Earthwatch Annual

Report 2009

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Making Progress

It is fair to say that the years 2008 to 2010 will be remembered as a time of exciting change at Earthwatch. The Boards, working closely with management, embarked on a three year strategy to position the organization for the next 40 years of its extraordinary history. The process required us all, from Directors to supporters and volunteers, to look at how the organization had evolved, where the critical future needs were likely to be, and above all, to understand what we were doing well and challenge ourselves to do it even better. In short, we set out to be in the best position possible to deliver on our critically important mission more effectively in the years ahead.

We are proud of the progress we have made and you will see evidence of our achievements in this report. From the establishment of our new High Level Goals and Measures of Success to the integration of our international management teams and unified governance structure we are more focused, efficient and above all effective. The results speak for themselves. But we are not complacent. We still need to understand a rapidly changing world. The global environment faces more threats and uncertainty than ever before and the role that science, businesses, partners and people like you can play in helping to develop a more sustainable future for our children and grandchildren has never been more important. It inspires us all to do more.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, Trustees, Advisors and Staff, thank you.

Whitney L. Johnson, Chairman Prof. David Macdonald, CBE, Vice Chairman

IntroductionsContents

Measures of Success

While the 2009 global summit in Copenhagen highlighted the difficulties of reaching a government level resolution on climate change, it did demonstrate the relevance of the Earthwatch approach and the importance of our mission over the years ahead.

The critical shift towards a more sustainable environment requires the objectivity of science in order to understand

World-class research 4-7Using a unique “citizen science” model, Earthwatch research helps to understand how we can act to create and protect a sustainable environment

Environmental leaders 8-11Earthwatch’s life-changing learning experiences create new environmental leaders from different backgrounds to promote action for sustainability

Sustainable futures 12-15Earthwatch partnerships work to design and deliver learning and engagement programs for employees worldwide, encouraging a culture of sustainability within their organizations

Setting the agenda 16-19Earthwatch research impacts environmental management and the protection of ecosystems and habitats, helping to advise and influence local authorities all over the world

Earthwatch legacy 20-23Work conducted by Earthwatch brings direct, lasting benefits to the environment around the research area, as well as the local communities

Introductions 1Earthwatch in numbers 2-3

Financials and Acknowledgements 24-29

often complex issues and, just as importantly, the mobilization of people worldwide in that effort, as the research community alone lacks the resources or time needed to be successful. Through our citizen science model, Earthwatch not only contributes to informed policy decisions, but we also educate ourselves and those around us in the process, inspiring positive and lasting change at home and in the workplace.

To demonstrate the effectiveness of our model, I’m delighted that we’re able to present our year’s achievements in the context of the organization’s High Level Goals which guide our mission:

1 To increase the level of scientific knowledge about key environmental issues

2 To develop current and future environmental leaders3 To help enable organizations and businesses to become

more sustainable4 To inform environmental policies, agendas and

management plans5 To leave a measurable legacy in terms of the

conservation, preservation and future of species, habitats and the cultural heritage of our planet

How well we achieve against these goals – our Measures of Success – will determine both the immediate impact on the environment and our legacy for future generations.

As the following pages demonstrate, we have reached some key milestones through our varied and innovative research, public, education, and corporate programs. Underpinning all our achievements, as always, is the generosity of our many donors, partners and supporters as well as the contribution of thousands of extraordinary volunteers globally, who put aside their normal lives to give their time, enthusiasm and commitment to work alongside our scientists in the field, making the future a little more hopeful.

Thank you.

Ed Wilson Nigel Winser President & CEO Executive Vice President & Head of Programs

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IN NUMBERSEARTHWATCH

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Earthwatch’s influence has reached countries and cultures worldwide, and continues to grow. The statistics-map below offers a unique perspective on our achievements.

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In 2009, Earthwatch researchers estimated that about 150 bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) lived in Greece’s Amvrakikos Gulf: one of the highest densities anywhere in the Mediterranean Sea.

The science leaders we have the privilege to work with are a very rare species, and we are indebted to them for their shared

belief in our unique combination of research and engagement.

Nigel Winser, Executive Vice President, Earthwatch Institute

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Using a unique “citizen science” model, Earthwatch works with

international leading researchers, academic institutions and networks, conducting world-class research to understand how we can act to create and protect a sustainable environment.

In 2009, Earthwatch worked around the world, gathering cutting-edge data, highlighting the delicate balances of nature that we aim to preserve. In Louisiana, USA, Earthwatch scientists began collecting important ecological data on a newly discovered non-native species of caterpillar that feeds on the Chinese tallow tree (Sapium sebiferum). Future Earthwatch teams will help examine their potential to control growth of this invasive tallow, and the risk that this insect will impact native tree species. Also, across hurricane-damaged sites in the area, six caterpillar species reached outbreak proportions, suggesting that intermediate disturbance (ecological disturbance that is neither rare nor frequent) promotes diversity of species occupying higher levels on the regional ecosystem’s food chain.

Earthwatch research investigates the best way to protect ecosystems such as these, and disseminates findings to assist management. Experiments on Earthwatch’s Tidal Forests of Kenya project, for instance, have established

that mangroves can help each other survive and grow. Results showed that a higher density of planted mangroves resulted in lower mortality: the opposite of the competitive effects ecologists usually expect. Mangroves are impressive natural resources, useful for protecting shorelines, and providing nursery habitat for fish and a source of timber and firewood for local communities. Mangroves are also effective carbon sinks, and the project researchers aim to demonstrate how community-run plantations could generate payment for mangrove carbon credits in the future.

