In the spring of 2018, Camila joined SFS in Panama for a study abroad program that significantly influenced her career path. Under the mentorship of Dr. Leon Mach, our Associate Professor in Environmental Policy and Socioeconomic Values, she undertook a Directed Research project that laid the foundation for her future research.

Together, Camila and Dr. Mach recently published her group’s Directed Research project in the academic journal Tourism Management. This study explored stakeholder perspectives on governance in marine protected areas, emphasizing the need for local stakeholder involvement in decision-making processes.

They also had the opportunity to present their findings at the National Environment and Recreation Research Conference, showcasing their impactful work.

Camila’s academic journey continued as she pursued a Master of Science from the University of Georgia’s Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Program at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources.

With Dr. Mach serving on her committee, they once again collaborated to publish her master’s research in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism. This qualitative case study explored the impact of protected area expansion on the Ngöbe Indigenous community of Salt Creek in Panama. Their findings suggest that repairing social capital is vital for achieving sustainable tourism and better aligning with the ethos of collaborative governance.

Apart from her academic endeavors, Camila is one of the founders and the coordinator of ALTUS (Alianza Latinoamericana de Turismo Sostenible), a community-based tourism initiative championed by the Inter-American Foundation. This network involves community-based tourism organizations in 12 Latin American countries and aims to promote knowledge, experience sharing, and capacity building for rural communities engaged in tourism. She also works as a contractor in a socio-economic monitoring data collection effort for the National Park Service in the United States. 

We are especially proud to share that Camila will be returning to Bocas del Toro, where her journey with us began, as a Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute fellow. She will conduct vital research on community perceptions of how erosion and sea-level rise impact their lives, a project that promises to bring significant insights and potential solutions to these pressing issues.

Camila’s story is a testament to the dedication of our faculty in mentoring students, both during and after their time with us. Her achievements inspire us all, and we look forward to following her continued success.

Joy installing a light on a boma in Olgulului GR. Photo credit: Elspeth Collard

Our motivation for this project comes from the impactful experiences we had while studying abroad with the SFS Kenya program. During our study abroad we learned about the issue of human-wildlife conflict (HWC) from a scientific, ecological perspective as well as from a local, human perspective. As we interviewed local people, we heard repeatedly about how detrimental this issue was to Maasai pastoralist livelihoods. This was the primary inspiration for our project: implementing a solution that would contribute to the need for coexistence.

Olgulului Group Ranch, the setting of our project, is a rural area in the Amboseli Ecosystem that borders the unfenced Amboseli National Park. The park’s proximity to local Maasai communities creates conflict with wildlife as they disperse from the park. Maasai bomas (compounds that contain both resident shelters and livestock pens) are frequently attacked by predators (e.g. hyenas and lions), usually at night, to prey on the livestock held inside. A week before our project began, 10 lions that had ventured out of Amboseli National Park and preyed on the livestock of multiple local homesteads were killed by local pastoralists in the span of a week (Africa News, 2023; Big Life, 2023). This incident is indicative of the continually mounting tensions between humans and wildlife in the area. Current compensation programs for HWC-related damages and boma fencing programs, while beneficial in addressing HWC, are costly.

This project was designed as a pilot study to determine the effectiveness of a low-cost strategy, predator-deterrent lights, in preventing predator attacks on Maasai bomas in Olgulului Group Ranch (in conjunction with well-maintained natural fencing). The PDLs will be studied over an extended period of time and if they are found to be effective, we have provided further information to community members and local organizations, making it possible to expand the installation of PDLs and protect more bomas from predator attacks.

The idea of installing solar-powered, flashing lights to mitigate predator attacks began in 2014 with a then 11-year-old Maasai boy, Richard Turere. Predator deterrent lights (PDLs) have now been installed across Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia. As the lights have gained popularity, they have been continually enhanced and studied. A 5-month study of the lights in Kimana and Olgulului Group Ranches found that there was a significantly lower number of predator attacks and livestock deaths for bomas that had PDLs in comparison to prior to light installment and control bomas, respectively (Okema, 2018).

