Funded Grant Projects: 2000

"Balancing the Preservation of Unique Cactus with Urbanization and Tourism in the Caribbean"

(Category: Conservation of Plant Resources)

Urbanization and tourism are posing significant threats to native species of Caribbean cactus that are not capable of adapting to major environmental changes. Many species are extremely dependent upon specific habitats such as dry coastal areas, slopes and cliffs of eroded limestone, hills, and volcanoes. Nearly all these ecological sites are being converted from their natural state for the purpose of urbanization and developing tourism along island coastlines. Areces-Mallea would like to conserve a valuable and very attractive group of about 130 species of Caribbean plants with the potential for generating income as a tourist attraction. He plans to identify all the Caribbean cacti; resolve or mitigate the causes of threats to their habitat; enforce laws limiting the extraction of rare, threatened or vulnerable species; and educate people on the value of native cacti and the need for their conservation and sustainable use. Areces-Mallea hopes that through his work, government agencies and local people will change their attitudes about the value and beauty of the Caribbean cactus and begin to believe in developing sustainable approaches to saving and using them in natural, urban and tourist environments.

Andrew Cao
Landscape Artist, Glass Garden, Los Angeles, California
Stephen Jerrom
Artist, Glass Garden, Los Angeles, California

"Diverting Discarded, Recyclable Glass Away from Landfills by Making Glass Tiles for the Consumer Market"

(Category: Waste Minimization and Management)

Although cities nationwide have glass recycling programs that collect tons of container and industrial glass daily, up to three-quarters of this glass still ends up in landfills. Currently, new glass containers are made using only 27% recycled glass before they are introduced back into the consumer market. Because glass does not degrade like other material, it is undesirable in landfills. Therefore, finding alternative uses for this potentially recyclable glass is an important step in saving valuable landfill space for other waste. To date, Andrew Cao and Stephen Jerrom have already created 100% recycled glass pebbles for gardens, planters and broad landscape applications. In this project they propose the development of other uses for this plentiful, yet under-used resource - glass tiles, bricks and pavers. An estimated 400 tons of recycled glass is available to them for their research from the largest glass recycling company in the world. A prototype of a glass brick, (suitable for walking on or for interior decoration) has already been developed. Their goal is to bring the first 100% recycled glass tile to the middle class, home-improvement market, that is stylish, versatile, and most importantly, affordable.

Sebastian M. Chuwa
Coordinator, Mpingo Conservation Project, Moshi, Tanzania
James E. Harris
Coordinator, The African Blackwood Conservation Project, Red Rock, Texas

"Creating a Community-Based Program to Replant the African Blackwood Tree, Prized for Use in Carving and Woodwind Instruments, in Moshi, Tanzania"

(Categories: Education and Conservation of Plant Resources)

An estimated 20,000 African Blackwood (Mpingo) trees are harvested for commercial purposes each year. The wood is used by artists in carvings; to make some woodwind instruments; and it also provides a valuable economic resource for Tanzania, one of the poorest countries in the world. Once found in 20 African nations, harvestable stands of Mpingo are now only found in Tanzania and Mozambique. The trees have a 70-200 year growth cycle to reach a commercially usable size, and it is estimated that only a 20-year supply of trees remain available for harvest in Africa. For these reasons, the African Blackwood Conservation Project was established as a grass-roots effort to restore this precious tree in its native land. Chuwa, a botanist, raises and replants the Blackwood and educates African citizens about its conservation and replenishment. He has focused much of his attention on attracting and educating young people through the establishment of Mpingo Clubs in the local schools. He plans to develop educational films and training videos that will demonstrate how to gather seeds and document the germination and planting process. It is hoped that through these videos, he can teach local residents how to identify the tree and help protect it as a valuable resource; influence other towns in the area to set up similar projects; instruct how nurseries should be set up to raise the trees; teach the most suitable habitat for the trees once they are large enough to be replanted into the wild; and document his ongoing tree growth experiments. This Lindbergh/Newton Grant in conservation of plant resources, and arts and education, honors and memorializes the friendship of Charles A. Lindbergh and James D. Newton.

