Environmental Projects based on Yacutinga Biological Station |
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During the 2000-2001 season four bird count surveys were conducted in
Yacutinga Wildlife Reserve, corresponding to each season of the year. On
each occasion, all the trails in the reserve were surveyed, and data of
presence of the bird species seen or heard were recorded. The trails of the
reserve and surrounding areas were surveyed 28 times, totalling 114
observation hours.
A total of 220 species were recorded, 5 of which are
listed in the Red Book of threatened species of Argentina as vulnerable, 8
are migratory species and 28 are breeding species. Based on the number of
species recorded in neighbouring areas that have not been recorded in the
reserve yet, 320 species are estimated to occur in the reserve. |
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Germán has been a member of the Asociación Ornitológica del Plata (del Plata Ornithological Association) (Aves Argentinas /Birdlife International partner) since 1986. He worked as a librarian there for five years and at present he is a member of the Board of Directors.
Since the age of 24 he has been working as a professional bird watching guide; at present he owns an ornithological tourism company.
He got his degree of Biologist (a University degree equivalent to the degree of Bachelor of Science in the United States) in 1994. He has participated in several field surveys related to diverse bird groups (Penguins, Geese, Charadrids and Cowbirds) and he has published numerous articles in scientific journals and popular science publications.
From July 2000 to March 2001 he conducted a bird census in Yacutinga Wildlife Reserve (Avifauna Survey of Yacutinga Wildlife Refuge - Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina).
As part of the Lodge staff assisted German in field work, he could find many bird species and local guides could learn more about the dynamics of the rich bird fauna present in the Reserve. |
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Jorge Escobar. He has been an ornithologist even before he was born! He has self-training, having studied at the schools of Agronomy, Geology and Chemistry.
He represented Paraguay at the Earth summit - Rio 92. He performed an internship at the Museum of Natural Sciences in Stockholm, Sweden (1993). He is a member of the American Birding International.
Jorge was a scientific adviser at the Paraguay National Congress from 1992 to 1997. He has made contributions to the following publications: la Maldición de Nemur, Ticio Escobar.
He contributed with comments to the re-edition of “Birds of Paraguay” by Félix de Azara, in 1992. He also makes contributions to Ornithological Journals.
Above all, he is a special advisor at Yacutinga Lodge.
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CONCLUDED
:: Reproduction of Capybaras in captivity
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This project has been implemented because of the drastic decrease of these
species' natural populations, with the aim of increasing the population
numbers. |
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Gustavo: he is an autodidactic naturalist and a technician in natural resources management. He has specialized in fauna management and conservation.
He has worked formally in conservation since 1993.
He has participated, and still does, in several research, conservation and wildlife management projects with several species (seals, penguins, felines, canids, primates, birds of prey, deer, anteaters, etc.) and in different geographic regions (Antarctica, Parana Delta, Patagonia, Atlantic Forest, Yunga, Chaco Region, La Pampa, Atlantic coast in Argentina and in the USA, Guatemala, etc.).
He has encouraged S.A.S. since its beginning; he is the director at present.
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The other Gustavo: he is a Veterinary Doctor, and has specialized in management and care of wild animals. He has supported conservation projects since 1994. He is part of S.A.S since its beginning, in 2001. Furthermore, he is a teacher in training in the Chair of Compared Pathology and Public Health of the UNNE (Universidad Nacional del Nordeste/ National University of the North-eastern region).
He has cooperated in projects of the National Parks Administration, Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina, Dirección de Zoonosis de la Provincia de Corrientes (Agency of Zoonosis of Corrientes Province), Dirección de Fauna, Parques y Reservas de la Provincia del Chaco (Agency of Fauna, Parks and Reserves of the Province of Chaco) and Agency of Epidemiology of the state (Dirección de Epidemiología de la Nación).
In the context of the previously mentioned experiences and S.A.S., he has worked with wild animals of different species, both in captivity and in the wild.
The most important works deal with vampire (Desmodus rotundus), giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus), maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), black howler monkey (Alouatta caraya), jaguar (Panthera onca), the Southern Tamandua (Tamandua tetradactila) and the Neotropical River Otter (Lontra Longicaudis).
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CONCLUDED
:: Lepidopteran Inventory
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A systematic list of diurnal Butterflies is being drawn up and a study is
being conducted on possible mimetic processes of this conspicuous group,
which has been poorly studied in the region. |
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Ezequiel, is a field naturalist, Tourism technician and is keen on Entomology. He has been devoted to the study of Argentine lepidopteran for 16 years; he has already gathered a considerable amount of valuable information and has come up with a large personal reference collection, based on trips all around the country.
He has been the one to start giving courses, talks, and audiovisuals lectures and he included butterflies in several flora and fauna surveys. He has published notes on butterflies in local conservation journals. At present, he is preparing several projects of books on butterflies from different places in Argentina.
He is a scientific advisor in the field of butterflies at the Natureviewing Foundation (based in Austin, Texas, USA) and he works with photographers on the identification of species from Argentina and other South American countries.
He has conducted research for the National Parks Administration, Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina, Ministry of Agriculture of the province of Buenos Aires, and privately-owned lands.
For many years, he has been in charge of the inventory of Lepidopteran in Yacutinga Wildlife Reserve (Misiones), the Isla Martín Garcia Reserve for multiple uses, the Ribera Norte Municipal Reserve, The Vicente Lopez Ecological Reserve (Buenos Aires) and Malabrigo Private Reserve (Entre Ríos). At these places he has made unprecedented findings. He is a member of the enterprise “Butterflies in danger” of the Fundación de Historia Natural Félix de Azara (Bs. As.). |
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FINAL DOC |
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| MORE INFORMATION |
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:: Management and Monitoring Plan |
Environmental management guidelines are drawn up for a correct ecotourism
management of the Lodge and its Environmental Reserve; counseling is
provided on the necessary changes for the correct implementation of the
Reserve, and the resulting monitoring plan.
This Project has been cited by
the World Tourism Organization in 2004 as an example of responsible
management at the World level. |
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Valeria has been working in the Regional Delegation of the central area of the country, National Parks Administration, for three years. She has worked specifically on management planning, a task that requires taking care of numerous aspects involved in the management of a protected area.
During 2003-2004, Valeria coordinated the elaboration of a management plan for Quebrada del Condorito National Park and Pampa de Achala provincial Reserve (province of Córdoba); at present, she is doing the same kind of work in San Guillermo Biosphere Reserve, whose core area is in the homonymous National Park (province of San Juan).
Besides her work at NPA, she carries out some tasks for Wildlife Refuge Program of FVSA. In this context, she has performed surveys in private fields, especially those where the owners, besides being interested in preserving the area, wish to develop tourist activities in agreement with conservation objectives of the natural environment. |
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:: The Ecology of the Humingbirds of Yacutinga Reserve
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The objective of this work is to investigate the role of hummingbirds as pollinators of plant species in the Paranaense forest and the factors influencing nectar consumption and selection of different plant species by hummingbirds.
Morphological traits of hummingbirds and axial plants and chemical composition of nectar in different plant species are analyzed. |
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:: Ethnobiology. Inventory of Medicinal Plants
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Medicinal species present in Yacutinga Reserve are studied following the
medical ethnobotany of aboriginal communities living in the vicinity of
Yacutinga Lodge. |
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Norma Inés Hilgert is a Doctor (Ph D) in Natural Sciences from the National University of Córdoba. She has specialized in Ethnobotany; she has been working in the Yungas of northern Salta since 1994.
Norma has been a researcher of Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) (National Scientific and Technical Research Council) since 2004. She is a member of the CONACYT (National System of Researchers, Mexico) (2005-2007). At present, she is developing ethnobotanical studies in Otomí and Nahua communities from Hidalgo State, Mexico, and in Mbyá communities in Misiones, Argentina. |
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::Environmental Education
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One of the conservation objectives of Yacutinga Private Natural Reserve is to establish an Environmental Education programme aimed mainly at the community of Comandante Andrés Guacurari locality.
In a survey carried out in 2002, as part of the Tri-national Programme for the Conservation of the Paranaense Forest, the inhabitants of this community, young people among them, expressed their concern about the different environmental issues affecting the region, such as soil and water pollution caused by agrochemicals, deforestation and waste accumulation in unsuitable places.
The main objective of this Environmental Education Programme is to encourage respect for nature, thus promoting the adequate use of natural resources and ensuring their sustainability. |
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Claudia. She got her academic degree of Licentiate in Environmental Sciences (equivalent to a Bachelor of Science in the USA) in the Universidad del Salvador, Argentina, and performed her post graduate studies in Applied Sciences in the University of Lincoln, New Zealand.