Close-up of installed PDL, designed and manufactured by Coexistech Ltd. Photo credit: Elspeth Collard

For this project we collaborated with the local Amboseli branch of the nongovernmental organization, Born Free, which specializes in human-wildlife conflict mitigation. We first engaged with them while studying abroad with SFS in 2021. Based on their familiarity with predation incidence and mitigation strategies in Amboseli, Born Free helped us in selecting a village that had not benefited from other human-wildlife conflict mitigation strategies, such as a compensation program or reinforced fencing, but borders the unfenced Amboseli National Park and experiences high levels of predation. In collaboration with Born Free’s Amboseli Community Engagement Officer, Stephen Melubo, we held a community meeting in the selected village to communicate the goals of the project, introduce the lights and how they function, and facilitate the selection of which homesteads would receive lights. During this meeting, the community discussed which homesteads had the highest incidences of predation and decided which ones would have lights installed. These decisions were also cross referenced with Born Free’s predator attack incidence data for homesteads in the area.

Then, over the course of three days, we installed 178 lights at 19 homesteads. A questionnaire was administered at each participating homestead as well as control bomas (that did not have lights installed) to collect data related to the homestead’s demographics, location, socioeconomic status, and predation incidence. When asked about the status of their living conditions, 100% of respondents reported worsened living conditions, with 100% pointing to livestock loss as a cause of the decrease in living conditions and 77% also selecting wildlife conflict as a cause. 92% of respondents reported their number of livestock decreasing in the last year.

Boma owner with PDL. Photo credit: Elspeth Collard

After installation, there are plans for a wrap-up community meeting to provide further PDL training and to get feedback about the project from the community. At this meeting, energy-saving stoves and plaques with Born Free’s contact information were also given to each participating homestead (including controls).

All participating homesteads (including controls) will have a follow up questionnaire conducted by a Born Free representative every 6 months for 3 years (June 2023 – 2026) to assess the effectiveness and impact of the lights. Born Free has expressed interest expand the PDL program if the lights prove to be effective in Amboseli.
 
Contact

Elspeth Collard elspethcollard@gmail.com
Joy Oakes joakes@zagmail.gonzaga.edu

The experience lingers long after the program ends and helps to shape thinking about important life choices well into the future.

 
Four years ago, I decided to participate in the SFS program in Cambodia, wanting very much to experience life and learning in a culture significantly different from the U.S. I had spent seven years living in Costa Rica between first and eighth grade and it was the most formative experience in my life. My time in Costa Rica only whetted my appetite to explore another culture, not only for the academic experience of studying an environment in a region of the world of significant importance, but to better understand the nature of human relationships and try to get a feel for the similarities and differences across cultures.

What I didn’t expect, however, was how the experience shaped not only my thinking, but helped clarify my values and, as I learned, those of others in my group.
 

Photo provided by Mackenzie Cramer.

 
I focused on the impact of climate change on Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. The forces of climate change, overfishing, and poor natural resource management practices continue to have a devastating impact on hundreds of thousands of Cambodians who directly or indirectly rely on Tonle Sap and, more broadly, the Mekong river, for their life and livelihoods. Even though the crisis is worsening, there are few resources to help those displaced by the loss of their livelihood to transition into a life that frequently means relocating to an unfamiliar urban area, and often without the job and life skills necessary to be successful.

In many respects, the struggles of Cambodians tied to Tonle Sap reminded me of the challenges faced by those in the U.S. who have been displaced by the forces of globalization, climate change, and structural conditions that leave many people behind. It sharpened my focus and steeled my resolve to work with individuals, families, and communities left behind, neglected, or forgotten by situations over which they have no control and, oftentimes, in which they have no a voice.

 

Photo provided by Mackenzie Cramer.

 
After returning from the SFS experience in Cambodia, I completed a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) and became a Licensed Social Worker. What I learned and experienced in Cambodia was instrumental in choosing my career path, and many of my SFS friends and classmates who went on to join the Peace Corps or NGOs focused on environmental stewardship, conservation, and environmental justice. The program was a good fit for me and others who were non-science majors. I call it the ‘SFS Effect.’ The experience lingers long after the program ends, and helps to shape thinking about important life choices well into the future.

