A. Las Canas Community Background Information: This is a beach side community that use to have more fishermen. But over fishing the reefs have caused a significant decline in the number and size of the fish catch. Fishing in this community would be considered subsistence living. They earn enough to feed themselves and their family but not enough to often pay for extras (clothes, school uniforms, toothpaste - things we take for granted). Land in the Dominican Republic is always past down from generation to generation. Most of the families in Las Canas were related to one man and his sister and the land has been divided up through three generations of family. The houses on the beach side of the road are mostly foreign owned whereas the houses on the other side are locally owned The rivers that empty into the ocean wash a torrent of plastic waste into the ocean and onto the beaches after a rainfall. Questions to address in daily journal and group discussions Sustainable Agriculure and Forestry: What is subsistence farming? Provide some examples of how the people in the community are subsistence farmers? Is subsistence farmining more sustainable than commercial farming practices? Reducing and Managing Waste: Not too long ago a common practice in many rural communities was to burn household waste now there is waste pick up for this community as well as many others. How would the burning of waste affect the health of the people living here? Do you see any efforts to recycle waste? Conservation of Energy: The DR receives a considerable amount of annual sunshine – why don’t you see solar panels on the roofs of the community houses but see some on the roofs/properties of the resorts/vacation homes? What are two other forms of renewable energy that are plentiful in the community of Las Canas? Scientific Solutions to Contemporary Challenges: How will climate change affect the community of Las Canas? What are some solutions or precautions the community could take in order to mitigate these effects Please make notes addressing the above issues on the next page Notes for Las Canas Community: ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ B. Beach Clean-up, Coastal Erosion Background Information: The beach in Las Canas is typical of most beaches around the Dominican Republic. You will notice that although not many people live in the area, the beach contains a significant amount of waste. This is due to the fact that there are 3 rivers that flow into the ocean near Las Canas. When it rains, garbage is transported from upstream communities to the ocean where a great deal of it is then washed up onto the shore. This is not just a problem for a small country like the DR, in Canada we struggle with trash on our beaches as well. An event called The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup aims to address the garbage littering our beaches nationwide Rising sea levels are a result of climate change. There is a great deal of evidence of coastal erosion along the beach. Mangrove forests help to reduce coastal erosion by holding the sand in place with their huge root systems. Questions to address in daily journal and group discussions Sustainable Agriculure and Forestry: Protecting natural forests instead of developing land can have multiple economic benefits for a country - how might the mangrove forest we saw today benefit the economy of the Dominican Republic? Reducing and Managing Waste: Describe a few waste management stratgies that could reduce the amount of garbage on the beach. Do you as a tourist have a responsibility to try and reduce youe waste production while on vacation? Human Health and the Environment: As seen in the Water Brotjhers videos, plastics are a huge problem in the worlds oceans, lakes and rivers. When plastics breaks down into tiny pieces fish and marine life consume it mistaking it for food. How might this impact human health? Scientific Solutions to Contemporary Challenges: rising of sea level s are having a devestating effect on coastal communities world wide. What are some solutions that governments can impliment to help communities ? Please make notes addressing the above issues on the next page Notes for Beach Cleanup and Coastal Erosion: ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Activity: A • To see first hand the indications of coastal erosion as a result of seal level rise B • To investigate the types of waste found on a typical beach in the DR C • To understand the ecological and economic importance of Mangrove Forests Part A. We are first going to walk along the beach and take note of shoreline erosion - what evidence do you see of the shoreline eroding? (take photos to document) Evidence of shoreline erosion: In what ways will sea level rise affect local economies? What will happen to all the people who live in coastal communities as sea levels continue to rise into the future – what possible impact will this have on Canada? Spalding M, McIvor A, Tonneijck FH, Tol S and van Eijk P (2014) Mangroves for coastal defence. Guidelines for coastal managers & policy makers. Published by Wetlands International and The Nature Conservancy. 42 p Part B. In this activity you are going to participate in a beach clean up and survey, comparing what you find on the beach in Las Canas to what is most commonly found on the beaches in Canada. You will be assigned groups. Before you start decide individually: (circle one) Hypothesis: We expect to find waste items that are SIMILAR/DIFFERENT from the most common items found on Canadian Shores. In your group you are to collect garbage as we walk along the beach for approximately 2 km. Because there will be a number of people picking garbage please spread yourselves out and pick up garbage maybe every 3 steps.TRY NOT TO BE BIASED! You will have a tendency to pick up what is large or brightly coloured. Try and take 3 steps and then pick up what is closest to you. One person holds the bag, one person records what had been found 2 people collect garbage. Switch jobs ½ way through. Record what you find in the chart below. It is blank as we don’t know what we will find. Create categories as you go and use check mark or indicator for how many of a particular item you have found DATA CHART to be used during collection Item Quantity Item Quantity NOTES/COMMENTS: ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Combine your findings with the other groups and create a Las Canas Beach Dirty Dozen list. Canada’s Dirty Dozen List for 2015 2015 Ranking Item 1 Cigarette Butts 2 Food Wrappers 3 Plastic Bottle Caps 4 Plastic Beverage Bottles 5 Beverage Cans 6 Other Plastic & Foam 7 Straws & Stirrers 8 Other Plastic Bags 9 Metal Bottle Caps 10 Plastic Grocery Bags 11 Plastic Lids 12 Paper Cups & Plates Las Canas Beach Dirty Dozen List Ranking Item How are the two lists different? How are they the same? What did you find surprising? ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Evening Group Activity Each Group will be given a copy of Mangroves for coastal defence Guidelines for coastal managers & policy makers. Groups will be assigned a section to teach to the rest of the class – this should be taught in an interactive manner (demonstration, acting, etc) Section Page # Subject Area 2.1 Mangroves reduce wave damage 14 Enviro Science 2.2 Mangroves reduce damage from large storms 16 Enviro Science 2.3 Mangroves can help to reduce tsunami damage 18 Enviro Science 2.4 Mangroves reduce erosion and bind soils together 20 Enviro Science 2.5 Mangroves may keep up with sea level rise 22 Enviro Science 3.1 Integrating mangroves into coastal defence strategies 24 Resource Mngt 3.2 Mangroves as part of coastal zone management 28 Resource Mngt 3.3 Bringing the mangroves back 31 Resource Mngt Section 4. Recognising the multiple values of mangroves 34 Resource Mngt Assigned to: C. Taino Organic Farm Taino Farm is a permaculture inspired, agro-tourism demonstration and education center inspiring sustainable, nutritious food, hidden away on a tropical river outside the surf town of Cabarete, on the north coast of the Dominican Republic.. The Taino Organic farm is very cutting edge for the region,with modern aquaponics and water management systems, vermiculture, animal husbandry practices, as well as apiculture and aquaculture. The systems are so advanced for the Dominican Republic that some of the country’s best Universities take field trips out to visit the farm to learn more about it’s systems. Vision: Foster growth in our community, environment, and society with sustainable farming. We strive to supply half of the ingredients for our farm to table restaurant in the Extreme Hotel with our Aquaponics, Vermiculture and free range poultry systems. Please make notes addressing the above issues on the next page Questions to address in daily journal and group discussions Sustainable Agriculure and Forestry: What are some common environmental impacts associated with farming? What options do farmers have for managing these impacts?” Reducing and Managing Waste: How does organic farming reduce waste? Can some waste be beneficial (one person's garbage...) Human Health and the Environment: Do you ever consider purchasing organic food? How might organic food, like the food grown at Taino Farm be better for people that large scale commercially grown food? Scientific Solutions to Contemporary Challenges: Describe some of the sustainable farming methods used at Taino Notes for Taino Farm: ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Explain how the following practices or systems represent sustainability aquaponics systems water management vermiculture system animal husbandry apiculture food forests annual gardens tropical fruit tree collection Vegetarian lunch Solutions to Agriculture Zine A 'zine' is a thematic compilation of information, art, images, maps, instructions for crafts, recipes, poems, stories, quotes, thoughts, reflections, ideas, collages etc., put together by an individual or group with the purpose of expressing an opinion and informing others. For our 'zine', the theme will be ‘Solving the Crisis of Agricultural Production.’ Let your prior learning and experience at the farms inspire your work. Choose from one of the topics below. You have been assigned a 1 page of the zine to communicate your understanding of the issues with and solutions to agricultural production. THE ONLY REQUIREMENT IS TO DEMONSTRATE YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURE AND PROVIDE A POSSIBLE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION - YOU CHOOSE THE FORMAT! Fun, eh! Enviromental Science Resource Management • • • • • • • • • • Aquaponics Permaculture Vermicompost Soil Quality Pesticides Apiculture Monoculture Irrigation Food Security integrated pest management Zine Rubric: Criteria Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 Zine Inquiry and Process Note- 0 references = 0 marks All required aspects are present and referenced. Most required aspects are present and referenced. Some required aspects are present and referenced. Few required aspects are present and referenced. Zine Analysis Issues with conventional agriculture and a solution is identified. Analysis is thorough and well communicated. Issues with conventional agriculture and a solution is identified. Analysis is good and well communicated. Issues with conventional agriculture and a solution is somewhat identified. Analysis is decent and not well communicated. Issues with conventional agriculture and a solution is barely identified. Analysis is weak and not well communicated. Communication/ Presentation Student Point of View is clear. Work is well designed, easy to read, creative and engaging. Student Point of View is present. Work is well designed, somewhat creative and engaging. Student Point of View is clear. Work is not very well designed, nor creative or engaging. Student Point of View is unclear. Work is not well designed, nor creative or engaging. Content Work includes a great deal of reference to prior learning. Work includes a lot of reference to prior learning. Work mentions prior learning. Work barely mentions prior learning. Total Comments: /16 D. Water Sampling: Water Quality Parameters Fecal Coliform Human and animal wastes carried to stream systems are sources of pathogenic or diseasecausing, bacteria and viruses. The disease causing organisms are accompanied by other common types of nonpathogenic bacteria found in animal intestines, such as fecal coliform bacteria, enterococci bacteria, and escherichia coli, or E. coli bacteria. Fecal coliform, enterococci, and E. coli bacteria are not usually disease-causing agents themselves. However, high concentrations suggest the presence of disease-causing organisms. Fecal coliform, enterococci, and E. coli bacteria are used as indicator organisms; they indicated the probability of finding pathogenic organisms in a stream. Hardness Hardness is frequently used as an assessment of the quality of water supplies. The hardness of a water is governed by the content of calcium and magnesium salts (temporary hardness), largely combined with bicarbonate and carbonate and with sulfates, chlorides, and other anions of mineral acids (permanent hardness) Nitrogen as Nitrate Nitrate, or NO3-: Generally occurs in trace quantities in surface water. It is the essential nutrient for many photosynthetic autotrophs and has been identified as the growth limit nutrient. It is only found in small amounts in fresh domestic wastewater, but in effluent of nitrifying biological treatment plants, nitrate may be found in concentrations up to 30 mg nitrate as nitrogen/L Nitrate is a less serious environmental problem, it can be found in relatively high concentrations where it is relatively nontoxic to aquatic organisms. When nitrate concentrations become excessive, however, and other essential nutrient factors are present, eutrophication and associated algal blooms can be become a problem (Fundamentals of Aquatic Toxicology, 1985). Nitrogen as Nitrite Nitrite, or NO2-: Nitrite is extremely toxic to aquatic life, however, is usually present only in trace amounts in most natural freshwater systems because it is rapidly oxidized to nitrate. In sewage treatment plants using nitrification process to convert ammonia to nitrate, the process may be impeded, causing discharge of nitrite at elevated concentrations into receiving waters. pH pH is an important limiting chemical factor for aquatic life. If the water in a stream is too acidic or basic, the H+ or OH- ion activity may disrupt aquatic organisms biochemical reactions by either harming or killing the stream organisms. pH is expressed in a scale with ranges from 1 to 14. A solution with a pH less than 7 has more H+ activity than OH-, and is considered acidic. A solution with a pH value greater than 7 has more OH- activity than H+, and is considered basic. The pH scale is logarithmic, meaning that as you go up and down the scale, the values change in factors of ten. A one-point pH change indicates the strength of the acid or base has increased or decreased tenfold. Streams generally have a pH values ranging between 6 and 9, depending upon the presence of dissolved substances that come from bedrock, soils and other materials in the watershed. Changes in pH can change the aspects of water chemistry. For example, as pH increases, smaller amounts of ammonia are needed to reach a level that is toxic to fish. As pH decreases, the concentration of metal may increase because higher acidity increases their ability to be dissolved from sediments into the water Temperature Water Temperature is a controlling factor for aquatic life: it controls the rate of metabolic activities, reproductive activities and therefore, life cycles. If stream temperatures increase, decrease or fluctuate too widely, metabolic activities may speed up, slow down, malfunction, or stop altogether. There are many factors that can influence the stream temperature. Water temperatures can fluctuate seasonally, daily, and even hourly, especially in smaller sized streams. Spring discharges and overhanging canopy of stream vegetation provides shade and helps buffer the effects of temperature changes. Water temperature is also influenced by the quantity and velocity of stream flow. The sun has much less effect in warming the waters of streams with greater and swifter flows than of streams with smaller, slower flows. Temperature affects the concentration of dissolved oxygen in a water body. Oxygen is more easily dissolved in cold water Turbidity Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of water. Cloudiness is caused by suspended solids (mainly soil particles) and plankton (microscopic plants and animals) that are suspended in the water column. Moderately low levels of turbidity may indicate a healthy, well-functioning ecosystem, with moderate amounts of plankton present to fuel the fuel the food chain. However, higher levels of turbidity pose several problems for stream systems. Turbidity blocks out the light needed by submerged aquatic vegetation. It also can raise surface water temperatures above normal because suspended particles near the surface facilitate the absorption of heat from sunlight. Suspended soil particles may carry nutrients, pesticides, and other pollutants throughout a stream system, and they can bury eggs and benthic critters when they settle. Turbid waters may also be low in dissolved oxygen. High turbidity may result from sediment bearing runoff, or nutrients inputs that cause plankton blooms (1991, Streamkeeper's Field Guide: Watershed Inventory and Stream Monitoring Methods) . Dissolved Oxygen Dissolved oxygen is oxygen gas molecules (O2) present in the water. Plants and animals cannot directly use the oxygen that is part of the water molecule (H2O), instead depending on dissolved oxygen for respiration. Oxygen enters streams from the surrounding air and as a product of photosynthesis from aquatic plants. Consistently high levels of dissolved oxygen are best for a healthy ecosystem. Levels of dissolved oxygen vary depending on factors including water temperature, time of day, season, depth, altitude, and rate of flow. Water at higher temperatures and altitudes will have less dissolved oxygen. Dissolved oxygen reaches its peak during the day. At night, it decreases as photosynthesis has stopped while oxygen consuming processes such as respiration, oxidation, and respiration continue, until shortly before dawn. Human factors that affect dissolved oxygen in streams include addition of oxygen consuming organic wastes such as sewage, addition of nutrients, changing the flow of water, raising the water temperature, and the addition of chemicals. Dissolved oxygen is measured in mg/L. 0-2 mg/L: not enough oxygen to support life. 2-4 mg/L: only a few fish and aquatic insects can survive. 