Research and
Student Program
Lying east of the massive island of New Guinea, the Solomon
Islands are comprised of a string of large geologically complex islands
shrouded in rich tropical
forests. Although nearly every animal group studied in any depth in the Solomons
(which
is remarkably few) has revealed striking patterns of endemism, the birds of
the Solomons have made the region famous around the world. No other area contains
a higher proportion of unique bird species, and the birds of the Solomons have
long-influenced classical speciation and biogeographic theory. The idea of
our
ongoing biodiversity research program is this: Just as revisiting the Galapagos
Islands has broadly influenced understanding of natural selection, re-evaluating
bird diversity in the Solomons may alter understanding of two fundamental issues
in natural science – the genesis of biological diversity and its long-term
conservation.
With this in mind, over the past eight years Round River affiliates
have been conducting broad survey work (both distributional and
molecular) of Solomon bird
diversity. Our study area is the entire archipelago. Results are revealing species
new to science and compel reevaluation of long-standing assumptions the origins
of island biotas, and are also beginning to assist in identifying important areas
for conservation. In the interest of catalyzing biodiversity conservation, we
have explicitly linked this biological survey work to capacity building (at landowner
and government official levels) and community networking with indigenous landholding
groups. In addition to contributing to the protection of several key forest areas,
conservation work to date has enabled identification of appropriate geographic
and social scales to initiate a long-term biodiversity conservation initiative
in the Solomon Islands. We now have a suite of local collaborators, a history
of government support and collaboration, and several community-based protected
areas projects currently in place, which form the basis for biodiversity science
and conservation in the Solomons.
The Round River Solomon Student program interweaves students into
this long-term research and conservation program linking them with
field-work and analytical
projects that apply research results to practical applications within the Solomons.
Student activities heavily emphasize engagement with local landholding communities,
councils of chiefs, women’s groups and provincial secondary schools in
concert with a conservation literacy program that utilizes local research results.
Students also have the opportunity to participate in collaborative programs between
international biodiversity research and conservation programs, local NGOs and
landowning groups aimed at linking community groups with opportunities to seek
and obtain economic alternatives to extractive industry.
The academic courses for this project are presently under development. Students
interested in learning more about the Solomon Islands Conservation Project should
contact Round River.
Student Program Dates:
June 8th – August 22nd, 2006
June 8th – August 22nd, 2007
