Opwall's Field Notes

In this episode we cover:

#1. Citizen science in data and resource-limited areas: A tool to detect long-term ecosystem changes

Authors: Adam Gouraguine, Joan Moranta, Ana Ruiz-Frau, Hilmar Hinz, Olga Reñones, Sebastian C. A. Ferse, Jamaluddin Jompa, David J. Smith

Journal: PLOS ONE

Year: 2019

Full Paper: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0210007

#2. Diversification of a 'great speciator' in the Wallacea region: differing responses of closely related resident and migratory kingfisher species (Aves: Alcedinidae: Todiramphus)

Authors: Darren P. O’Connell, David J. Kelly, Naomi Lawless, Adi Karya, Kangkuso Analuddin, Nicola M. Marples

Journal: IBIS

Year: 2018

Full Paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ibi.12688?fbclid=IwAR0r-r7lBLU6lEl4w8C4Jq8rtjQz0T-lrgoPpfA9TiRqs1QSJfmNjfgqJ00

Panji Gusti Akbar is an ornithologist that worked with Opwall at our Sulawesi field site in Indonesia from 2017-2019. Panji became passionate about birds when he moved from the bustling capital city of Jakarta to the smaller town of Yogyakarta where he had much more access to nature. He went on to study biology, becoming a skilled field researcher who has worked with academics from all over the world to identify and protect rare species of birds across Indonesia. Today, he works as a travel writer and bird guide, and is adamant tourism can help protect some of the world's most unique species. In this episode, we discuss how Panji helped advance Opwall's research in Sulawesi, his hopes for the future of conservation in Indonesia, and how to stay safe as a wildlife researcher.

Alex Tozer is the Director of Operations for Operation Wallacea. Before joining Opwall, Alex studied psychology, not expecting to be an expedition leader. He had his start with Opwall as a volunteer in Honduras in 2003. Today, Alex is a licensed bird ringer, wildlife photographer, EFR instructor, and most importantly the person who makes sure all the Opwall expeditions run smoothly. He has played a critical role in expanding Opwall's focus during the pandemic to include many new projects, including providing income to local partners through reforestation and carbon credit initiatives around the world. In this special episode, we discuss Opwall's reforestation efforts in Sulawesi, how carbon credits work, and how planting trees can support people, animals, and the planet.

Wallacea Trust website - https://wallaceatrust.org/

In this episode we cover:

#1. Biodiversity: The ravages of guns, nets and bulldozers

Authors: Sean L. Maxwell, Richard A. Fuller, Thomas M. Brooks, & James E. M. Watson

Journal: Nature

Year: 2016

Full Paper: https://www.nature.com/news/biodiversity-the-ravages-of-guns-nets-and-bulldozers-1.20381

#2. The global tree restoration potential

Authors: Jean-Francois Bastin, Yelena Finegold, Claude Garcia, Danilo Mollicone, Marcelo Rezende, Devin Routh, Constantin M. Zohner, Thomas W. Crowther

Journal: Science

Year: 2019

Full Paper: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/365/6448/76

Dr. Tim Coles is the founder and CEO of Operation Wallacea. Tim comes from a long career in connecting conservation and business to create sustainable long-term solutions for the industry. Prior to founding Opwall, Tim was a fisheries scientist with over 13 years’ experience in the UK water industry and river management. In 1990, he went on to found the IEMA (the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment) and EARA (the Environmental Auditors Registration Association), both of which are still in existence and have thousands of members in nearly 90 countries around the world. The IEMA is now a leading international membership-based organisation dedicated to the promotion of sustainable development.

Of course, what Tim is best known for in our circles is as the founder of Opwall, which he started in 1995 with the first expedition to Indonesia. Tim also went on to found the Wallacea Trust (https://wallaceatrust.org/) in 1998 to support conservation projects stemming from Opwall’s yearly research expeditions. Opwall now operates in 13 countries, bringing over 3000 students into the field every year alongside field researchers and academics, which has resulted in more than 550 scientific publications. Yet in 2020, for the first time in 25 years, Opwall did not open a single field site. The culprit? The Covid-19 pandemic. In this special episode, we discuss how Opwall has been impacted by the ban on international travel, what this means for our industry and international conservation in general, and how Opwall has adapted to these unexpected and challenging circumstances.