Students who are seeking an experience that can enhance, sharpen, or even transform their thinking and perspective would do well to consider the SFS program in Cambodia. Then they, too, can experience firsthand the SFS Effect.
 

Photo provided by Mackenzie Cramer.

 

What learnings or goals from your work leading the SFS Cambodia Center remain present in your current work?

As Center Director, I oversaw both the strategic research direction and scope of the experiential studies, which provided a rich exposure to different ecosystems, communities, conservation, and development actors and environmental challenges. I learned the importance of working closely with communities to address environmental problems and support sustainable development and I understood the unique challenges that local partners and communities face in seeking to address environmental degradation and support conservation. These lessons continue to inform the approaches and partnerships that are taken through my work with UNEP to support Member States to address the triple planetary crisis through environmental law and governance.
 

What can you tell us about your work in climate justice today in Southeast Asia? What is UNEP working to do in the area?  

In my role, I support 41 Members States across Asia and the Pacific to implement good environmental governance and advance environmental rule of law. Good environmental governance addresses issues of environmental justice–including climate justice–by upholding procedural rights, including rights to participation, access to information, prior and informed consent, and access to justice. Adequate procedural rights are essential in order to promote, protect, and respect substantive rights, including rights to land; access to natural resources; and the right to a safe, clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, particularly for persons and groups in vulnerable situations, including children (Learn more). Promoting, protecting, and respecting these rights is closely linked to trends in environmental justice–evidence has shown that environmental harm disproportionately impacts individuals, groups, and peoples already living in vulnerable situations – including women; children; the poor; ethnic, sexual, and gender minorities; migrants; Indigenous people; older persons; and persons with disabilities. Climate justice acknowledges that certain groups are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change, and it seeks to address these inequalities within all climate action, including mitigation and adaptation strategies (Learn more). Climate justice includes issues of distributive justice and the disproportionate impacts of climate change on children, youth, and future generations. There are issues of both inter-generational and intra-generational equity. Through providing recommendations to Member States and other stakeholders and in undertaking capacity building and technical legal assistance, we ensure a rights-based approach to addressing climate change and address obstacles to climate justice. You can read more about the specific ways in which we work to address climate justice in Environmental Rights Brief: Climate Justice in Southeast Asia.

What would you say to SFS students (and caring citizens everywhere!) wondering how they can contribute to climate justice?

You can learn more about the issues by reading widely and taking courses on the topic (such as UNEP’s courses on InforMEA3), you can understand the problem in the field and explore solutions through experiential learning with SFS (I have had former students study climate justice and migration issues in Cambodia), you can get engaged in intergovernmental processes to have your voices heard through youth constituencies such as YOUNGO and the UN Major Group on Children and Youth (MGCY) or the UNEP MGCY, and you can promote and protect children’s rights to a healthy environment (read here to learn more).
 

How can a study abroad experience like that with SFS prepare a student for a career path like yours with the United Nations? 

A global perspective is valuable in the UN, as is experience within different cultures and traditions. SFS can prepare students by building not only environmental consciousness but also social awareness that enables the pursuit of environmental justice. SFS also exposes students to a variety of partnerships and ways of addressing environmental challenges as well as providing a robust academic experience, all of which are important foundations for a career with the UN.
 

Any message for alumni of SFS Cambodia who may be following along today? Any advice for future SFS students?  

For alums: Stay motivated! The triple planetary crisis of pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate change needs everyone to step up and work to protect people and the planet. Also, the world needs more environmental lawyers, so if you are thinking of next steps, consider environmental law!

For future students: The experience an SFS program provides is incredibly valuable to really allow you to understand the nuances and complexities of environmental challenges, but also how these can be addressed in partnership with communities, government, business, and civil society. This experience will surely assist a future career in the environmental field!  

Georgina observing a Green Peafowl at BeTreed during her time with SFS Cambodia.
 

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Curious to learn a bit more about the SFS Cambodia Center? Click here to read about why we’re based there, our environmental research focus, how we connect and support the local community, and even take a tour of the Center.

A heartfelt ‘thank you’ from our centers around the world, to each of you who made returning to these centers possible!

The past 18 months have impacted everyone, everywhere, deeply. Here at SFS, it began with the difficult decision to evacuate our faculty and staff around the world in early 2020. Thanks to your patience and steadfast support, we weathered the difficult period that followed and have returned to the field.