4-7 mg/L: good for many aquatic animals, low for cold water fish 7-11 mg/L: very good for most stream fish Questions: 1. Rank the rivers according to healthiest to most polluted. 2. Describe some of the factors that cause pollution or water degradation in the rivers 3. What recommendations would you make to the ministry of environment if they wanted to improve the water quality of the rivers. E. El Choco National Park Reforestation, eco-tourism, biodiversity, community, poverty, natural resources, In 2010 the Ministry of took over operation of the El Choco area from a private tour operator. Here are some questions to think about for your blog: choose a minimum of 2 questions to respond to. How does the protection of spaces also help with the protection of species? How important are monitoring activities and scientific studies for maintaining species populations and protecting species at risk? What type of monitoring were they doing at El Choco? What are the benefits of protecting the boreal forest or coral reefs or wetlands? What is the difference between preserving and conserving natural spaces? Should mining or logging be allowed in national or provincial parks? “Where are fragile environments already protected by limitations on human activity? Are there other environments that should be recognized as fragile or under threat? What are the organizations or agencies that, in your opinion, play the most important role in the protection of natural and cultural spaces? What are some of the different ways in which natural spaces can be protected? How effective have these different kinds of protection been, and what challenges might they face in the future? Dominican Republic to Plant 5 Million Trees Along Border with Haiti SANTO DOMINGO – The Dominican Republic plans to plant 5 million trees along the border with Haiti as part of a project to fight deforestation, environmental officials said. The project, which will cost about 35 million pesos (some $972,200), will be carried out under an agreement signed by the Environment Ministry and the General Border Development Administration, or DGDF. Pine, mahogany, mango, oak, tamarind and guayacan trees will be planted in the border region, the Environment Ministry said. The agreement will be implemented via the Quisqueya Verde reforestation program in Montecristi, Dajabon and Santiago Rodriguez provinces in the northwestern part of the country, as well as in the southwestern provinces of Elias Piña, Bahoruco, Independencia and Pedernales. Natural resources “are a national security” issue because “not just forests but also transborder waters” are at stake, Environment Minister Jaime David Fernandez Mirabal said. “The production of charcoal is a threat to all of us, but when families join reforestation brigades you create green jobs, on the one hand, and reduce the pressure on resources, on the other,” Fernandez Mirabal said. The Dominican Republic and Haiti share the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, with Haiti in the western portion. Heavy rains from tropical storms and hurricanes have caused mudslides, killing thousands of people in Haiti in recent years. Haiti, the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country, is prone to devastating mudslides and flooding because of man-made deforestation that has reduced the amount of the nation covered by forest from 25 percent some 50 years ago to just 2 percent today, while the neighboring Dominican Republic retains a lush tree canopy. EFE Tree Facts 1. A balance of carbon and oxygen A single 30-meter-tall mature tree can absorb as much as 22.7 kilograms (50 pounds) of carbon dioxide in a year, which over it’s lifetime is approximately the same amount as would be produced by an average car being driven 41,500 kilometers (25,787 miles). The same tree could also produce 2,721 kilograms (5,998.78 pounds) of oxygen in a year, which is enough to support at least two people. According to the University of Melbourne, because trees grow faster the older they get, their capacity for photosynthesis and carbon sequestration increases as they age. 2. Trees and wildlife You probably knew that trees were good for wildlife, but did you know just how good? For example, the common English Oak (Quercus robur) can support hundreds of different species, including 284 species of insect and 324 taxa (species, sub-species, and varieties) of lichens living directly on the tree. These in turn provide food for numerous birds and small mammals. The acorns of oak trees (which don’t usually appear until the tree is around 40 years old) are food for dozens of species, including wild boar (and now more commonly pigs), jays, pigeons, pheasants, ducks, squirrels, mice, badgers, and deer. 3. Who needs a compass? When lost, it is possible to use trees to assist you in navigation. In northern temperate climates, moss will grow on the northern side of the tree trunk, where it is shadier. Failing that, if you find a tree that has been cut down, you can observe the rings of the tree to discover which direction north is. In the northern hemisphere, the rings of growth in a tree trunk are slightly thicker on the southern side, which receives more light. The converse is true in the southern hemisphere. 4. Saving energy and money Most people know that trees near buildings can raise property prices by an average of 14 percent in the U.K. and as much as up to 37 percent in the U.S. But trees can also have an impact on the energy used for heating and cooling a building, reducing air conditioning costs by as much as 30 percent and saving 20 to 50 percent on energy for heating. This is because as well as providing shade, a large tree can also transpire as much as 378.5 liters (100 gallons) of water into the air per day. This has a cooling effect roughly equivalent to 10 single room-sized air conditioning units operating 20 hours a day! 5. Self-defense and communication Trees are masters of both self-defense and communication. Scientists have found that when attacked by insects, trees can flood their leaves with chemicals called phenolics. These noxious compounds are distasteful to tree pests and can even impede their growth. What’s amazing is that once a tree is attacked, it will “signal” to other nearby trees to also start their self-defense, before they are attacked! Methods of communication include releasing chemicals into the wind and possibly even sending chemical or electric signals through the michorizal network of roots (a network of shared fungus fibers). Forest cover in the Dominican Republic http://www.diccionariomedioambiente.org/DiccionarioMedioAmbiente_en/en/cpo_deforestacion_bis.asp It is estimated that the forest cover in the Dominican Republic was about 40,000 km2 at the start of the twentieth century. This accounted for approximately 83% of the total land area of the country (48,380 km2). In the second, third and fourth decades of the past century, the country lost 10 to 15% of this wooded area, preserving only about 35,000 km2. In the postwar era, deforestation accelerated, causing a loss of 75 to 85% of the coverage it had at the start of the twentieth century. The highest rate of destruction occurred in the decades of the sixties, seventies, and the eighties. At the end of the latter decade there were only about 5,000 km2 of forest cover remaining in the Dominican Republic. Then, in the nineties, this destructive process began to reverse and the forest cover began to gradually recover. Finally, the Forestry Law (203), which was established in the late sixties, began to bear fruit. This law was intended to stop the logging of the Dominican forest and to promote the recovery of degraded lands. In fact, through reforestation programs, the country’s forested area was increased to around 13,000 