Dr. John F. Kadla
Assistant Professor, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina

"Developing an Environmentally-Safe Process for Producing High Strength Natural Fibers to Replace Rayon"

(Category: Conservation of Plant Resources)

The present process for producing rayon involves using high concentrations of hazardous chemicals that are environmentally damaging. It is predicted that within 10 years, rayon production will be phased out in the United States due to environmental pressures, causing a serious product loss. Cellulose, which can be obtained either from dissolving pulp, wood pulp, recycled paper or cotton linters, is the most abundant renewable resource for replacing this product. Presently there is only one commercial process for spinning regenerated cellulose fibers that meets today's environmental requirements, however, the solvent used in this spinning process forms explosive peroxides and the resulting fibers are weak. Dr. Kadla's goal is to research and test a plan to use "melt spinning" to develop a high-strength, natural fiber from cellulose, a renewable resource, in an environmentally safe process that also has lower energy demands. This process has the potential to become a major breakthrough in the use of cellulose. Not only would this process benefit the surrounding wildlife and ecosystems by eliminating the need for hazardous chemicals, but it would also improve the health and lives of the people involved in manufacturing regenerated cellulose fibers, thereby creating local and global benefits.

Dr. Gary M. King
Professor, University of Maine, Walpole, Maine

"Reducing the Adverse Impacts of Carbon Monoxide-Producing Agricultural Crops on the Atmosphere"

(Categories: Agriculture and Conservation of General Resources-Air)

Technological advances in agriculture, together with the expansion of agricultural land use, have been directly responsible for changes in atmospheric composition and the increasing severity of global warming resulting from the use of fossil fuel. Dr. King discovered that widely cultivated nitrogen-fixing agricultural crops such as legumes (peanuts, soybeans, beans, peas, clover and alfalfa) produce quantities of carbon monoxide sufficient to affect the composition of the atmosphere. With legume cultivation on the rise, especially in the tropics, Asia, Africa, and other developing nations, the risk of regionally elevated levels of ozone, and its related health problems, are of significant concern. Dr. King hopes to determine strategies to reduce the impact of these crops on the atmosphere while sustaining their expanded use as a food and economic resource in the tropics through a combination of field and laboratory investigations. It is hoped that results from this project will reduce the impact of major agricultural crops on the atmosphere, globally improve atmospheric stability, and decrease rates of change in the composition of the atmosphere.

Edgardo Moreno, Ph.D.
Professor, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
Bruno Lomonte, Ph.D.
Professor, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Jose, Costa Rica

"Discovering Alternative Antibiotics from Venom Obtained from Tropical Snakes in Costa Rica"

(Category: Health)

The discovery of antibiotics brought a new era in the treatment of infectious diseases, unfortunately, antibiotic-resistant microorganisms are increasing around the world. Therefore, a search for new and efficient antibiotics is an urgent global concern. Previous studies have shown that toxins from the venom of the "terciopelo" snake in Costa Rica is capable of killing disease-causing microbes, and this antibiotic action could be reproduced by a small portion derived from the toxin. Dr. Moreno and Dr. Lomonte's project seeks to further characterize the antibiotic activity of different venom toxins from various tropical snakes, and derive ways to reproduce their activity more efficiently. It is hoped that the new antibiotics will combat infectious diseases without causing damage to humans or contaminating the environment. Since these antibiotics are derived directly from tropical animals, mainly within protected areas of natural forests, this work will demonstrate the importance of natural ecosystems and the preservation of these areas.

Jean Claude Razafimahaimodison
Ph.D. Candidate, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts

"Determining the Impact of Increasing Development and Ecotourism on the Native Malagasy Ground Roller Bird in Southeastern Madagascar"

(Category: Conservation of Animal Resources)

The use of natural habitats for recreational and educational purposes (ecotourism) is often encouraged as a means of promoting conservation by educating people about the importance of environmental factors to the survival of species and to provide information about advances in environmental monitoring. However, it may also lead to increased disturbance to native species in the area as new paths or trails in forested habitats are created, and the incidence of increased noise levels and damage to critical vegetation occurs. Alteration and fragmentation of its habitat are the main concerns for the survival of the most endangered species of the ground roller bird. This bird is found only in the rainforests of eastern Madagascar, and they are very selective in the use of plants with which they line their nests. During this study, Razafimahaimodison will compare the breeding success of ground rollers within a habitat impacted by ecotourism and one that has not been so affected. He will work with local conservationists and conservation agencies to develop new strategies to help save this bird by making recommendations for changes in the use of the habitat by tourists.