Today, we are back doing what we do best–living and learning with students in the incredible communities and environments where are centers are based. We are profoundly grateful to the students, staff, faculty, donors, trustees, and sending institutions that made our return to the field possible. As 2021 comes to a close, all of us at SFS send a heartfelt thank you for your commitment to SFS. Click below to hear from our team and students around the world!

Click on the video above to hear from our faculty, staff, and students around the world.

 

I have been away from Panama for about three months now, and the nostalgia and longing I feel for the month I spent there is still just as strong as it was when I boarded that plane home.

Close your eyes.

Imagine that you are on a beach, the hot, golden sand shifting beneath your feet, enveloping your toes as you wiggle them deeper into the grains. The sound of rustling palm leaves blowing in the breeze and the lapping of the Caribbean Ocean waves dominate the acoustic space which, when coupled with the humid, salty air, creates a tropical paradise.

Referring to a place as ‘paradise’ is quite a grandiose statement to make, but Panama is one of the few locations that fits this description. I firmly believe that in order for a place to be paradisiacal, it needs to be mentally stimulating as well as visually attractive. Hence, the allure of studying abroad here. You learn to appreciate the sandy beaches, coral reefs, mangroves, and rainforests in a much more nuanced and intellectual way. For example, you can snorkel in a reef and identify the different fish that swim past you, peeking in and out of the sea whips. Instead of looking at a fish and merely thinking about how pretty it is, you can instead identify the fish by the common and latin name, understand its role in the food chain, and even evaluate its impact in the marine environment. You gain so much more appreciation for each organism when you can understand the context and environment that surrounds it.
 

Sequoia and her snorkel partner. (Photo: Jamie Robinson).
 

I have been away from Panama for about three months now, and the nostalgia and longing I feel for the month I spent there is still just as strong as it was when I boarded that plane home. I’m not sure whether it’s the ocean, the students, the staff, the sun, or the food (shout out to Hugo’s cooking), but I miss Panama in a way that I’ve never missed a place before. I think this emotional longing stems from the fact that Panama transforms each student who lives there, no matter how short a time. The constant immersion (literally) in the marine environment ensures that you never stop learning. You are similar to the sea sponges that will frequent your photo reels after a snorkel: you never stop soaking it up.
 

Coral spotted during a class snorkel. (Photo: Jamie Robinson).

 
You spend your days learning how to snorkel, listening to Alexis teach you how to duck dive, taking notes underwater (arguably the best place to take notes), and recording fish and frog counts. You hike through rainforests, visit bat caves, and learn how to make chocolate at a chocolate farm.

But Panama educates you both inside and outside of the classroom. Beyond MPA research, you learn about the people and ways of life in Bocas del Toro. From the taxi rides to town, to the local surf competitions, to the delicious seafood restaurants, you experience a cultural education that rivals the scholastic instruction. Some of my fondest memories are of meeting new friends while SCUBA diving and surfing, dancing at Selina’s, celebrating my birthday on the pirate ship, and eating cookies at Amaranto’s cafe. As cliché as it sounds, Panama teaches you to slow down and lead a more leisurely life. You leave behind the rigidity of the timetables and productivity expectations that the U.S. emphasizes and instead focus more on living in the moment, enjoying the ecosystems around you, and learning about the marine park. It’s an extremely soul-satisfying way to live, and even more so considering you’re doing it for school! So many times during my time there, I would stop and look around me, wondering in euphoric shock, “How am I getting school credit for this? I am having SO much fun!” I was literally getting college credit to snorkel in the Caribbean! School will never get any cooler than that. Even the assignments and lectures were extremely stimulating and fascinating.
 

A starfish spotted on mangrove roots. (Photo: Emma Cotter).
 

And the best part is, the skills and knowledge that you learn in Panama are transferable to many different situations and lifestyles. I only realized how much I learned in Panama after I left. Recently, I was snorkeling in Sicily and was able to identify multiple different fish and organisms around me. Additionally, I was able to strike up a conversation with the boat captain about marine parks in Italy. I drew on the pool of knowledge that I cultivated in Panama and was able to discuss how the lack of enforcement in the Sicilian MPA was resulting in overfishing and a corresponding lack of biodiversity and biomass. It was an extremely empowering experience to be able to have an educated and informed conversation with the captain, and it was all possible because of my time in Bocas del Toro and the teachings of Cinda, Leon, and Holly. The things you learn in Panama, both about yourself and the underwater world, will stay with you forever and will aid you in further travels and marine explorations.
 

A nurse shark spotted during class. (Photo: Jamie Robinson).
 

Not only does the knowledge that you learn stay with you, but so do the friendships. The people that I met in Panama are easily some of the most adventurous, inspiring, and kind people I have ever met. Every day spent with them was a day of laughter, storytelling, and bonding. Even though we all came from different states and schools, by the end of a month we were the best of friends. For example, I keep in daily contact with some of the friends I made and am planning a trip with two of my peers. I eagerly look forward to the day when I can see them again. All of the students led such diverse and exciting lives that continuously inspired me to emulate them. From studying abroad in New Zealand, to snorkeling with whale sharks, to living in Rome, to getting SCUBA certified in Thailand, my peers always galvanized me to add things to my bucket list. I couldn’t help but want to travel to new countries as I sat around the dinner table, listening to their wild and riveting stories over plates of coconut rice and johnny bread. The friends that I made amongst the students and the staff were easily the best part of my trip. They made me feel welcomed, supported, and valued in a way that rivals any group that I have ever met before.

My month in Panama will forever remain in my memory as the month of sandy toes, tangled hair, and salty skin. I spent every second adventuring, laughing, and learning, and if that’s not the definition of paradise, I don’t know what is.

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Curious to learn a bit more about the SFS Panama Center? Click here to read about why we’re based there, our environmental research focus, how we connect and support the local community, and even take a tour of the Center.

Assessing climate change vulnerability on the Tonle Sap Lake: A study of Prek Sromoach Village in Kampong Khleang Commune, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Robyn Lee (Tufts University), Isabella Solano (Seattle Pacific University)
Under the supervision of Professor Ming Li Yong, Ph.D.
 

 

Observing the unique flooded forest ecosystem of the Tonle Sap Lake

 
The Environmental Concern: Cambodia is highly vulnerable to climate change, ranking eighth out of 193 countries in the 2014 Climate Change Vulnerability Index. The country’s vulnerability stems from a high frequency of, and sensitivity to, climate hazards such as flooding. Ninety percent of the country’s population is dependent on depleting natural resources and live in rural areas that may be flood prone. There also lacks strong governmental support of vulnerable people in the country.

Fisheries are of particular concern. Eighty percent of Cambodia’s protein comes from fish and many livelihoods depend on resources from the country’s freshwater systems. Climate change and human development are degrading water quality and reducing fish populations, and these impacts are expected to rise over time. The Tonle Sap Lake is one of the world’s most productive inland fisheries and accounts for sixty-seven percent of Cambodia’s fishing industry. The Tonle Sap not only provides fish protein and supports livelihoods, but it is also ingrained in Cambodian culture. However, the Lake’s economic, ecological and cultural value is threatened, making it a critical area in which to study climate vulnerability.

This study aimed to assess the vulnerability of a Tonle Sap Lake community using three indicators: 1) the level of exposure to climate events and impacts; 2) the degree of sensitivity of fishing livelihoods and fish populations to climate change; and 3) the adaptive capacity of those who are dependent on fishing livelihoods.

 
The Methods: The study took place in the village of Prek Sromoach in Siem Reap Province, Cambodia. Investigating climate change vulnerability is particularly relevant to people here due to their reliance on fish and other freshwater resources. This village has also experienced flooding and other environmental challenges in the past that have harmed their livelihoods.

SFS students developed a bottom-up methodology to assess community vulnerability to climate change through a livelihoods lens. With the assistance of an interpreter, students conducted one-hour semi-structured interviews with 30 households in the village. Interviewees included key informants such as the village chief and community fishery leaders.

