Earthwatch Scientist Named Pew Fellow
Earthwatch Institute is pleased to report that Dr. Alan White, leader of Earthwatch's Saving Philippine Reefs project, was named as one of this year's Pew Marine Conservation Fellows. White's fellowship, one of the most prestigious awards in the field of marine science, confirms the quality of work performed by Earthwatch-sponsored scientists.
The Pew Marine Conservation Fellowship, an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts operated in partnership with the New England Aquarium, is the world's only prize dedicated to marine conservation. Each year the Pew Fellows Program in Marine Conservation selects ten outstanding marine scientists for a three-year fellowship, awarding each $50,000 annually to pursue pioneering marine conservation projects.
"The Pew Fellows Program recognizes exemplary individuals with unique vision, exceptional problem-solving skills, and innovative ideas to advance marine conservation," said Cynthia Robinson, associate director of the program. "Although from diverse backgrounds and locations, the 2001 Pew Fellows are united by their leadership in applying and communicating sound science to effect positive change for the sea."
This year's award recipients were selected from an outstanding field of 50 applicants in a wide range of disciplines, and come from Canada, Italy, Spain, Russia, the Philippines, and the United States. Each Pew Fellow is tackling urgent conservation challenges in one of four areas: sustainability of marine ecosystems, fisheries management, marine contamination, and coastal conservation.
Dr. Alan White, Deputy Chief of Party and Director of the Coastal Resource Management Project operated by Tetra Tech EM Inc., the Philippines, has focused on coastal resource management in Asia for more than 15 years. An expert in community-based marine reserves, integrated coastal management, and coral reef conservation, White brings to his efforts an economic perspective on the value of natural ecosystems.
"Too few people realize the wealth of benefits coming from coral reefs and other ecosystems," said White. "In our rapidly changing world, where economics is assumed to be the driving force, we should use economic tools to help people understand the value of their environmental resources-and what they stand to lose."
White will use his Pew Fellowship to establish the first-ever marine protected area (MPA) certification and rating system. MPAs are considered the most favored and potentially successful intervention to manage coral reef resources threatened with degradation from numerous human-induced stresses, from global warming to overfishing. White's plan includes an economic valuation framework that promotes competition on the basis of quality management of MPAs, adding to their potential effectiveness.
Although the Philippines has more than 400 community-based MPAs, less than 10 percent of them are believed to be achieving their full objectives of habitat protection, increased fisheries production, and improved tourism potential. White's certification scheme will encourage improved governance and standardization of successful management practices by attaching ecological and monetary values to well-managed areas. This pioneering program will also discover which MPA management models are most effective.
White's efforts under the Pew Fellowship will foster greater investment in coral reef conservation and marine protected areas among the communities of the Philippines, and will represent a model for other coastal areas around the world. His active role in public education and encouraging citizen participation in science and conservation is a powerful validation of the Earthwatch model.
For more information on recent field work, click here.
Earthwatch Institute is an international nonprofit organization which supports scientific field research worldwide by offering members of the public unique opportunities to work alongside leading field scientists and researchers. The Institute's mission is to engage people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment.