Photo-Key Field Guide for common arthropods found in Ethiopia’s Church Forests.
Arthropods Field Guide

The ecology of Ethiopia is vastly understudied and also degrading rapidly due to human activities. Much of the natural landscape has been cleared for agriculture, with one notable exception: the sacred landscapes surrounding churches. These church forests comprise local as well as global “hotspots” as critical conservation areas for a large portion of Ethiopia’s remaining biodiversity. Vegetation surveys of church forests indicate that church forests house a large proportion of the endangered plant species of Ethiopia. Church forests provide important ecosystem services to local people, including fresh water, pollinators, honey, shade, and spiritual value. In January 2009, we forged a partnership with the Christian Orthodox clergy to conserve their church forests.

We propose two goals: 1. to survey the biodiversity of insects in Ethiopian church forests, creating  relatively inexpensive, replicable protocols that can be utilized by local children; and 2. to fund simple perimeter delineation (aka, fences) thus preventing further shrinkage of church forests from human activities. Further, we will place special focus on assessing the ecosystem services that insects contribute to these remaining fragments of tropical forest ecosystems, creating a strong case for local conservation initiatives. Throughout our field work, we plan to engage local Sunday school children as future stewards of these church forests, utilizing the church infrastructure to educate and inspire local stakeholders about their local biodiversity. Results of the ecological surveys will be published in appropriate international journals, but a conservation plan utilizing the church (especially Sunday school children) as a focal group will also be disseminated, reflecting a culturally-sensitive solution.

More info: Biodiversity of Ethiopian Church Forests Summary 2010

Debresena church forest- South Gondar, Ethiopia (Picture from Google earth)

Ethiopia Photo Gallery:

Dr. Meg Lowman was an invited speaker at ArborReal, a tree-house building workshop for the students of IaAc (Institut d’arquitectura avancada de Catalunya) in Barcelona, Spain during May 2010. This forward-thinking architectural institute confers approximately 55 Masters degrees each year to students from over 25 countries, teaching them to incorporate nature into architectural design. With the legandary architect, Antoni Gaudi, as a celebrated citizen in Barcelona’s history, the urban landscape is alive and passionate about raising the bar for architecture and embracing the role that nature plays in inspiring architecture. Director of IAAC, Vicente Guallart, believes that trees as living systems can serve as models for architects to build structures that are living, dynamic systems (like ecosystems) for people to inhabit. IAAC hopes to work with Lowman and the TREE Foundation in the future, to integrate environmental education both into their curriculum and into the landscape of Barcelona.

Links:

• IaaC Projects
• IaaC Invitation Summary (PDF)

Dr. Meg Lowman was a visiting James Martin Fellow at the Center for Tropical Forestry in the Environmental Change Institute, Oxford University during spring 2010. During this time, she conducted workshops for Earthwatch Institute at their European headquarters, directed by Nigel Winser (www.earthwatch.org) . She also lectured for the Environmental Change Institute on Plant-Insect Interactions in Forest Canopies, and on Women in Science — Challenges in Field Biology. She also worked with Global Canopy Programme staff (www.gcp.org) headed up by Andrew Mitchell, whose group has created the Little REDD Book to create metrics for reducing deforestation as part of global climate change strategies.
With colleagues, she visited research projects at Whytham Woods outside Oxford, including their canopy walkway (see photos).
During her Fellowship, Lowman was hosted by world-acclaimed artist Angela Palmer, whose exhibit called Ghost Forest has been viewed by millions of people and called attention to climate change and tropical deforestation. Palmer and Lowman hope to collaborate in future on programs to integrate art and science. For more on Ghost Forests, see www.ghostforest.com

My name is Holli Kilburn and I am looking to pursue my conservation/research based career. I am a newly qualified Conservation Biologist, having completed a bachelors degree in 2008 gaining a first with honours. This winter I spent five weeks learning tree climbing on a Canopy Access Techniques course with ITEC (Institute for Tropical Ecology and Conservation) in Panama. I have since attained a research based internship with Para la Tierra in Paraguay where I will be expected to design and implement a research project of my choosing. I am very keen to undertake work that is relevant and useful and preferably that contributes to a wider research. I would happily use this internship to work with an organisation that requires canopy research or as part of a Masters Degree or Doctorate. Equally, I would love to put my skills into working as a technician in the wildlife documentary field. I am really enthusiastic and can’t wait to get on to the next level. For more information please contact me at: hollikilburn@yahoo.co.uk

TREE student scholar publishes paper about sloths and algae in their fur — this interaction has been a mystery for scientists for as long as sloths have been admired.

MC SCI Report (PDF)

From the Herald-Tribune:

Making a difference in the environment
by Heather Dunhill

After cocktails in the courtyard and hors d’oeuvres in the dining room of the Powel Crosley Estate, Dr. Meg Lowman was awarded Dictor Martin’s 2010 World of Difference Award. She was honored for her steadfast dedication to the environment and the TREE Foundation, now in its 10th year.

After a welcome by co-host Wayne Dictor, TREE president Gerri Aaron introduced Meg with words of admiration. “I stand up here to introduce a prodigious and intrepid adventurer, researcher, teacher, writer, scientist of prominence, my mentor — wise beyond her years — and my adorable friend.”