panamapresentation

Slide1: 

The need for ecological literacy in (all of) our communities A course in survival

Slide4: 

The human cost of population increase and unsustainable development

Slide5: 

Predicted biodiversity status of the Earth in 2018 WCMC, Cons, Intl.

Slide6: 

By 2007 half of world’s population will be urban By 2015, 500 million urban people will be homeless Urban populations 2015:- Tokyo, 27.2 m; Dhaka, 22.8 m; Mumbai, 22.6 m; Sao Paulo, 21.2 m; Delhi, 20.9 m; Mexico City, 20.4 m; New York, 17.9 m; Jakarta, 17.3 m; Calcutta, 16.7 m; Karachi, 16.2 m. (UN population division 2001) Urbanisation - losing touch

Slide7: 

Effects of urbanisation on the natural environment: Loss of awareness Loss of knowledge Increasing rift between rural and urban communities (1st and 3rd world) Loss of attachment (roots) Loss of respect Change of values (consumerism)

Slide8: 

What is our ecological footprint? (Our environmental impact)

Slide9: 

5 Reasons Why Panama Is So Important By area it is the 10th most biodiverse country It has more vertebrates than any other Central American country (2,906) It has more birds than the USA and Canada combined (930 or 10% of the world total) Contains 3.5% of all flowering plants (8,532) Has 21 times the number of plant species per km2 than Brazil

Slide10: 

Global Hotspots To qualify as a hotspot, a region must support 1,500 endemic plant species, 0.5 percent of the global total must have lost more than 70 percent of its original habitat. typically has a high diversity of endemic vertebrates The hotspot concept targets regions where the threat is greatest to the greatest number of species and allows conservationists to focus cost-effective efforts there. The 25 biodiversity hotspots contain 44 percent of all plant species and 35 percent of all terrestrial vertebrate species in only 1.4 percent of the planet's land area.

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MESOAMERICA Hotspot Original Extent (sq. km.) 1,155,000 Hotspot Vegetation Remaining (sq. km.) 231,000 Area Protected (sq. km.) 138,437 Plant Species 24,000 Endemic Plant Species 5,000 Terrestrial Vertebrate Species 2,859 Endemic Terrestrial Vertebrate Species 1,159 Threatened Species *62 Critically Endangered Species *12 Extinct Species *4 * Endemic terrestrial vertebrates. Extinct species since 1500.

Slide12: 

CHOCO-DARIEN-WESTERN ECUADOR Hotspot Original Extent (sq. km.) 260,600 Hotspot Vegetation Remaining (sq. km.) 63,000 Area Protected (sq. km.) 16,471 Plant Species 9,000 Endemic Plant Species 2,250 Terrestrial Vertebrate Species 1,625 Endemic Terrestrial Vertebrate Species 418 Threatened Species *32 Critically Endangered Species *4 Extinct Species *0 * Endemic terrestrial vertebrates extinct species since 1500.

Slide13: 

What is happening to the Panamanian Environment?

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% change in forest cover p/a

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It is calculated that Panama loses 50-75000 hectares of forest per year

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In danger of extinction through hunting The bushmeat trade is jeopardising the survival of many African species, no in depth study has been undertaken in South America.

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The effect on extinction rates due to human activity 0.0001% pa 14 species/yr 1 m species/71kyrs 0.1% pa 14,000 species/yr 1 m species/ 71 yrs

Slide18: 

Asthma in the world Up to 150 million people have asthma, the number has risen dramatically over the past 60 years. In the last 10 years the number of cases has risen by 50% worldwide. Up to 30% of Panamanian children aged 6-7 years old are affected by the disease. It is one the highest rates found anywhere in the world. Pollution Related Diseases Asthma

Slide19: 

Coral reefs contain 30% of all fish species but cover only 0.2% of the marine surface But 10% have been destroyed and 93% of the remaining, degraded More than 35% of mangroves have been lost Populations of all large fish species have been reduced by 90% due to overfishing Marine Life

Slide20: 

Challenges to Panamanian Marine Life Problems with overharvesting (Pacific) Seine net fishing, long line fishing, Asian factory fishing fleets (tuna and shark) Problems with overharvesting (Caribbean) (lobster, crab, conch, grouper) Problems with coral harvesting (Caribbean) Problems with eutrophication and mangrove deforestation Locally high pollution problems

Slide21: 

Water Contamination More than 100,000 marine mammals die each year from ingesting PLASTIC! Marine Pollution Causes Many Human Diseases and untold wildlife casualties

Slide22: 

Social Problems Over one million people (37%) live below the poverty line, Over half a million (19%) live in extreme poverty Over 16% of all children under five (close to 50,000) suffer from any form of malnutrition Over 95% of residents of indigenous areas (197,000) fall below the poverty line and 86% live in extreme poverty Panama is among the most unequal countries in the world Disparities in education are key causes of poverty, malnutrition, and inequality in Panama Higher educational attainment for a household head or his/her companion significantly reduces the probability of being poor

Agriculture, Friend or Foe?: 

Agriculture, Friend or Foe? Agriculture is largely responsible for landcover change Agriculture is responsible for only 7% GDP 22% of workforce are involved in agriculture The agricultural sector employs up to 33% of rural workers, 53% of the extreme poor work in this area and depend on agriculture The rural poor (2/3 of the rural population) only posess 1/3 of the land The rural poor are involved with small scale agriculture, without title to their property and access to capital, an important and unsustainable factor

What is the solution?: 

EDUCATION What is the solution? skilled professionals society empowered by knowledge educational system that is adaptive agricultural systems protection of natural resources teachers academics specialists government good governance

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CREA What do we do? Access to environmental education for everyone Scientific Investigation Sustainable development projects

Education: 

Education Program of ecological literacy for children and teachers

Education: 

Education School visits to teach about biology and conservation

Community: 

Community Train and help organise local communities in order to diversify their skills and to empower them

Research: 

Research CREA is evaluating the effects of deforestation and overfishing on the Panamanian environment and on its people

Research: 

Research In doing so we are attempting to increase our understanding of the importance of natural systems to the well being of human populations

Sustainable Development: 

Sustainable Development CREA is working with rural populations searching for more sustainable methods of agriculture

Academic Courses: 

Academic Courses CREA’s programs are aptly held in Panama, a country which suffers from one of the world’s highest rates of tropical deforestation and financial inequality among its citizens. There is a growing demand for graduates with interdisciplinary skills who are broadly trained in both ecological and social issues involved in conservation and development

Academic Courses: 

Academic Courses Professional training for Panamanian and foreign undergraduates in conservation and sustainable development

Academic Courses: 

Academic Courses CREA runs its own Summer Field Courses in Environmental Conservation Undergraduate Field Course in Neotropical Biology and Conservation PANAMA-Summer 2005 Conservation Through Research Education and Action

Slide35: 

CREA’S work with SIT centres on ecology and conservation of nature

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Students obtain an understanding of the natural world by experiencing a totally new environment

Slide37: 

Bird observation, behaviours and habits; Developing skills in observation Data accumulation of bird and mammal species; Developing skills in animal handling and data gathering. Plant ecology; Understanding the link between habitat and form. Developing a question in science – the scientific method; Developing skills in logic and unbiased observation for research. Practical Elements

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Students discuss real life conservation issues and discuss strategies for change

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Above all students find new ways of seeing the world and their place in it http://www.crea-panama.org