km2 in 1998, more than double what it was in the mid-eighties, but still no more than a fraction (30%) of what it was 100 years ago. After that period, the forested area of the Dominican Republic stabilized for a few years, showing a balance between deforestation and reforestation. In fact, according to the Evaluation of World Forest Resources, published by FAO in 2005, the Dominican forest cover was about 13,760 km2, which is about 28.5% of the total land area of the country. The annual variation rate in forest area in the country showed a reduction of forested surface of between 0 to 0.5% per year in the period between 2000 and 2005. Principal causes of deforestation The main cause of deforestation in Latin America and the Caribbean is the conversion of forests into extensive agricultural and farming land. Other factors that influence the loss of forests in the western hemisphere are forest fires; industrial logging for commercial purposes; the production of charcoal and firewood; mining, including oil and gas; the construction of dams and mega infrastructures (e.g. roads); urbanization; coastal development; and, in areas originally covered by mangrove forests, shrimp farms. In the Caribbean, the loss of forest caused by natural disasters which generate severe damage to trees, soil erosion, landslides, and floods is very frequent. Every two years, hurricanes and tropical storms ravage islands such as Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico, destroying their natural forests and forest plantations. Recently, there has been an increase in the number and intensity of hurricanes and storms in the Caribbean region, possibly caused by human-related global warming. Today we know that deforestation increases the temperature on the face of the Earth, because as trees are cut down, carbon stored in their trunks and branches is released into the atmosphere. It is estimated that a tree’s composition is 50% carbon, and the amount of carbon stored in the global forest biomass is about 283 gigatons (Gt), although this figure decreased globally by 1.1 Gt per year between 1990 and 2005. For the Dominican Republic, FAO estimates that there are 60 tons of biomass carbon per hectare, which means a total of 82 million tons of carbon for the country. This amount of forest carbon is distributed in a total of 64 million cubic meters of Dominican forest. At the same time, it is estimated that deforestation worldwide is responsible for issuing between 25 and 30% of the so-called greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere, which means about 1,600 million tons of gas a year. In this sense, indiscriminate felling and burning contributes significantly to climate change, causing the surface of our planet to warm up with all the devastating consequences that entails. Deforestation and forest degradation have adverse effects on the diversity and the ecology of forests, threatening their multiple functions, including conservation of biodiversity, soil and water resources and the supply of timber and other non-forest products, as well as the areas of recreation and carbon sinks they provide. In short, when they lose their forest cover, lands are restricted in their ability to help maintain the ecological balance of the planet, which negatively affects the welfare of human beings who depend on the environmental services offered by valuable ecosystems such as tropical and temperate forests. Canada surpasses Brazil as global leader in deforestation WASHINGTON – The world’s virgin forests are being lost at an increasing rate and the largest portion of the degradation is in Canada, according to a new report. No longer is Brazil the main villain in the struggle to stop forest destruction. “Canada is the number one in the world for the total area of the loss of intact forest landscapes since 2000,” Peter Lee, of Forest Watch Canada, said in an interview. He said the main drivers are fires, logging and energy and industrial development. “There is no political will at federal or provincial levels for conserving primary forests,” he said. “Most logging done in Canada is still to this day done in virgin forests.” Using satellite technology, scientists from the University of Maryland, Greenpeace, Global Forest Watch and the World Resources Institute have tracked changes in the earth’s forest coverage. The scientists discovered that the pace of decline is accelerating with more than 104 million hectares – about 8.1 per cent of global undisturbed forests — lost from 2000 to 2013. If this rate of degradation continues, “business as usual will lead to destruction of most remaining intact forests this century,” Dr. Nigel Sizer, director of the forest program at the World Resources Institute, said. Computer graphics (www.globalforestwatch.org) based on satellite imagery show huge degradation of Canada’s boreal forest from the Maritimes to Alberta with little compensatory gain. The boreal forests of Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta appear to have been hit particularly hard by wild fires and resource exploitation. Ecotourism Definition https://www.ecotourism.org/book/ecotourism-definition The Definition: Ecotourism is: "Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people." (TIES, 1990) Principles of Ecotourism: Ecotourism is about uniting conservation, communities, and sustainable travel. This means that those who implement and participate in ecotourism activities should follow the following ecotourism principles: Minimize impact. Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect. Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts. Provide direct financial benefits for conservation. Provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people. Raise sensitivity to host countries' political, environmental, and social climate. How is ecotourism different from nature tourism, sustainable tourism, responsible tourism? Ecotourism is defined as "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people." While "nature-based tourism" is simply describes travel to natural places, ecotourism is a type of nature-based tourism that benefits local communities and destinations environmentally, culturally and economically. Ecotourism represents a set of principles that have been successfully implemented in various global communities, and are supported by extensive industry and academic research. Ecotourism, when properly executed based on these principles, exemplifies the benefits of socially and environmentally sound tourism development. Like ecotourism, such terms as sustainable tourism and responsible tourism are rooted in the concept of sustainable development, or development that "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs" (Bruntland Commission, 1987). With this concept in mind, sustainable tourism was defined in the 1992 Agenda 21 for the Travel and Tourism Industry as tourism that "meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future." Why is ecotourism important? Ecotourism is a growing segment of the global tourism industry that is making significant positive contributions to the environmental, social, cultural and economic well-being of destinations and local communities around the world. Offering market-linked long-term solutions, ecotourism provides effective economic incentives for conserving and enhancing bio-cultural diversity and helps protect the natural and cultural heritage of our beautiful planet. By increasing capacity building opportunities, ecotourism is also an effective vehicle for empowering local communities around the world to fight against poverty and to achieve sustainable development. Furthermore, ecotourism has provided an impetus to assist in greening the tourism industry on many fronts. Positive & Negative Effects of Ecotourism Rita Kennedy USA Today Ecotourism is an important sector of the tourist industry, and the United Nations estimates that the sector will contribute 25 percent of the world's tourism revenues in 2012. Precise definitions vary, but the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization defines the term broadly as "tourism and recreation that is both nature-based and sustainable." Ecotourism emphasizes taking care of the natural environment and often involves local people in the provision of tourist facilities, but has both positive and negative impacts. Natural Environments Ecotourism generates money from natural environments by encouraging tourists to visit and, during their stay, pay for items like entrance fees, concessions and licenses, according to Frances E. Vieta of the United Nations. Re-casting the environment as a way for local communities to look after themselves therefore encourages them to take care of it. Yet the influx of ecotourists can also degrade the natural environment the tourists have come to see. Letting tourists loose in a delicate