Gerardo is the owner and manager of Akumal Dive Center, the oldest dive shop in Akumal Bay, and Opwall's partner for marine research in Mexico. Gerardo ended up in the field of conservation somewhat by accident. He studied business and after graduating he began to work in the dive shop, which has been in his family since 1975. Gerardo quickly realized that the health of the bay would be essential for the long-term health of his business. Since then, he has worked with many scientists and conservationists, and become a strong voice for conservation through sustainable business. In this episode, we discuss how Gerardo sees the role of business investing in conservation, his team's restoration of Akumal Bay, and how to bridge the gap between science and business to build successful conservation projects.

In this episode we cover:

#1. Climate change, aguadas and herpetofaunal community structure in Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, Campeche, Mexico

Authors: Barão-Nóbrega, J.A.L., Lopez-Cen, A., Sima-Panti, D., Acton, C., Slater, K.

Conference: 54th Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation

Year: 2017

Full Paper: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330880860_Climate_change_aguadas_and_herpetofaunal_community_structure_in_Calakmul_biosphere_reserve_Campeche_Mexico

#2. Report on the Monitoring of Green Sea Turtles and Sea Grasses in Akumal Bay, Mexico

Authors: Dr. Brigitta Ine Van Tussenbroek (UNAM), Dr. Kathy Slater (Operation Wallacea), Joseph Stevens (Operation Wallacea)

Year: 2018

Full Paper (Spanish): https://cdn.yello.link/opwall/files/2020/01/2018-Informe-de-Monitoreo-de-Tortugas-Verdes-y-Pastos-Marinos-en-la-Bahia-de-Akumal.pdf

Dr. Kathy Slater is Opwall's Research Manager and the Senior Scientist for our site in Mexico. She oversees the terrestrial research done in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve near Guatemala and the marine research done in Akumal Bay. Kathy's personal research focus is primatology and she got her start in Mexico researching spider monkeys for her PhD. She joined her first Opwall expedition to Indonesia in 2000, then went on to run terrestrial research in Cusuco National Park, Honduras before eventually setting up the Mexico project in 2012. Kathy currently advises a number of PhD students researching jaguars and Morelete's crocodiles in the reserve. In this episode, we discuss Kathy's decision to become a field researcher, what is happening to biodiversity in Mexico, and how data can be used to produce real conservation outcomes.

In this episode we cover:

#1: Elevational changes in the avian community of a Mesoamerican cloud forest park

Authors: Montague H.C. Neate-Clegg, Samuel E. I. Jones, Oliver Burdekin, Merlijn Jocque, & Çağan Hakkı Şekercioğlu

Journal: Biotropica

Year: 2018

Full Paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/btp.12596

#2. Presence of amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) in rainwater suggests aerial dispersal is possible

Authors: Jonathan E. Kolby, Sara D. Ramirez, Lee Berger, Dale W. Griffin, Merlijn Jocque, & Lee F. Skerratt

Journal: Aerobiologia

Year: 2015

Full Paper: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10453-015-9374-6

Fabiola Rodríguez is a doctoral candidate researching how different forms of coffee cultivation impact migratory bird species that spend winter in northern Honduras. Fabiola joined Opwall at our research site in Cusuco National Park, Honduras from 2010-2013. She has since completed a master's degree in biology and is a pursuing a PhD, all while contributing significantly to avian science through numerous publications and constant outreach opportunities. In this episode, we discuss how Fabiola became passionate about birds, what she loves most about fieldwork, and how to understand how coffee cultivation impacts the species that share these spaces.

Where to Buy Bird Friendly Coffee: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/migratory-birds/where-buy-bird-friendly-coffee

Café Solar®: https://www.cafesolar.com