Earthwatch Institute, Maynard, MA - 7 August 2006 - Mark Cappellano of Santa Monica, CA has joined the Board of Directors of the international volunteer organization, Earthwatch Institute. "Mark's background in media and screenwriting, as well as his passion for conservation, will be huge assets for Earthwatch, " said Ed Wilson, President and CEO of the Massachusetts-headquartered Earthwatch.
Cappellano is a principal, along with his wife Anne - Marie and her family, of Versant Vineyards, located in the gently sloping mountains of Napa Valley's eastern ridge. He co-launched Versant with the 2000 vintage and manages all aspects of the luxury wine and olive oil business. Recent bottlings have earned high ratings and a reputation for brilliant dark red wines with concentrated black fruit characteristics. Mark serves on the National Resources committee of the Napa County Farm Bureau, and has been active in the establishment of a Weed Management Area for the County to benefit vintners, environmental NGOs, and local government .
Cappellano has been a filmmaker and field producer for various genres such as wildlife, entertainment, travel, adventure and PSAs. He has worked and traveled through 30 countries on five continents. Cappellano was first involved with Earthwatch in 1997 when he spent several weeks as an Earthwatch volunteer in Borneo helping Dr. Carey Yaeger of Fordham University document how orangutans transport fruits and 'replant' the rainforest. Later that year he helped scientists study the echidna, an egg laying mammal that looks like a cross between a porcupine and an anteater, working in Australia's unique wildlife sanctuary, Kangaroo Island, off the south coast of that island continent.
Among his Earthwatch film 'credits', Cappellano filmed, field directed and produced a segment for Sterling Digital's Destination Nature titled Eco-Adventure: Pantanal, Brazil - Earthwatch which aired on Cablevision. He later produced a segment on rare dinosaur excavations in Wyoming. Other wildlife filming has included searching for whale sharks off Belize, documenting bird migration along the African/European flyway, and documenting wolf reintroduction to Yellowstone National Park.
Cappellano has a degree in English literature from California State University Long Beach . He currently divides his time between Los Angeles and the Napa Valley with his wife and two daughters.
Earthwatch supports scientific field research by offering volunteers the opportunity to join research teams around the world. This unique model is creating a systemic change in how the public views science and its role in environmental sustainability. Earthwatch recruits over 4,000 volunteers a year and raises $5 million a year to support 140 projects around the globe. Earthwatch is supported by a staff of over 70 people in the Maynard, Massachusetts headquarters, and another 60 in offices in Oxford, England; Melbourne, Australia; and Tokyo, Japan. In 2006, Earthwatch is sponsoring research projects in 48 countries and 16 US states. Since its founding in 1971, more than 81,000 volunteers have contributed over $57 million and 10.8 million hours to essential fieldwork.
Earthwatch's mission is to engage people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. Year 2006 marks the organization's 35th Anniversary.
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