ecosystem can lead to pollution and impact on the environment in unforeseen ways -- one study in a Costa Rican national park found that wild monkeys turned into garbage feeders, becoming familiar with the presence of ecotourists and eating the food and rubbish left behind. Development Proponents argue that, by involving local people in accommodating tourists and acting as guides, ecotourism aids development. In Uganda, for example, hundreds of locals supplement their income by working as rangers or field staff in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. In many cases, local communities work as partners with ecotourism organizations rather than just as participants. However, ecotourism can also limit development prospects for local communities. Jim Butcher of Canterbury Christ Church University in England believes that ecotourism's focus on preserving "nature" damages local people's ability to develop sustainably and lift themselves out of poverty. The environment is effectively prioritized above the needs of local people. Financial Benefits Only $5 of every $10 spent by tourists in the developing world stays there, according to The United Nations Environment Programme. The involvement of local people in ecotourism allows its proponents to contend that it helps prevent this "leakage" of tourist income out of the host country through international hotel chains and tour operators. Other researchers have pointed to the ability of these same chains and operators to label themselves as ecotourism-friendly by undertaking very minor changes, a process known as "greenwashing." A large hotel using biodegradable cleaning products and recycling some of its waste can get the same "green" credentials as a small jungle lodge. Cultural Impact Ecotourism can have a cultural impact on local communities. Ecotourists are often partially motivated by the chance to experience local culture, which can have a positive and affirming effect on that culture. Involving local people in decision-making not only tends to make them more positive about tourism, but also empowers them as a community. However, negative effects also exist, such as the transformation of traditional cultural symbols into commodities to sell to visitors, the disruption of the pre-existing relationships between local people and higher incidences of crime. F. Chocal Organic Chocolate Cooperative: Today we will see in action - the entire Cradle to Grave process (that is if you eat a piece of the delicious chocolate! We will be traveling approximately 1 hour South West to Chocal Organic Chocolate Growers Co-operative which is run by 30 local women and co-managed by a nonprofit organization called Fundelosa. While there think about the following (and always ask many questions!) Environmental Science: why is this farm considered to be an organic farm - what evidence of this did you see? what waste is produced as the cacao plant goes from tree to your mouth? Describe the waste management strategy for the organic waste that is produced at each step in the chocolate making process Environmental Resource Management: There are many non-profit organizations that operate the Dominican Republic, how can NGOs help preserve natural spaces and improve the lives of citizens - how can they interfere? how are cooperatives different from other agricultural operations? who benefits from these relationships? How can NGOs (non-governmental organizations) play a part in managing resources? In what ways is this cooperative good for families? Good for the women who are working there? Would you consider this type of business environmentally sustainable (refer to the definition) Why would the Dominican Government spend money on small local business ventures? How is this in the national interest? USAID contributes to improve quality of organic cacao ALTAMIRA, Puerto Plata.- The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Rural Economic Diversification Project, concluded an initiative aimed at improving the production and quality of the organic cacao in the community Altamira, in northern Puerto Plata province. The project to bolster and diversify the Altamira Basin Chocolate Processor (CHOCAL), at a cost of RD$6.7 million and a USAID contribution of RD$2.5 million, has also facilitated support for women of Altamira organized to identify market niches that will allow them to be more competitive. In this manner chocolate production, headed by community women of low income, will guarantee the quality of the organic cacao it processes while diversifying production and local and international marketing. “Additionally the community will be able to obtain benefits since the chocolate factory will be able to motor agro and ecotourism actions,” said Duty Greene, USAID Economic Policies Adviser. Thanks to the support of USAID Project technicians, 30 women organized in CHOCAL were trained in better production, management and marketing practices, and acquired machinery to process organic cacao more efficiently. The Chocolate Making Process: G. Jonny’s Honey Apiculture, small businesses, vulnerable communities, poverty, waste management, subsistence farming Subsistence agriculture is self-sufficiency farming in which the farmers focus on growing enough food to feed themselves and their families. The output is mostly for local requirements with little or no surplus for trade. Jonny grows or has access to numerous fruit trees including avocado, mango, banana, and breadfruit to name a few. You will have an opportunity to visit a small countryside community where issues such as inequity, climate change vulnerabilities, poverty, waste reduction, subsistence farming, and apiculture will be explored. Best of all you will get to taste honeycomb collected straight from the hive! Think about: The community was hard hit by the huge rains this winter, in what ways to natural disasters affect resource management efforts? How could flood prevention efforts improve the health of people/communities How might pesticide use affect Johnny’s honey production? How important is subsistence farming in impoverished areas? Should this be taught in schools? Background Articles Global honey prices spur local beekeeping boom Santo Domingo.- Honey prices in international markets have sparked a boom for good beekeeping in the country, said Martin Canals, of the Dominican Agricultural and Forestry Research Institute (IDIAF) and the Dominican Apicultural Network. Canals, a honey researcher and producer, on Sunday said the problem that affected market production around six years ago has been already surmounted, for which the country is exporting honey steadily. “What we now have is a big market interested in Dominican honey, but we have to produce it with safety and quality," the expert said interviewed on Tending the Garden, on CERTV. He said honey exports head to the United States and not the European Union because the latter requires that the country to have a national waste and pollutants plan, in addition all honey extraction activity certified by the competent authority, in this case the Agriculture Ministry’s Livestock and Food Safety Dept. First direct evidence of impact of pesticide on bee pollination DAILY NEWS 18 November 2015 Apple trees pollinated by bumblebees exposed to neonicotinoid pesticides contained 36 per cent fewer seeds than those pollinated by unexposed bees. The results are the first to show that neonicotinoids impair the insects’ ability to pollinate plants. Previous studies have found that the controversial pesticides can affect bees and bumblebees, but haven’t measured whether it disrupts their ability to pollinate plants. About 30 per cent of agricultural crops depend on pollination by insects or other animals, with an estimated global value to farmers of $360 billion a year. “Our work highlights the importance of pollination services, and including that in the debate about whether to ban or restrict neonicotinoids is very important,” says Dara Stanley of Royal Holloway, University of London. Pollen decline Stanley and her colleagues exposed colonies of bumblebees to nectar that either contained a type of neonicotinoid known as thiamethoxam at levels typically found in nectar and pollen from treated crops and contaminated wild flowers. The bees exposed to neonicotinoids collected less pollen from apple trees and visited apple flowers less frequently than the other group. This behaviour resulted in a reduction in the number of seeds found in the apples, an important indicator of the extent of pollination. For several years, debate has raged about the size of the effect neonicotinoids have on bees. A temporary moratorium on their use on certain crops pollinated directly by bees – such as oilseed rape – is in place in Europe while the European Food Safety Authority undertakes a review of all the evidence. In the US, a court ruling in September overturned the US Environmental Protection Agency’s earlier approval of a newer type of neonicotinoid. “With apples, we consumers don’t care if it has fewer pips, but it’s very important for apple growers as there is evidence linking the number of seeds with apple quality,” says Stanley. And if neonicotinoids are disrupting pollination of apples, they are likely to also be disrupting pollination of many other crops, including strawberries, raspberries, oilseed rape, field beans and peas, as well as wild flowering plants. Artificial conditions “The obvious conclusion is that farmers using these chemicals could potentially experience reduced crop yields, as could their neighbours who may not be using the chemicals,” says Dave Goulson of the University of Sussex, UK. “There may also be knock-on effects for pollination of wild flowers growing on or near farms.” Syngenta, a company that manufactures thiamethoxam, says the design for the experiment, with bee colonies only allowed to forage for an hour a day and apple trees placed in experimental tunnels, didn’t represent real-life conditions. This means the results are not conclusive, says Peter Campbell of Syngenta. “They are premature and only representative of a single experiment conducted under artificial conditions both for the apple trees being pollinated and the method of exposing the bumblebees,” he says. Another paper published this week by French researchers found that while neonicotinoid pesticides harm individual honeybees, whole colonies were able to recover in the wild. Mickael Henry of the French National Institute for Agricultural Research in Avignon and his team found that honeybees foraging around treated crops die off at a faster rate than normal – but colonies were able to make up by boosting the number of worker bees in the hive. Journal reference: Nature, DOI: 10.1038/nature16167; Royal Society journal Proceedings B; DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.2110 Neonicotinoids (sometimes shortened to neonics /ˈniːoʊnɪks/) are a class of neuro-active insecticides chemically similar to nicotine. In the 1980s Shell and in the 1990s Bayer started work on their development. The neonicotinoid family includes acetamiprid, clothianidin, imidacloprid, nitenpyram, nithiazine, thiacloprid and thiamethoxam. Imidacloprid is the most widely used insecticide in the world. Compared to organophosphate and carbamate insecticides neonicotinoids cause less toxicity in birds and mammals than insects. Some breakdown products are also toxic to insects. [1] [2] [3] In the late 1990s neonicotinoids came under increasing scrutiny over their environmental impact. Neonicotinoid use was linked in a range of studies to adverse ecological effects, including honey-bee colony collapse disorder (CCD) and loss of birds due to a reduction in insect populations. In 2013, the European Union and a few non EU countries restricted the use of certain neonicotinoids. [4] [5][6][7] Neat Facts About Bees There are three kinds of bees in a hive: Queen, Worker and Drone. Only the Queen in the hive lays eggs. She communicates with her hive with her own special scent called pheromones. The queen will lay around 1,500 eggs per day. The worker bees are all female and they do all the work for the hive. Workers perform the following tasks inside the hive as a House Bee: Cleaning, feeding the baby bees, feeding and taking care of the queen, packing pollen and nectar into cells, capping cells, building and repairing honeycombs, fanning to cool the hive and guarding the hive. Workers perform the following tasks outside the hive as Field Bees: Gathering nectar and pollen from flowers, collecting water and a sticky substance called propolis. Bees have two stomachs - one stomach for eating and the other special stomach is for storing nectar collected from flowers or water so that they can carry it back to their hive. The male bees in the hive are called drones. Their job in the hive is to find a queen to mate with. Male bees fly out and meet in special drone congregation areas where they hope to meet a queen. Male drone bees don't have a stinger. If a worker bee uses her stinger, she will die. Bees are classified as insects and they have six legs. Bees have five eyes - two compound eyes and three tiny ocelli eyes. Bees go through four stages of development: Egg, Larvae, Pupae and Adult Bee. The bees use their honeycomb cells to raise their babies in, and to store nectar, honey, pollen and water. Nectar is a sweet watery substance that the bees gather. After they process the nectar in their stomach they regurgitate it into the honeycomb cells. Then they fan with their wings to remove excess moisture. The final result is honey. Bees are the only insect in the world that make food that humans can eat. Honey has natural preservatives and bacteria can't grow in it. Honey was found in the tombs in Egypt and it was still edible! Bees have been here around 30 million years. A honeybee can fly 24 km in an hour at a speed of 15 mph. Its wings beat 200 times per second or 12,000 beats per minute. Bees have straw-like tongues called a proboscis so they can suck up liquids and also mandibles so they can chew. Bees carry pollen on their hind legs called a pollen basket. Pollen is a source of protein for the hive and is needed to feed to the baby bees to help them grow. A beehive in summer can have as many as 50,000 to 80,000 bees. A bee must collect nectar from about 2 million flowers to make 1 pound of honey. It requires 556 worker bees to gather a pound of honey. Bees fly more than once around the world to gather a pound of honey. The average worker bee makes about 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime. Bees have 2 pairs of wings. The wings have tiny teeth so they can lock together when the bee is flying. Bees communicate through chemical scents called pheromones and through special bee dances. Every 3rd mouthful of food is produced by bees pollinating crops. Flowering plants rely on bees for pollination so that they can produce fruit and seeds. Without bees pollinating these plants, there would not be very many fruits or vegetables to eat. A single beehive can make more than 100 pounds (45 kg) of extra honey. The beekeeper only harvests the extra honey made by the bees. The average life of a honey bee during the working season is about three to six weeks. There are five products that come from the hive: Honey, beeswax, pollen, propolis, and royal jelly. Beeswax is produced by the bees. Bees have special glands on their stomach that secrete the wax into little wax pockets on their stomach. The bee takes the wax and chews it with her mandibles and shapes it to make honeycomb. Propolis is a sticky substance that bees collect from the buds of trees. Bees use propolis to weatherproof their hive against drafts or in spots where rain might leak in. People have discovered the anti-bacterial properties of propolis for use in the medical field. Royal Jelly is a milky substance produced in a special gland in the worker bee's head. For her whole life the Queen is fed Royal Jelly by the workers. Honey comes in different colours and flavours. The flower where the nectar was gathered from determines the flavour and colour of the honey. F. Cable Car and Mountain Isabel de Torres Teleferico Isabel de Torres Questions: CGR4M:Choose three of the following questions to focus your blog on: CGR4M 1. What are some of the different ways in which natural spaces can be protected? “How effective have these different kinds of protection been, and what challenges might they face in the future?” 2. How does the protection of spaces also help with the protection of species? 3. What are the benefits of protecting the boreal forest or rainforests or wetlands? 4. What is the difference between preserving and conserving natural spaces? 5. Should mining or logging be allowed in national or provincial parks? 6. What are the organizations or agencies that, in your opinion, play the most important role in the protection of natural and cultural spaces? Questions: SVN3M: Choose two of the following questions to focus your blog on: SVN3M 1. Puerto Plata is the largest city on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic. Motos are the most popular form of cheap public transportation but they are terrible polluters, releasing carbon monoxide, sulfur and nitrogen compounds as well as contribute to ground level ozone. How does this National Park assist in the health and well being of the population in Puerto Plata? 