Thomas K. Rudel
Professor, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey

"Creating Economic Opportunities in Villages to Encourage Reforestation of Valuable Native Tree Species in Ecuador"

(Category: Agriculture)

Mr. Rudel hopes to reorient reforestation policy in the tropics through a demonstration project at the eastern base of the Andes in Ecuador. Previously, organizations in the Andean countries have tried, unsuccessfully, to establish forest plantations of exotic species in the high altitude valleys. Few landowners planted trees in these places due to a lack of experience with forest products and the long time before harvests could begin. In the humid lowlands, trees grow faster. Landowners in these areas have had recent experiences extracting and selling commercially valuable native species from mature forests, so they can appreciate their commercial value and want to reforest their lands. In one village poor women have learned how to germinate and replant commercially valuable native tree species and, organized into an association, they have acquired some land for a nursery. Mr. Rudel plans to expand this operation and begin a concerted effort to establish a market for their seedlings among landholders in the region. By making the tree seedlings available to landowners, it is hoped that deforested lands will be reforested. This reforestation would provide economic opportunity for small landowners and ecological benefits for the environment by preserving native tree species and contributing to climate stabilization as carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere by the reforested land. This Lindbergh/Musser Grant in agriculture has been made possible by a gift from The Musser Fund.

Dr. Alexander M. Semenov
Senior Research Scientist, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia

"Selecting Natural Microorganisms to Control Root Disease in Agricultural Plants in Russia"

(Category: Agriculture)

Extensive pesticide use in the former Soviet Union and around the world has led to unbalanced soil ecosystems and soil and groundwater pollution. Presently, the lack of availability of pesticides, their increasing expense in Russia, and the growing understanding of the necessity of environmental protection, is stimulating an urgent need for alternative technology to address the problems of root disease in agricultural plants. During his research, Dr. Semenov will select a variety of microorganisms in the natural environment that exist independently, yet are connected to each other through the transfer of food and energy, known as microbial communities. He will use a continuous flow system to select and isolate microbial communities that are able to control disease. This natural microbial community will be introduced in the soil where it will grow particularly on the roots of infected plants, preventing massive root infections by the pathogen. He hopes this process will provide a sustainable agricultural practice that could have major implications in combating plant diseases. Ultimately, the widespread use of such microbial communities to control root disease(s) would limit the need for pesticides and restore the environment. This Lindbergh/Fried Grant in agriculture has been made possible by a gift from Albert Fried, Jr.

Dr. Tierney Thys
Science Editor, Sea Studios Foundation, Monterey, California

"Gathering Vital Baseline Data on the Giant Ocean Sunfish, Mola Mola, Using Satellite Tags and Global Genetic Analysis"

(Category: Conservation of Animal Resources)

The giant ocean sunfish, Mola Mola, is the largest and heaviest bony fish in the world. Recently, scientists have discovered that the population of ocean sunfish has been declining in both the Western and Eastern Pacific. In fact, Mola comprise an estimated 15% of the total observed by-catch from California drift net fisheries -- the largest of any species recorded. Although the Mola can be found in all tropical and temperate ocean waters, virtually nothing is known of their habits or population structure. Without this information, there is no way of determining whether the fluctuations in Mola populations are normal or indicate the possibility of local extinction. This project will provide the first comprehensive data about this giant ocean sunfish, and will be essential for assessing the long-term effects of fishing on Mola populations. Dr. Thys will use a new satellite archival tag that will monitor the movements of the animals, record data on temperature, swimming depth and light intensity. This will allow her and her team to document broad scale movements and foraging strategies in relation to both environmental parameters and commercial fishing operations. The tags will release from the animal at a pre-determined time and the information will be uploaded to a satellite where Dr. Thys will then have access to the information. Dr. Thys will also collect small bits of tissue from each animal for genetic analysis. This is the first study to combine genetic analysis with satellite tagging of an open ocean fish. It is hoped that through this study, detailed life history data will be gathered on the Mola to enable the proper conservation of this mysterious open ocean giant.