Operation Wallacea
Operation Wallacea (Charity no. 1078362) is an organisation that runs a series of
conservation management research programmes that operate in remote locations
across the world.
These programmes are designed with specific wildlife conservation aims in mind from identifying areas needing protection, through to implementing and assessing
conservation management programmes.
Much of the data that Opwall collect is being used by the ‘Reducing Emissions from
Deforestation and forest Degradation’ (REDD+) scheme for funding the protection of
the forests.
What is the REDD+ scheme?
The United Nations ‘Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation’
(REDD+) scheme is a system involving payment to developing countries (with
remaining intact forests) by developed countries (with high greenhouse gas
emissions and high reduction targets) to reduce deforestation and degradation rates.
If successful, the donor countries can count the carbon saved towards their carbon
budgets.
Applications for REDD+ funding, must provide details of the total area of forest,
carbon contained within the forest, biodiversity within the forest, number of
communities associated with the forest and their economic status, and a detailed
plan of how money received will be used to manage the forest.
Honduras
The field based work of the Honduras expedition is run in the endemic rich cloud
forests of the Cusuco National Park. Students spend their first week in a forest camp
and will be working with an international team of academics who are collecting data
on the carbon, biodiversity and community benefits of the forest. Much of this data
will be used for the application to the REDD+ scheme, to fund the protection of the
forest.
Along with data collection, students are also able to get involved in the following
projects:
o
Bird point counts and mist net sampling for birds: Students join an
early morning bird point count and learn how the technique
works. Students will also see how mist nets are used and assist in
identifying captured birds.
o Scan search sampling for herpetofauna: The students will join a
herpetologist and walk a transect line in the forest, searching for
reptiles and amphibians on either side of the transect line. Many of the
transect lines connect with a stream. While at the stream, they will use
systematic scan searching of amphibians and learn how to identify
those that are captured.
o Small mammal trapping: This session involves checking previously
baited traps for small mammals, identifying any individuals caught and
marking them before release (Mark-Release-Recapture).
o Light trapping and pitline surveys for invertebrates: A light trap will be
set to monitor nocturnal invertebrates such as moths and jewel scarab
beetles. Pitfall traps baited with dung for dung beetles are checked and
emptied daily.
o Bat mist netting: This practical will involve working with the bat
scientists in the evening to set and empty mist nets.
Basic structure of Honduras expedition:
Week 1:
Students spend 3 days in Base Camp or Buenos Aires (a mountain village) and trek
to a satellite camp (Guanales or Cantiles) for 3 days.
Week 2:
The second week is spent at the marine research site run by Opwall on the islands
of Utila or Cayos. The main objective at these sites is to complete monitoring of the
coral and reef fish communities. Students are able to study for the PADI open water
diver qualification along with the Reef Ecology course.
The Reef Ecology course consists of lectures and in-water practicals either by diving
(if a qualified diver) or snorkelling. The lecture course on Caribbean Reef Ecology
includes: An Introduction to Coral Reef Ecosystems; Coral and Algal Species;
Mangrove and Seagrass Ecology; Invertebrates; Identification of Coral Reef Fish;
Reef Survey Techniques; Threats to Reefs; and Marine Conservation.
2010 – Base Camp – Cantiles – Cayos
2011 – Buenos Aires – Guanales – Utila
2012 – Base Camp – Guanales - Utila