The scientific authority of Earthwatch research is reflected in our scientists’ numerous academic affiliations worldwide, and a growing number of partnerships with international environmental organizations. Results from Diamondback Terrapins of Barnegat Bay, where Earthwatch teams outfitted several terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) with sonic and radio transmitters for a pilot study on the nesting and hibernation behaviour of several female terrapins, will be analysed as part of Ph.D. research by Julianne Winters – a student trained on the project – on habitat utilization by diamondback terrapins. Meanwhile, researchers from Earthwatch project Wildlife of the Mongolian Steppe worked with the IUCN’s Species Survival

Commission to assess the status of all bird species in Mongolia in 2009. A report and action plan for Mongolian birds is due in 2010.

Drawing our research together is an ever-growing community of indispensible Earthwatch volunteers, recruited from diverse backgrounds. In return for their dedication and initiative, they receive unforgettable experiences and opportunities, new skills, and a broader knowledge on issues of conservation, climate change and cultural heritage. Their input in 2009 was substantial across all fielding projects. For example, since June 2009, when the Victoria Pond Restoration Initiative was established in the Bahamas to improve the coastal environment of George Town, Exuma, Earthwatch teams on Coastal Ecology of the Bahamas have provided the manpower and helped coastal restoration projects, by replanting native plants, and monitoring the site for measures of restoration success.

Over the year, lead scientists Drs. Chris Newman and Christina Buesching from Mammals of Nova Scotia project, collected valuable information and experience on the suitability of different methods for the training of non-professional volunteers, and aim to release a paper on the usefulness of volunteers towards the end of 2010.

In Wildlife and Conservation Volunteering: The Complete Guide (Bradt), Earthwatch earned maximum scores for demonstrable achievements – the most important measure of success for environmental research

Since 1971, 93,000 volunteers have joined Earthwatch in the field

Volunteers gain valuable skills from working with leading scientists

Worldwide recognition of the work carried out on this project grew in 2009 with the launch of a website displaying the latest camera-trap images, providing ongoing information on the mammals of the Santa Lucia Reserve, Ecuador.

Teams collected sufficient imagery of tree canopies to allow the preparation of a scientific journal article from the project planned for publication in 2010. Additionally, with the first year of climatic information recorded by the data-loggers, publication is planned for a paper investigating the relationship between mosses, liverworts and altitude to determine whether they are sensitive enough to act as biological monitors of climatic changes. Sampling canopy bromeliads was also carried out to try to provide a better picture of Ecuadorian reptiles and amphibians, as not much is known about the tree-dwelling species in this region.

An endemic snake species, named Atractus gigas was recorded within Santa Lucia for only the second time. The snake was first encountered in 2008, living in primary Andean cloud forest habitat. The new sighting, occurring 48km from and 407m higher than the first specimen - biologically significant when understanding the ecology of mountain species - has resulted in an article describing a range extension for this species in the journal Herpetology Notes.

Earthwatch is working to identify the main threats facing bottlenose dolphins in and around Greece’s Amvrakikos Gulf. Of 12 individuals photo-identified in the Inner Ionian Sea Archipelago, five had previously been encountered by researchers in the Gulf of Corinth.

These animals made a round trip of about 350 km, and were observed again in the Inner Ionian Sea Archipelago at the end of the research season, indicating that bottlenose dolphins living outside of the Amvrakikos Gulf are capable of long-distance movements. Such movements have important implications in terms of population viability, particularly in areas where bottlenose dolphin densities are low. Researchers in our partner organization, Tethys Research Institute, have called for the status of this Mediterranean sub-population to be raised from Vulnerable to Endangered (IUCN Red List).

Additionally, opportunistic data captured on pelican sightings in the area is likely to be shared with the Greek Ornithological Society for their research into managing the population.

Dolphins of Greece

Climate Change, Canopies and Wildlife

Highlights from the field

Identifying plant specimens found within the Santa Lucia Reserve

Photographic surveys of the canopy, using a remote-control helicopter, have been used to help scientists estimate the carbon sequestration capacity of the forest

The calm waters of the Amvrakikos Gulf are a haven for these cetaceans, but increasing pollution levels are leaving researchers to question: for how long?

Volunteers work alongside members of the local community to investigate canopy-based biodiversity

Award-winning broadcaster and presenter Andrea Catherwood, who visited the project in 2009, continues to support the Earthwatch research program

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Everyone, everywhere: Earthwatch in Australia launched the ground-breaking initiative ClimateWatch, an opportunity for the nation’s public to learn about climate change and take responsibility for preserving the natural world.

ClimateWatch will allow us to compare similar research around the globe. Maybe our seasons,

however they are defined, will have to evolve worldwide to keep pace with climate change.

Dr. Tim Entwisle, Executive Director of the Botanic Gardens Trust, Sydney, and member of the

ClimateWatch Community Engagement Panel

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Leading profiles

Central to Earthwatch’s values is our mission to deliver life-

changing learning experiences, creating new environmental leaders from different backgrounds to promote action for sustainability, even after their expedition is over.

Youth and StudentsEarthwatch celebrated 20 years of partnership with the Durfee Foundation through the Student Challenge Award Program (SCAP). The program has enabled over 600 students to participate on Earthwatch projects in North America, the Bahamas and Iceland. Two new projects were developed for the SCAP students in 2009: Southwestern Earth and Skies through Time and Investigating Cultural Landscapes of the Yakama Nation. The students’ response to being successfully nominated and joining the program has been exceptional, with some of the students even confirming a new direction in environmental education, recognizing “the importance of participating in scientific research”.

Corporate EmployeesTo examine how Earthwatch’s impact reached individuals within organizations, one example stands out: Michelle Tung, an HSBC employee based in Hong Kong, developed an eTraining initiative to make training resources more accessible, searchable

Marappullige Priyantha Kumara majored in Fisheries Biology at the University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka, and is a research student at the School of Life Sciences at Napier University, