40 years of achievements
Earthwatch brings people and science together to advance conservation, research and education for a sustainable planet. The work of Earthwatch is not only unique, it is effective. Since 1971, over 100,000 global supporters, volunteers, scientists and educators have committed nearly 11 million hours to conservation research - equal to more than 5,000 years of solid hard work.
Our results include:
- 20 new national parks and reserves created worldwide
- 3,000 new species of plants and animals discovered – with
- more than 150 discovered in Australia in 2009 alone
- 150 new management strategies developed since 2002
- 250+ scientific publications in Australia since 1982
- Winner of the Prime Minister’s Award for Australian
- Environmentalist of the Year in 2009
Manta database spreads its wings
Researchers on Earthwatch's new Project Manta expedition have recently received photos of the 9th manta ray, named Clusius, proved to be travelling between Lady Elliot Island and North Stradbroke Island. Scientists expect this number to go up as the number of photos volunteers provide increases. These results tell us that it is probably the same population travelling along the coast as opposed to different manta populations occupying different areas. This news is extremely exciting and important as currently nothing is known about the eastern Australian manta population movement, and this shows for the first time that this manta ray species can travel such great distances.
Out of Africa
During November 2008, the Walking with African Wildlife team held the annual Animal Population Control meeting in Hluhluwe. The aim of this meeting was to debate population estimates, and assess population trends in order to determine which species need particular attention for conservation. Park managers were very impressed with the quality and quantity of data collected by Earthwatch volunteers, which indicated a fall in numbers of two species of antelope, the kudu and waterbuck. This has prompted a study to determine the possible reasons for this decline.
Protection in the plants
In 2008, volunteers on the Samburu Communities and Wildlife project contributed to 219 interviews with 76 traditional medical practitioners. The result was 58 plants species subsequently identified as being used for the treatment of various illnesses in different communities in Laikipia and Samburu regions of northern Kenya. When plant samples were extracted and tested against micro-organisms known to cause these diseases, many of the plants were indeed found to be effective. They were potentially useful in killing the bacteria relating to the organisms causing malaria, typhoid, wound infection and even the one causing cystic fibrosis.
Predicting volcanoes
The flora and fauna surrounding Poás volcano in Costa Rica may be useful in providing an effective indication of its activity, reports Dr Hazel Rymer, lead scientist on Earthwatch's Volcano expedition. Over the years, scientists including Dr Rymer have observed and measured cycles of increases and decreases in the gravity above Poás. These gravitational distortions, usually associated with magma movements, make it possible to predict future volcanic activity. Currently there is a gravity build-up resembling one monitored in the 1980s, which resulted in an environmental crisis at Poás in the 1990s when the park was closed because of dangerous sulphurous gas emissions. Dr Rymer is also looking for small genetic changes in the plant life around Poás, similar to those that occur as a result of traffic pollution. These changes could provide a cheap, efficient and environmentally-friendly way of monitoring the volcano’s activity. The team are investigating the processes that control volatile flux from magma and quantifying the long-term environmental and ecological effects in order to gain a better understanding of the hazards posed by gas emissions which will allow for more effective mitigation procedures to be adopted, including the cultivation of acid tolerant crops to neutralise soil, the evacuation of livestock and advice on the full evacuation or time-limited exposure for the human population as necessary.
Steppes for protection
Earthwatch scientists working on our Wildlife of the Mongolian Steppe project are conducting ground-breaking research into numerous little-studied species. We are gathering vital new knowledge on animals such as the globally threatened cinereous vulture. Our efforts have led directly to the Ikh Nart Reserve’s designation as an Important Bird Area in Mongolia, and the federal government is now considering upgrading the status from Nature Reserve to a National Park.
Giving hyaenas reason to laugh
The Northwest Parks and Tourism Board in South Africa are continuing to support the work of our South Africa's Brown Hyaenas project and several parks have approached the research team to expand their surveys to provide more information on this mammal for conservation action. It is hoped this research on the species’ genetics will inform the team of the viability of populations inside protected areas and what action is needed in maintaining this viability to ensure their survival.
Carbon communities
Earthwatch is working to restore and manage mangrove plantations and explore the capacity of different mangrove species to store carbon, which could help mitigate the effects of climate change. The new plots are already producing wild seedlings, indicating that the project should result in self-sustaining, valuable woodland providing key habitat and shore protection in areas that have been barren for over 30 years. Mark Huxham, the Earthwatch scientist leading the Tidal Forests of Kenya project confirms there has been an 87 per cent survival rate of the trees at the site, and his conservative estimates predict 180 tons of carbon will be absorbed over the 25 year forest growth. Because mangrove forests collect peat, they will continue to act as carbon sinks for many years to follow. We are involved with the local community to ensure the plantations can be sustainably managed in the long term.
Marine protection for bottlenose dolphins
As a result of research supported by Earthwatch volunteers in our Dolphins of Greece project, an international cooperative for marine biodiversity (ACCOBAMS) has recently recommended that the Amvrakikos Gulf be considered a candidate Marine Protected Area, specifically to protect bottlenose dolphins.
Kenya: Earthwatch puts clean water on the map for local communities
Earthwatch scientists and volunteers have developed a comprehensive new Geographic Information Systems (GIS) database that will help local communities in the Samburu region of Kenya gain sustainable access to improved water supplies. Compiled over several years, the maps detail permanent and temporary water sources and will help reduce the outbreak of serious diseases such as cholera by avoiding the use of contaminated water supplies.
Australia: Earthwatch volunteers collect data to produce detailed animal distribution maps in threatened ecosystem
Earthwatch volunteers working in the North Queensland Wet Tropics UNESCO World Heritage Site have provided a staggering 46,987 individual records of vertebrates, including numerous species of mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs. Teams also collected an additional 100,000 insect records, which will almost certainly contain a number of species new to science. These data were collected by multiple teams as part of the Climate Change in the Rainforest Earthwatch expedition and have already been used in various publications, including a report that provides the most detailed distribution maps and ecological information to date on these species in northern Australia.
Mongolia: New information may help save threatened vulture
Evidence gathered by Earthwatch teams on the Wildlife of the Mongolian Steppe project shows that the threatened cinereous or Eurasian black vulture migrates up to 12,000 miles away from its homelands. These new data will contribute to understanding the bird's behaviour and help Earthwatch scientists and conservation decision makers to better understand its conservation requirements. This research project also hopes to investigate further the factors influencing the vultures' nesting success in order to assist the recovery of the species.
Costa Rica: Vastly expanded a conservation area
After more than 10 years of research by Earthwatch teams in Costa Rica, Las Baulas National Park, the most important nesting colony of leatherback sea turtles in the Pacific, has been expanded from 10,700 hectares to 110,000 hectares and consolidated to provide a necessary buffer between the beach and any human development. "Without Earthwatch, I believe that Leatherback turtles would already be extinct in the Pacific" said the project's lead scientist Dr. Frank Paladino.