SPRING/SUMMER 2019

PASO PACÍFICO MAKING CONNECTIONS FOR CONSERVATION Belize

Guatemala

Honduras

El Salvador

Nicaragua

Costa Rica

W h e r e W e W o r k

Dear Friends, Moving Northward After a rainy winter in southern California, I love seeing the budding plants and hearing the songs of nesting . The reward of new life is one that we get to celebrate frequently at Paso Pacífico. From baby parrots fledging their nests to Junior Rangers releasing their first baby turtles, we constantly see hope and a brighter future. This April will mark one year since violent political repression began in Nicaragua’s cities. This period of time has been dramatic and, for some at our organization, life-changing. One might ask, “With so much turmoil in the region, why bother?” The answer is simple: Now is when wildlife and local communities Following our successes in Nicaragua, need even more support, not less. Paso Pacífico has launched projects in Your investment in our programs is an effective, pragmatic response El Salvador as part of our mission to re- to crisis. If we walk away now, we have nurtured into recov- store habitat across the region. ery will likely slip back toward extinction. Your help will enable With ecosystems ranging from cloud people to stay firmly rooted in their communities, sustainably forest to lowland dry tropical forest managing their forests and fisheries as they weather these difficult and freshwater wetlands, El Salvador’s times. When things get better, and I firmly believe they will, the local northwest area of Metapán is a para- environmental leaders you have been supporting will be ready to dise for conservation. We suc- sustain the investments we have made together. cessfully protected a yellow-naped We hope you enjoy this newsletter update. If you would like to Amazon parrot nest here this season in connect with me more closely on these topics, please contact me partnership with the Enrique Figueroa at [email protected]. Your support truly makes a difference. Foundation, FUNZEL, and the Loro Parque Foundation. We have also started work in El Thank you, Salvador’s southeast region, which is closest to Nicaragua. Field work will soon turn toward farming oysters, pro- tecting black-handed spider monkeys, and creating new private reserves in Sarah M. Otterstrom, Ph.D. partnership with local landowners. Founder & Executive Director

Front cover: Brown pelicans take flight at the edge of the ocean. Photo by Bismarck Picado. F ROM THE F IELD I will never forget the year when people throughout the tropics, and Hurricane Joan hit my hometown of with greater and greater frequency. Bluefields on the Caribbean coast of At Paso Pacífico, we have seen first- Nicaragua. In 1988, I was a married hand the increasing pace of extreme college student and the mother of a weather events. Just in the last four three-month-old baby, living away years, the Paso del Istmo Biological from home. My husband, Henning, Corridor, which normally is out- left me and our baby safe in Managua, side the hurricane zone, has been the capital city, and returned to impacted by Hurricane Otto and Bluefields to help our families pre- Liza González Hurricane Nate. Two of our employ- pare for the Category 4 storm. Regional Director ees lost their homes, and more Paso Pacífico Bluefields was a colonial city full community members lost their lives. Liza has been with Paso Pacífico of sturdy wooden buildings, many We also experienced a drought since the beginning. She has a masters in of them on stilts. It was and still is that was so intense that hundreds ecology and natural resources from the only accessible by boat and plane. of howler monkeys and other wild- Universidad de Centroamérica. Hurricane Joan’s incredible force life died before our eyes, falling from leveled almost every structure, trees along the roadsides. including my beautiful century-old These experiences reaffirm the childhood home and all but two importance of Paso Pacífico’s work. walls of our family’s hardware store. My country is consistently ranked Hundreds of people were killed, and among the top ten countries at high- I was very anxious for my family. I est risk from climate change. Rather saw Bluefield’s devastation imme- than wait for the next disaster, our diately on the news, but it was an organization is rebuilding nature’s entire week before I heard whether infrastructure of forests and reefs. anyone in my family was still alive. These can protect us and enable us That was without question the lon- to recover more quickly. gest week of my life. The architecture of tropical eco- At the time, Hurricane Joan was systems helps safeguard coastal the strongest storm to hit that far communities from storms. Sturdy south in the Caribbean. However, reefs absorb part of the force of large that record and many other hurri- waves offshore. Robust mangroves cane records have been surpassed capture sediments and reduce storm in the last several years. Because of surges and wind speed. Intact for- climate change, my traumatic experi- ests protect watersheds and limit ence is being lived again by millions of Through oyster aquaculture, we are helping restore the reefs that Junior Rangers visit coastal mangroves to learn about forest eco- shield coastal communities from hurricane waves. systems and the ways wetlands protect their community.

