We are very proud to announce that our Field Research Centre (FRC) has just partnered with two other biological field stations: the Finca Las Piedras Research Station in Peru (managed by the Alliance for a Sustainable Amazon) and the Gault Nature Reserve (McGill University, Quebec, Canada). Since January, we have been working together to share experiences and develop new projects that will boost the impact of our work to study and protect biodiversity and natural areas across the globe.
Although the three biological stations are so far apart, our missions are fundamentally the same and there is so much we can learn from each other. We are thrilled to see where we can go together!
Photo: Alliance for a Sustainable Amazon
Finca Las Piedras is the Alliance for a Sustainable Amazon research and education center in Peru's Madre de Dios region, in the southern Peruvian Amazon. The site provides access to thousands of hectares of diverse Amazonian ecosystems, including 'terra firme' or upland rainforest dominated by Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) and other tropical hardwoods and aquatic habitats ranging from streams to Mauritia palm swamps ('aguajales' locally).
We conduct basic and applied research that is the foundation of science-based conservation. From biological inventories, population monitoring, and in-depth studies of rainforest ecology to the impacts of national policy and the issues facing our local communities, our projects aim to generate and share the information needed to effectively protect the Amazon, its plants and animals, and sustainable livelihoods.
We also deliver quality environmental education and meaningful training experiences to students of all ages from across Peru to give them the knowledge and skills they need to become the next generation of rainforest defenders. Finally, we work towards reversing the effects of deforestation in the Amazon by employing a number of strategies and involving the local communities.
The Alliance for a Sustainable Amazon is a nonprofit working to conserve biodiversity and other natural resources in the Peruvian Amazon, for the benefit of all those who live in and depend on the rainforest.
For more information, visit their website.
Photo: Alex Tran
McGill University’s Gault Nature Reserve is a private nature reserve that protects nearly 1000 hectares of natural environment. Located near the city of Montreal, in Quebec, Canada, Mont Saint-Hilaire hosts some of the last great vestiges of old-growth forests in the St. Lawrence Valley. Of all the Monteregian Hills that rise so majestically from the floor of the St. Lawrence Valley, Mont Saint-Hilaire (414 m) is by far the least disturbed by human activity and the richest in terms of natural beauty and cultural interest.
Affiliated with the Faculty of Science at McGill University, this research station supports research and teaching activities and maintains a 25 km trail network for the enjoyment of the general public.
For more information visit: https://gault.mcgill.ca/en/
This collaboration is made possible by the Matching Program of the Organization of Biological Field Stations. Our FRC is an active member.
Header: Photo by the Alliance for a Sustainable Amazon