Category: Programmes
Blue carbon in Abu Dhabi
by Trevor Jones, Remote Sensing Scientist, Madagascar Lalao Aigrette, fellow BV Blue Forests colleague, and I recently spent a fascinating two weeks in the western coast of the Arabian Gulf. We were participating in the initial research of the Abu...
My visit to the Safidy programme in Andavadoaka
by Samantha Cockburn, Medical Elective with Safidy, Madagascar Three years ago I received an email from my medical school advertising a lecture aimed at local GPs entitled ‘Is Sex Going To Kill Us?’ given by Professor John Guillebaud, Emeritus Professor...
Cyclone Haruna response update (3)
Blue Ventures is continuing to respond to cyclone Haruna, which hit southwest Madagascar as a powerful category 2 storm exactly one month ago on 22nd February 2013. For previous updates about the situation, please follow the links here and here and here. Since the cyclone...
Talking tuna with the UN
by Mialy Andriamahefazafy,Environmental Policy Specialist, Madagascar Tuna management has always been a major focus for our policy work, even though it may seem like a small piece of the puzzle within our very successful community-based fishery management programme. However, we...
Antanandahy: where the women rule the mangroves
by Sylvia Paulot and Kate England, Blue Forests team, Madagascar After winding its way west, Madagascar’s Tsiribihina River empties into the Mozambique Channel in a maze of tributaries entwined with mangroves. At the end of last year, Sylvia and Kate...
Marching for marine protection in England
by Jo Hudson, Conservation & Research Assistant, London On Monday 25th February, the BV London team wrapped up warm and prepared to brave the freezing winter’s day in order to join the thousands of people who were marching on parliament...
Feeling at home in Belize
By Pam Viele, BV volunteer, Belize The Blue Ventures homestay in the quaint fishing village of Sarteneja was the perfect way to experience the culture of this lovely spot beyond the perspective of a tourist. Like most of the volunteers,...
School on a Saturday?
by Christine Foulkes, BV volunteer, Madagascar The walk to school was interesting. We negotiated the daily route leading down to the boats in the bay. Then we turned into the narrow passage way at the edge of the village, through...
A much needed repose
By Brian Jones, Conservation Coordinator, Madagascar Living in paradise ain’t always easy. Sometimes you just need to… get away. Nowhere better to do that than in my hometown in eastern Pennsylvania in the middle of winter! Huh? Contradictory as that...
Island life: monitoring nesting turtles in the Barren Isles
by Olivier Raynaud, Maintirano & Barren Isles Project Coordinator, Madagascar Among the variety of natural riches that can be found in the Barren Isles’ diverse ecosystems are five of the world’s seven marine turtle species; the leatherback, loggerhead , olive ridley,...
Saving Mozambique’s dugongs
by Dr Garth Cripps, Senior Conservation Scientist & Forest Carbon Finance Specialist, Madagascar Walking down the lively streets of Vilanculos and Inhassoro in Mozambique it is difficult to believe that in the early 90’s these were dead towns. The streets, shops and...
The most beautiful adventure: My first trip beyond Madagascar
by Rado Lebely, Terrestrial & Fisheries Scientist and EDGE Fellowship winner, Madagascar Who would think that I’ve never been outside of Madagascar, never travelled by plane and never seen an international airport? This reality changed when I was accepted to join...
Reflections from a Belizean fishing village
by Daniel le Roux, BV Volunteer, Belize It seems to me that people usually start these sorts of things with a cliché: “Sarteneja was everything I imagined it would be”, or “I instantly felt at home in Sarteneja”. I hate...
The sweet taste of success in Saturday School
by Marzia Garin, former Education and Youth Coordinator, Madagascar In mid-November, the children at Saturday School had a very special guest: the Swiss NGO ADES (The Association for the Development of Solar Energy). ADES travelled down to Andavadoaka to teach...
Have you ever encountered a live sea cucumber?
by Taylor Mayol, Communications and Programme Development Officer, Madagascar I hadn’t either until just a few months ago. I knew I was in for a wild ride during my fellowship after I dove into a crystal clear turquoise bay in...