2. How would this mountain be different if there was only one or two species of trees? (biodiversity) 3. If a new government came to power and allowed logging on the mountain, what potential dangers would the population below face? 4. If you wanted to make sure humans were not having a negative impact on the Botanical Gardens what types of monitoring would you do? The Garden: The garden is home to several species of birds, such as Cigua Palmera, Guaraguao, Nightingale, Carrao, Dove, Hummingbird, Zumbador, and other beautiful birds that inhabit the mountain. There are 594 species of plants identified and according to late studies they belong to approximately 90 different families of plants. The forest has become such a scenario then privileged place where nature and culture are intertwined, harmonizing and complementing each other. Hiking up and down in the rainforest lush vegetation you might encounter the rare green lizard (Anolis baleatus), Dominican Parrot (Amazona ventralis), Geckos, Tree Frogs, Turkey Vultures (Aura Tinosa), Wild Orchids and more. Will you be able to spot them? The History: In 1970 in the mountain “Isabel de Torres”, at the top of the fortress, “El Cristo Redentor”, a Christ the Redeemer statue, was inducted with a vision of a greater tourist attraction. The Teleférico is located in the city in the mountain Isabel de Torres, it circulates continuously, it features three cables on both sides, it has two cable cars, two stations and one cable support tower. In 1973 the “Jardín Botánico”, Botanical Garden, was built along with surrounding gardens and fountains. The installation of the Teleférico, which was built as a tourist attraction, has positively affected the city of Puerto Plata and the country as a whole, as it is the only cable car ride in the Caribbean, and has been visited by tourists from all continents of the world. The dome, recognized as the base on which the Christ the Redeemer statue rests on the mountain Isabel de Torres, is a true symbol of strength, which was the precise purpose of its construction: a fortress of air defense for some and a Pillbox for others. Built by Trujillo to protect the city from possible foreign invasions. But, unfortunately, the dome resulted in being inoperative. Due to climate circumstances that prevail in this environment, notably the degree of cloudiness and fog, it did not allow for neither visibility nor constant vigilance. The Architect Cristian Martínez was he who then came up with the idea to install a cable car in order to ascend to the summit of the mountain, and in 1972 the then President, Dr.Balaguer, gave the order to begin construction. One year later the Italian firm Ceretti e Tanfani commenced the installation of the Teleférico of Puerto Plata and concluded labour in 1974. After six months of trial-runs, on July 19, 1975, the Teleférico opened its doors to the public, and that same year it was officially inaugurated by ceremony. And in 1973 the Engineer Benjamin Paewonsky was given the task of converting the entire summit of the mountain into a botanical garden. The Importance of National Parks http://www.visitorguard.com/five-reasons-why-national-parks-and-wildlife-sanctuaries-are-so-important/ In the modern, overpopulated world the need for dedicated space for wildlife is increasingly important. National parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and protected spaces for nature help conserve the natural world and benefit us all in many ways. Whether a National Park is giving someone space to walk and exercise, or a wildlife sanctuary is promoting conservation, these places play an important role in society. Here we look at some of the benefits: What is a National Park? A National Park is a natural space that is dedicated for the purposes of conservation, recreation, and protection. Different countries have their own national parks and the designation of national parks across the globe depends on each individual country’s system and judgment. But most national parks have similar aims – to conserve wild nature in order to protect it for the future as well as allow people the chance to enjoy it. National parks are often a symbol of national pride. Most national parks are open to the public and provide opportunities for recreation, camping, and walking. Most national parks have an outstanding level of natural beauty, whether the beauty comes from mountains, lakes, rivers or plains. The first national park was established in the United States in 1872 – Yellowstone National Park. Mackinac Island in the US was established in 1875 and the third national park created in the world was the Royal National Park in Australia. 1885 was when Banff National Park was established as Canada's first National Park. Originally this park was called Banff Hot Springs Reserve and later the Rocky Mountains National Park. What is a Wildlife Sanctuary? Animal sanctuaries exist for many specific reasons, but the overriding reason is to help protect animals and safeguard their lives. Animal sanctuaries give new homes to abandoned animals and animals rescued from dangerous conditions, help to protect animals from illegal activities, and serve as places where endangered animals breed and are therefore protected. Animals in animal sanctuaries cannot be responsibly returned to their natural habitats as they are not fit enough for the wild, or their habitat has been destroyed. A sanctuary is a haven, a place where animals can be protected. What are the Benefits of National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries? 1. National Parks Help Protect Wildlife Unfortunately many animal species today face extinction, mainly because their natural habitats are being steadily destroyed. National parks safeguard these habitats, and provide a safe space for wildlife to breed and survive. Without national parks certain animal species are at greater risk of becoming extinct – a landscape needs to be protected in order to provide habitat for wildlife. Animal sanctuaries give a specific place where animals are kept in captivity in order to preserve the species. 2. National Parks Help Protect Landscapes Animals are not the only things that are at risk of disappearing. Landforms like mountains, rainforests, gorges and dunes are at risk of disappearing if they are not protected from the actions of humans and also the natural action of the environment. Many landforms are at risk from pollution, and when they are controlled under national park status they have a better chance of survival. Landforms in national parks are protected from development, destruction, and pollution. 3. Parks and Sanctuaries Preserve History Historical structures built on national park land are preserved in order to give us a better idea of how people lived in the past, and how their cultures worked. There are many different structures that can be preserved which allow people to learn from the past and continue building for the future. 4. Helping Preserve Cultures and Tribes In many national parks around the world people live generally apart from main civilization, and their culture and members are largely protected thanks to the status of the national park. By setting up protected areas, tribes and indigenous peoples who would otherwise struggle in the face of development are protected from these actions. National parks not only protect animals and wildlife, they can also sometimes protect people too. 5. Giving People the Chance for Healthy Activity National parks and to some extent wildlife sanctuaries also exist to provide members of the public with the space for healthy exercise and recreation in the open air. It is important to conserve places where the natural environment is intact, so that people can slow down, enjoy nature, and get some exercise by walking, running, or riding bikes. Many national parks in North America have established trail systems that offer extensive routes for exploration on foot. People benefit from cleaner air to breathe and the chance to relax and combat the stress of busy lives. The Amber Museum Amber is fossilized tree resin, which has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times.Much valued from antiquity to the present as a gemstone, amber is made into a variety of decorative objects. Amber is used as an ingredient in perfumes, as a healing agent in folk medicine, and as jewelry. Paleontological significance Amber is a unique preservational mode, preserving otherwise unfossilizable parts of organisms; as such it is helpful in the reconstruction of ecosystems as well as organisms; the chemical composition of the resin, however, is of limited utility in reconstructing the phylogenetic affinity of the resin producer. Amber sometimes contains animals or plant matter that became caught in the resin as it was secreted. Insects, spiders and even their webs, annelids, frogs, crustaceans, bacteria and amoebae, marine microfossils, wood, flowers and fruit, hair, feathers and other small organisms have been recovered in ambers dating to 130 million years ago. In August 2012, two mites preserved in amber were determined to be the oldest animals ever to have been found in the substance; the mites are 230 million years old