to set up the Angofa Wildlife Centre in a house they restored to fund conservation in Romania year-round. Cristi himself studied IT, economics, and accounting before becoming passionate about rural development. Growing up in Transylvania, he came to understand the local heritage that makes this region so special and ecologically important, and was moved to use his skills to oversee the daily operates of Fundatia ADEPT to provide value to those conserving traditional lifestyles in Transylvania. In this episode, we discuss why ADEPT was created to protect Transylvania, how to conserve natural and cultural heritage, and what the world can learn from this very special place.

In this episode we cover:

#1. Conservation contracts for supplying Farm Animal Genetic Resources (FAnGR) conservation services in Romania

Authors: Warwick Wainwright, Klaus Glenk, Faical Akaichi, Dominic Moranc

Journal: Livestock Science

Year: 2019

Full Paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1871141319304238

#2. Empowering Youths: An Alternative Learning Pathway for a Sustainable Future

Authors: Sheryl Green, Stephanie Mamo Portelli

Journal: Handbook of Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Development

Year: 2017

Full Paper: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-63534-7_6

Originally from Sighisoara, Madalina Marian is a proud advocate of Transylvanian heritage, nature, and culture. She grew up foraging in the hilltop forests, keeping an eye out for bears and chasing butterflies in Transylvania's wildflower meadows, which inspired her passion for biology. She went on to study biology in university and during that time she also worked three summers with Opwall teams as a guide, translator, and survey leader, becoming familiar with the unique ecology of her local area. Upon graduating, Madalina knew she wanted to show visitors the wildlife Transylvania had to offer and founded Angofa Wildlife Tours in partnership with Friends of Wallacea, Opwall's tourism arm. Based at the beautifully restored Angofa Wildlife Centre, Madalina leads tours to view bears, birds, and other wildlife, as well as hosting dinners and lectures that support conservation efforts in Transylvania. In this episode, we discuss what makes Transylvania so special, and why she thinks people should come visit and learn from Romanian conservation to protect wildlife in harmony with human livelihoods.

Toby Farman is Opwall's Systems Manager and the Country Manager for our Romania expeditions. Toby originally studied biotechnology, but an Opwall trip in 2007 sparked his passion for travel. After graduating, Toby traveled the world for 2 years with nothing more than a backpack. Rather than settle down upon his return, Toby began working for Opwall and went on to manage projects in Mozambique, South Africa, and now Transylvania. In this episode, we discuss what makes Transylvania so special for wildlife, how bears, hay meadows, and traditional agriculture fit together within the mosaic of hills and valleys that define the Transylvanian region, and what the rest of the world can learn from this special place.

Dr. Raquel Thomas is the Director of Resource Management & Training at the Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development. Raquel got her PhD in tropical forest ecology in London, where she studied the role of rodents in seed dispersal in neotropical forests. Raquel has always had a passion for forests and tree composition, which led her to continue research on the diverse plant communities of the Guiana Shield region. In 2005, Raquel started her position as the Director of Resource Management & Training at Iwokrama and has led the organization ever since, ensuring that the forest remains protected while also providing income for local communities. In this episode, we discuss how sustainable forest management works, why conservation is so much more than just science, and how business can partner with indigenous communities to protect biodiversity.

In this episode we cover:

#1. Designing protected area networks that translate international conservation commitments into national action

Authors: Jake E. Bicknell, Murray B. Collins, Rob S. A. Pickles, Niall P. McCann, Curtis R. Bernard, Damian J. Fernandes, Mark G.R. Miller, Samantha M. James, Aiesha U. Williams, Matthew J. Struebig, Zoe G. Davies, Robert J. Smith

Journal: Biological Conservation

Year: 2017

Full Paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320717301386

#2. Taxonomic review of the Dichotomius mamillatus group (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), with a description of a new species, Dichotomius (Dichotomius) gandinii sp. nov., from western Amazonia

Authors: Michele Rossini, Fernando Z Vaz‐de‐Mello

Journal: Austral Entomology

Year: 2020

Full Paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/aen.12443

Scott Sveiven is the Director of Opwall's US office and the Country Manager for our Guyana expeditions. Originally from Minnesota, Scott started travelling the world and exploring his passion for wildlife biology from an early age. He went on to become a biologist, studying dual master's degrees in conservation biology and environmental policy, then teaching at a forestry school in New York state until he found his way to Opwall. Over the past decade, Scott has built and shaped Opwall's research efforts in Guyana, a country that still retains 87% of its forest cover. Since Opwall has many camps in Guyana, we will focus on one site in particular. The Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development, which works with indigenous communities to protect the forest through several different mechanisms. In this episode, we discuss how Scott became passionate about conservation and forestry, challenges of working in the field at one of our remotest sites, and what we've learned in 10 years of running research in Guyana. 

Sophia introduces Opwall's Field Notes and what to expect from this podcast.

Mo Johnson has run Opwall's sales offices in SE Asia, Australia, and China since 2013, and runs our marine research site on Buton Island in Indonesia. Mo lives full time in Indonesia where Opwall has been running a reforestation project since the beginning of the pandemic. In this special episode, Mo updates us on the progress of the reforestation project, what the current situation is on the ground in Indonesia, and how anyone can help the conservation cause from home by making tiny changes in their daily lives.

Dr. Darren O'Connell is a molecular ecologist from Ireland focused on speciation. Darren completed his PhD with Opwall in Sulawesi and played a critical role in identifying the Wangi-wangi White-eye, an Indonesian bird new to science. Today, Darren is studying honey bee colonies in Ireland to understand how climate change and other stressors affect these populations. In this episode, we cover how Darren ended up studying island biogeography and speciation, what these studies tell us about conservation efforts, and the long and challenging process of describing a new species.