erosion. By planting tens of thousands of trees along When I look back on my experience with Hurricane rivers and forming private reserves such as our own Joan three decades ago, I see how much I have learned Reserva Mono Bayo, Paso Pacífico is stabilizing the about dealing with natural disasters. I also think of the land we live on. Through working with fishers and many ways our current work at Paso Pacífico safe- other community members to better manage these guards the communities where we work. While ecosystems, we are rebuilding coastal defenses and storms and droughts are likely inevitable, I feel confi- reducing the damage that disasters can cause. dent that we are in a better position to handle them. Our work also hastens recovery after extreme You and I can be proactive in the face of climate weather events. In my work at Paso Pacífico, I have change. We can make individual choices that preserve seen that healthy forests rebound more quickly. For the environment. When we work together as friends example, outer trees in these forests take the brunt and partners to support efforts like those of Paso of wind force, protecting interior forest during storms Pacífico, we can rebuild ecosystems and help Central and preserving strongholds of life that will help the American communities adapt and thrive. ecosystem recover.

D ONOR A l a n S c h r o e d e r & S o n i a O r t e g a

S POTLIGHT Sonia Ortega and her husband, Dr. Alan Schroeder has worked Alan Schroeder, have dedicated for USAID and the USDA on their careers to strengthening global-scale agricultural programs. humankind’s relationship with the Currently, he works as an advisor to environment. When they learned projects focused on agriculture and about Paso Pacífico in 2007, they food security in vulnerable regions immediately caught our vision and such as Afghanistan. have been loyal friends ever since. We are grateful to have Sonia’s Dr. Sonia Ortega, a Nicaraguan expertise as a Nicaraguan marine marine ecologist, helped found the scientist and Alan’s in-depth knowl- Nicaraguan Academy of Sciences edge of sustainable agriculture. Their and has been a program direc- professional and financial contribu- tor with the U.S. National Science tions to Paso Pacífico are making a Foundation for over 25 years. She difference for current and future has served on our board since 2015. gene ­rations. T h a n k Y o u , R e c e n t D o n o r s !

Tam Adams Gabriela Garay Kristine Mazzei & Janet & Victor Schachter John Alexander Stephanie Gardner Tag Engstrom Derek Schlereth & Brian & Connie Aikens Leila Gass Joanne McBirney Rebecca Tinsley Joan & Bill Bailey Barbara George & Kirsten McGregor & George & Jane Schmidt Felice Berenson Gerald White Michael Hewes Christine Schmidt & Elizabeth Binnian & Angie Gerst Sheila McMahon Bob Brewer Juan Bosco Aburto Jim Goetz & John & Karin McManus Mary Sealfon Florence Blecher Francie Rutherford Kathryn McQuade Jonah Seewald Sharon & Paul Boorstin Laurie Goldstein Stuart Meiklejohn Diane Sharr Jacqui Burge Andreas Veuthey Gonzalez Elisabeth Mering Jody & William Sherrard Margaret Busse George & Amy Gorman Melanie Miller Sarah & Alex Sheshunoff Nan Busse & Tobey Kaplan Lillian Grace Kline Joan Morrison John & Mary Catherine Kelli & Kevin Byrne Sarah Grunewald & Robert Murphy & Taylor Siebel Frederick & Judy Bysshe Ryan Shields Emily Chew Kitty & Barry Sklaver Dave & Kathryn Calfee Vana Guidotti & Brad Nahill Philip Smith Kevin Wells Vickie Campbell Dick & Nancy Noble William Smith Jennifer Hamilton Sean Carney Carol & Rob Norris Arlene Springer & Jim & Brittany Heaton Richard Webster Crystal Carter & Alice O’Connor Oliver Kollar Gary & Patricia Hedden Mary Ann O’Connor Pat Starr Charles Casey Tess Herman Susan O’Connor Stacey Sutter Fabien & Dine Castel Jennifer Hickman Eric Olson Mary Tansey Richard Cegelski Jennifer Hicks Sonia Ortega & Janice Thomas & Brian Stafford Mel Celebertti Sally Hinshaw Alan Schroeder Michael Tlusty Mei Chan Holly Hinton & David Otterstrom Violet Hebb Ethan Otterstrom Phil Torres & David Chase & Silja Danielsen Anne Fitzgerald Camille Holly Karl & Kate Otterstrom Nomi & Fritz Trapnell Alex & Anne Cole Barbara Holzman Paul & Kristina Otterstrom Mitzi & Tom Vaughn Allison Connor Elaine Hurd Samuel & Lori Otterstrom Dinesh Vemuri Bernie & Darlene Conway Randi Jacobs Crystal & Joel Otterstrom Terry & Mary Vogt Lynn Crew & Aaron Miller Harriet Jernquist Sarah Otterstrom & Ying-Ling Wang Heloisa D’Amoed Walter Juan Rick Rutherford Melinda Wells Christopher Davis Nicole Jurjavcic Dushyant & Rina Patel Patricia Wells-Turnage Diane Dempster & Anna Kafka Sandra Pearson & Bill Raffin Jennifer & Sven Klein Bud Murphy Dana Werner Kate & Matt Dolkas Frank Kling Wendy Purnell Michael Whitaker Zack Donohew David & Pamela Lee Jessica Rains Susan L. White Jade & Todd Doolittle Robert Lerner Mark & Kai Rains Matt Whitmire Richard & Sherry Dorfman John Lipsky Omer Rains Kim Williams-Guillén & Paul Buzzard Virginia Ericson Levi & Rebecca Lloyd Dave Rasmussen Madison Wilson Jennifer Erskine Ogden Travis Longcore Christy Reich Walker Wise Kai Ewert Erin Loury Geri & Gerry Rein David Wolstencroft Vasanti & Joel Fithian Kelly & Colin Lynch Lotte & Kevin Roache Eliza Woolley Jill Forman & David Young Kelly Lyons Jeff Robinson & Tammy Kizer Ginger Woolley Suza Francina Jim & Marla Malaspina Ann Rosen Kenneth & Athelia Woolley Benjamin Fryer & Roberto Manduchi & Laura Reynolds Jennifer Zukovsky Glenn Rosen & Scott & Cathy Woolley Ann Dannenberg Jane Furchgott & Ian Marsolais Heather York Charles Munch Vance Martin Robert & Debby Ruskin This list includes those who Robert & Diane Rutherford supported us from November Tom & Colleen Galdabini Tasha Marvin 2018 through February 2019. W HO F UNDS O UR P ROJECTS?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s interna- tional programs division, Wildlife Without Borders, has funded Paso Pacífico’s efforts to protect critically endangered species such as the leatherback sea turtle, robber frog, and black-handed spider monkey. Last year, their Marine Turtle Conservation Fund supported our environmental education efforts and training for new sea turtle rangers from local communities. The Fish and Wildlife Service also supports our migratory bird programs through the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA). Through their support, we have established two bird monitoring sta- tions where we band migratory birds to track their survival. We also have long-term monitoring sites for the endangered south- west willow flycatcher (see left). Our efforts further scientific understanding about our feathered friends’ migration routes and con- servation needs.

D ID Y OU K NOW?

