2013 Accomplishment Report
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Contents Editor’s message………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..III A message from the Director……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..IV Vision and mission…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….VI A working vision for safety…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………VI The Institute……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….1 Description of the Institute’s facilities…………………………………………………………………………………………………2 Headquarters………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...2 Sabana Field Research Station………………………………………………………………………………………………………..2 Library……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3 El Toro Wilderness: Art & Science Collaboration Residency…………………………………………………………………5 Meet the residency artists…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….5 Our scientists and field technicians……………………………………………………………………………………………….7 Support and administration………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..8 Finances and workforce………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….8 Incoming funds ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..8 Funding partners for FY2013………………………………………………………………………………………………………….9 Research & development………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….10 Scientist’s profiles………………………………..……………………………………………………………………………………………12 Research FY 2013 key accomplishments….………………………………………………………………………………………..16 Research highlights……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………20 Water, air, and soil……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….20 Wildlife………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..21 Resource management and use……………………………………………………………………………………………………27 Climate change…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….30 Inventory and monitoring…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….30 International Cooperation…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………34 Global activities……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………34 Regional activities………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..34 Nicaragua activities………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………36 Dominican Republic activities………………………………………………………………………………………………………38 State and private forestry…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………43 Highlights………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….44 The forest stewardship program…………………………………………………………………………………………………..47 I Urban and community forestry program………………………………………………………………………………………51 Cooperative fire protection program……………………………………………………………………………………………65 2013 publications………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………68 Cited references………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..74 Appendix…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..75 II Editor’s Message G. Bauer Fiscal year 2013 was marked by the celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the Institute. A year full of celebratory activities across all our programs: International Cooperation, State and Private Forestry and Research and Development. It was a year of reconnecting with longer term colleagues, employees and partners; and enthusiastically developing newer friendships. Hope you enjoy reading as much as we feel grateful for the opportunities of collaboration opened via the Arts and Sciences, the 16th Caribbean Foresters Meeting and Conservation Education – among many other significant accomplishments. Once again thanks to Marinelis Talavera for helping in editing of this report. Happy Readings! M. Rivera M. Rivera III Message from the Director the afternoon at the neighborhood as whole classes from elementary to high school walked from their schools to Capetillo to be with the astronaut. It was an unforgettable afternoon of learning, joy, and pride for Puerto Rico, picture taking, and friendship that I will never forget. These kinds of activities make our jobs fun and meaningful and contrast with the quiet research that we do, but which is equally important and relevant. This report contains research highlights that illustrate the breadth of our program that G. Bauer ranges from novel forests, to migratory avian species, to remote sensing, landscape ecology, and more. In the international The year 2013 already fades in my memory realm we hosted a meeting of Caribbean because we spent so much time preparing Foresters in the Dominican Republic where th for our 75 anniversary the following year. we formally established a network of forest The Institute is active on so many fronts that research plots that will allow us to it is difficult to attribute accomplishments to understand the long-term behavior of particular years. However, I will remember Caribbean forests and how they are different 2013 for the visit to the Institute of the first from continental forests outside the Puerto Rican Astronaut, Joe Acabá. We hurricane belt. All our State and Private seldom host celebrities at the Institute, and I Forestry activities are highlighted, as are was taken back by the behavior of our other international ones. This work is made employees and visitors when Joe walked possible because of the support of our into our Conference Room. Everybody, administrative unit, which operates in including the President of the University of anonymity but with effectiveness. Puerto Rico, wanted a picture with Joe. You can see from pictures in this report that even I have a final memory of 2013 that resonates the Mayor of San Juan visited with Joe and with what we are: it was a press conference she did so at Capetillo, the location that we at the Botanical Garden in Río Piedras under selected for Joe to interact with the children majestic Guanacaste (Enterolobium of Río Piedras. Our State and Private cyclocarpum) trees. The objective was to Forestry Program helped develop an urban announce a new fire danger rating system garden as well as a conservation education for Puerto Rico, a system generated by one and riparian restoration program in this of our scientists (reported here). But neither underrepresented community in the center of our scientist nor the Institute was at the metropolitan San Juan. Joe Acaba spent all center of the press conference. The star was IV the Puerto Rico Fire Chief who announced the Department of Natural Resources and how significant forest fires were in Puerto the Environment was there as well, but like Rico (well over half of all island fires are us, took a back seat on the occasion. You forest fires) and the priority he was giving to see, the stewardship of our forests is now in this ignored forest disturbance. The head of the hands of many, not just the Forest the National Weather Service was also Service or the Department of Natural present and announced that from then on the Resources and the Environment. Weather Service would include fire danger Partnerships ruled the day and that was levels in their forecasts. The Secretary of memorable to me. I. Vicens V Vision and Mission We are a center for excellence where creativity and accomplishments result in timely products and services that anticipate the needs of society as it mitigates and adapts to environmental change. Our mission is to develop and disseminate scientifically based knowledge that contributes to the conservation of forests, wildlife, and watersheds of the American tropics in the context of environmental change. A working Vision for Safety We actively care for the safety of ourselves, one another, and the public. Success is safely achieving our mission—with all of us returning home every day! M. Rivera VI The Institute The International Institute of Tropical Forestry (the Institute) is a tropical forestry research and technology transfer institute. Located in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, it has a long and productive history. Created in 1939 as the Tropical Forest Experiment Station in cooperation with the University of Puerto Rico, the Institute has been in operation continuously for 73 years. The Institute serves as a focal point for bringing external research and educational resources to bear on issues affecting tropical forests and grasslands. G. Bauer Because of the high diversity of tropical landscapes and the multicultural and multilingual user base, Institute employees must have specialized knowledge and skills in many fields. Our assets include an exceptional cadre of bilingual and trilingual scientists, natural resources managers, professionals, and technicians; state-of-the-art facilities, including laboratories, experimental research forests, and an excellent tropical forestry library; a long tradition of collaborations; and constituents who are highly supportive of our mission and programs. 1 Description of the Institute’s Facilities Headquarters The Institute Headquarters has 50,000 square feet of modern, state-of-the-art facilities that are secure, functional, accessible, and that service the scientific community of the Institute and its collaborators. The Headquarters complex is located in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, and houses: • The Institute’s Headquarters building—a publications, and training.• A technology historical building restored and modernized transfer conference center for meetings, into a high-performance sustainable trainings, and conferences. This facility has building. a food serving area and accessible restrooms. • A Chemistry Laboratory focusing on analytical chemistry of plant tissues, water, • A multipurpose building that houses a soils, and air. In a typical year, more than dormitory, a gym, general storage area, 50,000 analyses on samples collected from office space, and lunch area. tropical ecosystems around the world are completed by laboratory personnel. • An area for