In the professional field, her work in the area of environmental education and awareness stands out; she has gained experience both in Argentina and abroad.
Regarding her private life, she is married, she got her degree as a mother two years ago; she trained in first aids in the Argentine Red Cross and is a one star and open water diver.
Because of her experience in Environmental Education and Awareness at the national and international levels, she performs an outstanding task in the direction of the Programa Yacutinga Infantil (Yacutinga’s Program for children) and in the coordination of the Jaguar Camping activities. |
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Esteban. Environmental educator (FVSA agreement)
He got his degrees of Licentiate in Environmental Sciences (university degree equivalent to US Bachelor of Science) and Master in Applied Science (Forestry).
He worked in several non-profit organizations, companies and governmental agencies in the field of Environmental Education.
At present, he works in the Puerto Iguazú office of Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina, Misiones, as a coordinator of the Forest Landscape Restoration project.
Regarding his private life, he is married and has a beautiful two-year-old son (Andrés).
Esteban was a fire fighter for two years; he likes water and enjoys outdoor activities. |
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Laura. She is an environmental interpreter and a park ranger (degree obtained in 2000). She worked in Bryn Gwyn Paleontological Park (province of Chubut), where she developed an education program that trained visiting kids to be young paleontologists who could discover the secrets of the earth.
Later she worked in protected areas of Valdes peninsula (province of Chubut). She has worked as a park ranger in the Urugua-í Wildlife Reserve for two years now, participating in the Paranaense forest program of the Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina. She conducts environmental education projects in the areas surrounding the reserve.
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The Reserve is a suitable site for the restoration and generation of seed
banks of plant species that have been exploited almost to extinction in the
province. Forest enrichment with native species in degraded areas.
» Volunteer Form
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::Ecology of wild bees (Meliponidae) at the Interior Atlantic Rainforest
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The thorough analysis of the situation in the wild is expected to provide answers that contribute to make well-based decisions on production (e.g., about environmentally optimum sites where to place the boxes and, also, the appropriate box density and the expected flora present).
Thus, it is also expected to produce higher quantities and of greater quality with the desired organoleptic (medicinal and/or food) characteristics, which may offer an added value to the product and thus increase demands and profitability at the commercialization stage.
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Fernanda Andrea Fabbio, got her degree as a Biologist at the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (2004). She is a founding member of the “Aula Abierta de Ambiente de Montaña”, (Open Classroom of the Mountain Environment” of the same University, an education innovation approved by the Honorary Higher Council of the University in 1999. She is part of the Ethnobiology team of the Museum of Anthropology of the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (since 2003).
She worked as a laboratory technician of the Catholic University of Córdoba from 2003 to 2006, where she performed tasks related to the quality of textile animal fibers. She participated in workshops on natural wool dyeing in different localities of the province of Córdoba and also in the province of Salta.
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Fernando Zamudio got his degree of Biologist at the National University of Córdoba in 2000. He got a MSc degree in Natural Resources and Rural Development at San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico (2003-2005). His academic interests are focused on the relations between humans and nature, with an emphasis on the knowledge and management strategies used by local communities (farmers, native people, and settlers). Fernando worked with Shuar communities in Ecuador and has participated in different projects related to management of natural resources in Mexico. Fernando’s master thesis work was an ethnozoological approach that focused on the knowledge and management strategies of Morelet’s crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii) by Mayan hunters from the state of Quintana Roo (southeastern Mexico).
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Yacutinga offers possibilities to do Internships and Volunteer work to those
students requiring it.
This training opportunity is available to all the areas of sustainable
tourism and biology studies. |
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Carlos is the father of Yacutinga Project. He created the concept of Sustainable Use of Tourism in Yacutinga, as well as the architectural design of the Lodge.
Carlos is the Director of Yacutinga Lodge and its Wildlife Private Reserve. He studied architecture and is a Higher Technician in Sustainable Tourism, as well as pro bono advisor of Fundación Ecoturismo Argentino.
His professional career has always been connected with tourism. During the 80’s he created one of the first Agencies of Receptive Adventure Tourism of Argentine Patagonia. In the 90’s he conducted activities related with bio-tourism in central South America, establishing links with Conservation Institutions at regional and international levels.
Carlos is a lecturer who has participated in numerous International Tourism Fairs.
He is an environmentalist with a strong interest in the problem of human development. He used to be a ski instructor and Andes mountain climber.
Diving and bird watching are his passions. |
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