 

Conducting semi-structured interviews with households

 

Learning about traditional fishing gear on the Tonle Sap Lake

 
The Results: Most villagers noticed that rainy season arrived later than usual in 2019 and that water levels in the Tonle Sap receded more quickly than in previous years. Ninety-two percent of interviewees also noted a significant decline in fish populations and daily catch. Climate change, hydropower development, deforestation, and illegal fishing are likely to exacerbate the pressure on fishing livelihoods. These results are consistent with academic studies on the lake’s fish stocks and indicate that Prek Sromoach demonstrates a high degree of sensitivity to climate change.

The Impact: The lack of livelihood options may have worrying implications related to the community’s limited capacity to expand their skill sets to seek out new jobs in the village and elsewhere. Several respondents said they migrated seasonally to take up jobs in the construction and industrial sector in Cambodia or Thailand, however, many respondents lacked the financial means to switch livelihoods or to migrate for work. The adaptive capacity of the village to climate change therefore appears to be somewhat low.

These results indicate that Prek Sromoach is highly vulnerable to climate change. This study contributes to a consensus among researchers that Tonle Sap Lake communities may be disproportionately subject to the adverse impacts of climate change.

 

Bella (left) and Robyn (right) and their poster presentation at community night!

 
Click here to see the poster.

 
→ Conservation and Development Studies in Cambodia

 

Dr. Edgardo Arevalo, left, and Dr. John Kioko, right.

 
So far, we have been overwhelmed by the response! In just hours, donations poured in from alumni who were thrilled to support their former faculty members. One donor posted her motivation: “I am a SFS alum from 1989 – Monteverde, Costa Rica. That experience changed my life, and I am happy to support SFS and the work it does! Good luck!”

The Projects

 
Dr. Edgardo Arevalo, Costa Rica
Dr. Edgardo is conducting his 12th year of research on the impacts of roadway noise on bird communication in some of Costa Rica’s national parks. Dr. Arevalo and his students will capture bird calls in areas adjacent to roads using audio recording devices. Read more about his project and support his research.
 

 
Dr. John Kioko, Kenya
Dr. Kioko will conduct the first-ever comprehensive biodiversity assessment in the Kimana Wildlife Sanctuary in southern Kenya. Dr. Kioko and his students will use camera traps and night vision equipment to monitor wildlife activity in this important community-managed wildlife corridor. Read more about his project and support his research.
 

 
These campaigns are off to a great start, but our work is not yet over! Help support our faculty by donating and spreading the word. And stay tuned for updates on our Instagram and Facebook pages.

 
→ Sustainable Development Studies in Costa Rica and Wildlife and Water Studies in Kenya

Each year, The School for Field Studies honors its most exceptional students with Distinguished Student Researcher Awards for their important contributions in environmental research. SFS semester students engage in undergraduate research guided by SFS faculty on projects related to each Center’s long-term strategic research plan. Outcomes of these Directed Research (DR) projects provide information and recommendations to community members and other stakeholders on critical, local environmental issues.

Students are nominated by SFS faculty based on their demonstrated sophistication in research design, fieldwork, reporting, and contribution to the Center’s research plan. The SFS award also recognizes the student’s leadership exhibited while working with a team of student and faculty researchers in the field.

SFS Dean Dr. Mark Seifert and Assistant Dean Dr. Katie Goodall presented the award this spring with a nomination from the student’s DR advisor.

 
Yuxi Xia, Wellesley College and the SFS Center for Conservation and Development Studies, Cambodia

Xia’s research project, “Use, availability, and access regarding non-timber forest products in three Bunong villages in Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary in Eastern Cambodia,” addresses the underlying reasons behind changes in access to and availability of natural resources for villages within the wildlife sanctuary. It accomplishes this by compiling an organized, trilingual (English, Khmer, Bunong) taxonomy of the recorded species at the study sites.

Professor Lisa Arensen, Xia’s DR advisor, remarks that she “exercised a high level of research integrity and worked to a very high standard” while remaining “empathetic, respectful, flexible, and uncomplaining in conditions that were occasionally very frustrating.” She adds that Xia produced “an excellent piece of undergraduate research that met her complex objectives,” and presented her research to community stakeholders “with great clarity and a deep level of understanding of her topic.”

 

Yuxi Xia

 
→ Conservation and Development Studies in Cambodia