Category: Don’t Miss

Some of the best posts from our archive!

Open source conservation

Blue Ventures' Al Harris writes his thoughts on the future of conservation from the front line of our work in Madagascar.

/ Apr 16, 2015

A little step for me…. One giant leap for octopus fisheries management

Not only was it my first time in the “Old Town”, the beautiful heart of Zanzibar’s Stone Town, where the labyrinth of alleyways transport you to another time, and the historical monuments and museums bear witness to the cultural and artistic...

/ Mar 3, 2015

Through school I know that I’m capable of achieving much more…

I know that staying and finishing school will help me get somewhere where I’m fully satisfied. Doing something other than living day-to-day, doing small jobs, hauling cement or moving rocks. Through school I know that I’m capable of achieving much...

/ Feb 2, 2015

Uncovering the hidden power of Population-Health-Environment programmes

Have you ever wondered how offering family planning to communities in Madagascar might be affecting the size of fish in the Mozambique Channel? Or how working with octopus gleaners may be impacting women’s use of contraception? Or how seaweed farming...

/ Nov 20, 2014

Putting Madagascar on the (Google) Map

by Leah Glass, Blue Carbon Project Manager, Madagascar I’m writing this blog whilst drifting down the Sambirano River in northwest Madagascar on a traditional pirogue. On a ‘normal’ work day I’d be on my way to visit one of mangrove...

/ Oct 22, 2014

Making a living from the forests between land and sea

by Kitty Brayne, Country Coordinator, Madagascar  I’m in a fishing village, but I can’t see the sea. Ankazomborona is perched on the edge of a muddy channel separating land from a forbidding forest of twisted mangrove trees, their roots veering...

/ Oct 1, 2014

Increasing choice for women in Belo

Community health agents in and around Belo sur Mer are trained to offer contraceptive injections to women in their villages.

/ Sep 9, 2014

Octopus opening day: ten years on

by Olivia Kemp, Fisheries Programme Manager, Madagascar In August this year, coastal communities in the southwest region of Madagascar celebrated their 10th periodic octopus fishery closure season. Since 2004, villages along this coastline have been annually closing off parts of their fishing sites,...

/ Sep 2, 2014

Lobster with a side of lionfish

by Silvia Parmeggiani, Community Officer, Belize Despite the early start, the full sun was already beating down on us as we drive down the dusty road from Sarteneja, on our way to Belize City. Belize is a country of many cultures,...

/ Aug 29, 2014

Eco-labels and sustainability management in the Island of the Gods

By Olivia Kemp, Sustainable Fisheries Programme Manager, Madagascar Earlier this year I travelled to the Centre of the Universe. Or the island of Bali, Indonesia, as it is also known. The Balinese, who have a deeply rich culture, believe that...

/ Jun 7, 2014
Vik shaking hands with Sir Crispen Tickell, with David Chenier (President, UK, ConocoPhillips) and Professor Louise Richardson (Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of St Andrews)

A victory for PHE: Blue Ventures wins the 2014 St Andrews Prize for the Environment

Against the elegant backdrop of the University of St Andrews, I spent an inspiring, exhausting, and at times terrifying three days, competing against two other finalists for the 2014 St Andrews Prize for the Environment.

/ Jun 4, 2014

Blue Ventures in India

By Dr Trevor Jones, Geospatial Analyst & Manager, Blue Carbon Science, Vancouver, Canada Greetings from Vancouver where I write to you in the midst of recovering from my recent travels to the other side of the globe. I’ve just returned...

/ Jun 2, 2014

On the road: tales from your semi-nomadic Conservation Coordinator

By Brian Jones, Conservation Coordinator, Toliara, Madagascar  (All photos courtesy of Brian Jones) After almost six years of living in remote villages throughout Madagascar, the modern amenities of Toliara, like hot showers and wifi, were a welcome relief when I...

/ Mar 20, 2014

Entering the third dimension in Belo sur Mer

By Jérémie Bossert, Belo Sur Mer Coordinator, Madagascar Finally Madagascar has a democratically elected president! Things here have a tendency to move slowly, be it getting an authorisation signed, ordering a new generator part, or even electing a president. However,...

/ Mar 18, 2014

Celebrating women who inspire change

I'm currently volunteering with the Safidy programme in Andavadoaka, and was offered the opportunity to write this special blog post for International Women’s Day...

/ Mar 8, 2014