• In the tropics, weather patterns come from the Inter- Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), a band of rising warm air that follows the equator all around the Earth. • The ITCZ can be as wide as 300 nautical miles, or approximately 550 kilometers. • Earth’s rotation causes the ITCZ to shift from season to season, causing the tropics’ dry and rainy seasons. • The zone has many storms (see right). Between the storms are many windless areas. These tricky conditions prompted sailors to name this region the doldrums. R ECENT H IGHLIGHTS • Over the past ten months, 50 children from the commu- • In the last weeks of the dry season, our rangers are work- nities in the Paso del Istmo have worked their way through ing overtime to stop the many wildfires that ignite so easily the Junior Ranger environmental curriculum. Most recently, during the current dry and windy conditions. Our forest these Junior Rangers led river and beach cleanups near their and turtle rangers have helped fight at least eight fires so far. villages as part of the program’s community service require- • Now 16 years old, one of our very first Junior Ranger ments. Now, they are gearing up for graduation! graduates recently asked to shadow our sea turtle rangers. • Seventy volunteers participated in our fifth annual He is currently learning techniques for marking and mea- Christmas Bird Count held at the beginning of January. They suring turtles. One day, he hopes to work on the beaches spotted 130 species, including the , a protecting sea turtles too! we have not seen in previous bird counts. • The women fishers from the Pochote and Ostional fish- • The InvestEGGator made headlines at the International ing cooperatives are building their confidence and skills to Sea Turtle Symposium held in Charleston, South Carolina, improve their oyster farming business. Over the past three in early February. Graduate student Helen Pheasey pre- months, we have provided courses to nine women on top- sented a paper with Drs. Williams-Guillén and Otterstrom ics ranging from boat driving and swimming lessons to first as co-authors. The presentation highlighted lessons learned aid and accounting. from deploying the artificial egg in 163 nests in Costa Rica. • More than 18 baby parrots are being protected by com- • Our conservation partnerships with zoos and aquari- munity members enrolled in our conservation incentive ums continues to grow. The Sacramento Zoo recently program. These babies will soon leave their nests. We can- began supporting the InvestEGGator project and will soon not wait until they are safely flying with their flocks. share this unique turtle egg as part of their public outreach • Thousands of people recently learned about the cultural efforts. In January, we shared our programs at the Santa importance of yellow-naped Amazons and the need to pro- Barbara Zoo’s crowd-pleasing “Improvology” night, where tect them in the wild in El Salvador. Salvadoran media spread field conservation stories are brought to life through improv the message from Paso Pacífico, FUNZEL, the Enrique comedy. Also, Delaware’s Brandywine Zoo is co-sponsoring Figueroa Foundation, and the Loro Parque Foundation. our cyanoptera macaw program for the third year in a row. USA P. O. Box 1244 • Ventura, CA 93002-1244 FEATURED STAFF Phone: 805-643-7044 Email: [email protected] This season, we feature the women of Web: www.pasopacifico.org Central America on our team. Their NICARAGUA dedication, knowledge, and gifts are a Carretera a Masaya Km 12.4 critical part of Paso Pacífico’s work. Residencial Villas del Prado, Casa No. 7 Managua, Nicaragua Phone: +505-2279-7072 Women Team Members Liza González El Salvador C/o FUNZEL Regional Director 21 Avenida Sur Nohémi Velásquez San Salvador, El Salvador Phone: +503-2566-6148 Administrative Manager, Nicaragua

Anabel Chévez Follow Us on Social Media: Ostional Librarian

Sea Turtle Rangers

Elena Vargas

Board of Directors Karen Lacayo Christine Schmidt, President University of California, Berkeley Maura Martínez

Derek Schlereth, Secretary Liessi Calero David Suzuki Foundation Teresa Lang, Treasurer Darlin Delgado South Pole

Sonia Ortega Office Assistants National Science Foundation Jazmina Flores Eric Ponçon Managua ECOM Agroindustrial Corp. Ltd

Chris Ayotte Betzi Vílchez Home Depot, Inc. Ostional Juan Marco Alvarez Banco Industrial Guatemala

Armando Vega Ganadería Llanogrande

Christy Reich pasopacifico.org/donate El Campeon Farms & Windy Hill Ranch