and were discovered in northeastern Italy. Once in a lifetime find': Dinosaur tail discovered trapped in amber By Katie Hunt, CNN Updated 10:26 AM ET, Fri December 9, 2016 (CNN)The tail of a 99-million-year-old dinosaur has been found entombed in amber, an unprecedented discovery that has blown away scientists. Xing Lida, a Chinese paleontologist found the specimen, the size of a dried apricot, at an amber market in northern Myanmar near the Chinese border. The remarkable piece was destined to end up as a curiosity or piece of jewelry, with Burmese traders believing a plant fragment was trapped inside. "I realized that the content was a vertebrate, probably theropod, rather than any plant," Xing told CNN. "I was not sure that (the trader) really understood how important this specimen was, but he did not raise the price." Once in a lifetime find The findings, which shed fresh light on how dinosaurs looked, are published in the December issue of Current Biology. Ryan McKellar, a paleontologist at the Royal Saskatchwan Museum in Canada and co-author of the paper, says he was blown away when Xing first showed him the piece of amber. "It's a once in a lifetime find. The finest details are visible and in three dimensions." Fragments of dinosaur-era bird wings have been found preserved in amber before but this is the first time part of a mummified dinosaur skeleton has been discovered, McKellar said. The tail section belongs to a young coelurosaurian -- from the same group of dinosaurs as the predatory velociraptors and the tyrannosaurus. The sparrow-sized creature could have danced in the palm of your hand. The amber, which weighs 6.5 grams, contains bone fragments and feathers, adding to mounting fossil evidence that many dinosaurs sported primitive plumage rather than scales. National Park Assignment CGR4M Imagine that you are the Minister of Natural Resources for the province of Puerto Plata and you have been given your budget for 2018. There is only enough money to support one of the two national parks that we will visit on this trip - El Choco National Park and Mt. Isabel National Park. During our two visits make notes of each of the following aspects of the park and at the end, you decide which park will continue to get government funding based on your evaluation of its ability to protect the natural resources of the country. Make point form notes as we tour the areas - each point will be checked (12 points) and the paragraph description will be evaluated using the following rubric (8 points): Criteria Origin and Purpose of the Park: identify the history of the park, who founded it and what the land was used for prior to the creation of the park. Speculate what the area would be if it was not protected. Uses of the Park: What activities are available within the park? Who has access and who is most likely to use the space and for what purpose? Who would most likely visit the park? Environmental Benefits of the Park: what species or natural features are protected by the boundaries of the park? What types of ecosystems are protected and how ‘natural’ are they? El Choco National Park Mount Isabel National Park Human Benefits of the Park: whose land, water and air are protected by the park? Whose lives and livelihoods benefit from the park? Community Involvement: How are local Dominicans involved in the park? Are there opportunities available for environmental education? For generating income? For who? Other: What are other considerations not listed that might influence your opinion? Analysis - Which National Park will continue to receive their funding: ____________________________________________________________________________ __ ____________________________________________________________________________ __ ____________________________________________________________________________ __ ____________________________________________________________________________ __ ____________________________________________________________________________ __ ____________________________________________________________________________ __ ____________________________________________________________________________ __ ____________________________________________________________________________ __ ____________________________________________________________________________ __ ____________________________________________________________________________ __ ____________________________________________________________________________ __ ____________________________________________________________________________ __ ____________________________________________________________________________ __ Criteria Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 Makes a clear and concise argument for funding one park only. High degree of effectiveness Considerable degree of effectiveness Moderate degree of effectiveness Limited degree of effectiveness Uses sufficient (at least 2 each ) relevant, specific facts from each park to backup the opinion. High degree of effectiveness Considerable degree of effectiveness Moderate degree of effectiveness Limited degree of effectiveness I. Soil Testing: Soil pH: Measuring Soil pH Soil pH provides various clues about soil properties and is easily determined. The most accurate method of determining soil pH is by a pH meter. A second method which is simple and easy but less accurate then using a pH meter, consists of using certain indicators or dyes. pH Affects Nutrients, Minerals and Growth The effect of soil pH is great on the solubility of minerals or nutrients. Fourteen of the seventeen essential plant nutrients are obtained from the soil. Before a nutrient can be used by plants it must be dissolved in the soil solution. Most minerals and nutrients are more soluble or available in acid soils than in neutral or slightly alkaline soils. Phosphorus is never readily soluble in the soil but is most available in soil with a pH range centered around 6.5. Extremely and strongly acid soils (pH 4.0-5.0) can have high concentrations of soluble aluminum, iron and manganese which may be toxic to the growth of some plants. A pH range of approximately 6 to 7 promotes the most ready availability of plant nutrients. But some plants, such as azaleas, rhododendrons, blueberries, white potatoes and conifer trees, tolerate strong acid soils and grow well. Also, some plants do well only in slightly acid to moderately alkaline soils. However, a slightly alkaline (pH 7.4-7.8) or higher pH soil can cause a problem with the availability of iron to pin oak and a few other trees in Central New York causing chlorosis of the leaves which will put the tree under stress leading to tree decline and eventual mortality. The soil pH can also influence plant growth by its effect on activity of beneficial microorganisms Bacteria that decompose soil organic matter are hindered in strong acid soils. This prevents organic matter from breaking down, resulting in an accumulation of organic matter and the tie up of nutrients, particularly nitrogen, that are held in the organic matter. Changes in Soil pH Soils tend to become acidic as a result of: (1) rainwater leaching away basic ions (calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium); (2) carbon dioxide from decomposing organic matter and root respiration dissolving in soil water to form a weak organic acid; (3) formation of strong organic and inorganic acids, such as nitric and sulfuric acid, from decaying organic matter and oxidation of ammonium and sulfur fertilizers. Strongly acid soils are usually the result of the action of these strong organic and inorganic acids. Lime is usually added to acid soils to increase soil pH. The addition of lime not only replaces hydrogen ions and raises soil pH, thereby eliminating most major problems associated with acid soils but it also provides two nutrients, calcium and magnesium to the soil. Lime also makes phosphorus that is added to the soil more available for plant growth and increases the availability of nitrogen by hastening the decomposition of organic matter. Liming materials are relatively inexpensive, comparatively mild to handle and leave no objectionable residues in the soil. Credits: Text prepared by Donald Bickelhaupt, Instructional Support Specialist, Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management. Illustration by Robert Schmedicke. Soil Test Sample Location pH Nitrogen (N) Phosphorus (P) Potassium (K) Questions: 1. Summarize the results comparing the soil from the vermicompost to untreated soil. 2. What are the benefits of using compost and especially vermicompost compared with manufactured fertilizers? 3. What are the limits of using compost and especially vermicompost compared with manufactured fertilizers? 4. In what circumstances would you recommend permaculture type of farming practices? ing, financial services, textile manufacturing, and tourism.