Ms. Davida Nitka, Computer Teacher at Nixon School, has just received notification that she has been awarded a fully paid fellowship for the La Manzanilla Conservation Project through the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, which sponsors Earthwatch Institute, an organization which promotes the sustainable conservation of natural resources and cultural heritage by creating partnerships among scientists, the general public, educators and businesses. 

This is the second time that Ms. Nitka has had the honor of being selected for a fellowship.  In 2002, Ms. Nitka was assigned to study the coastal ecology of the Bahamas.  During the summer of 2003, she decided to attend an Earthwatch in the Puget Sound studying Orcas even though she wasn't eligible to apply for another fellowship.  This expedition was fully funded by her.  This summer, from July 6, 2004 to July 17, 2004, Ms. Nitka will be going on a research expedition to study the Mexican Mangroves and Wildlife.   This will be the last fellowship she will be allowed to apply for according to the rules of Earthwatch.  Ms. Nitka states, “I will continue to attend Earthwatch Expeditions even though I may have to pay for them myself.”

 Ms. Nitka will be traveling to the central Pacific Coast of Mexico, Costa Alegre.  This area has a rich endowment of natural resources, from fringing reefs bejeweled with colorful fishes to tropical deciduous forests, one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world. Coastal mangrove forests play a pivotal role here, preventing erosion and sedimentation of coral reefs, providing key nursery areas for fishes, and offering crucial habitat for American crocodiles, boat-billed herons, and other wildlife. But a dramatic rise in tourism and development along Costa Alegre threatens to undermine the ecological role of mangrove forests and the communities that rely on them.

The La Manzanilla Conservation Project draws on the expertise of researchers from both Mexico and the United States, with backgrounds ranging from crocodiles to water quality. Each team will be coordinated by Jerry Keir (University of Nevada, Reno) a doctoral candidate in Environmental Studies with experience in guiding hundreds of AmeriCorps volunteers. Dr. Michael Morrison (University of California White Mountain Research Station), Dr. Alan Gubanic (University of Nevada, Reno), and Paulino Ponce Campos (Bosque Tropical), will each add their own expertise to certain teams. The support of other colleagues will complete the introduction to Mexico’s unique mangrove habitat.

Working from a boat along the edges of intact mangrove forests, Ms. Nitka, along with teams comprised of researchers and other fellowship awardees, will sample tree and shrub density, identify species composition, and collect plants for further research. The teams will also run transects along the forest for a diversity of birds, and trap, measure, weigh, and mark crocodiles to assess their population status and vulnerability. They will also help with mangrove restoration efforts, using the data collected to build a functioning mangrove ecosystem.

“I am really looking forward to this fellowship.  It will be very challenging and I know I will be bringing back a wealth of knowledge to the students,” states Ms. Nitka.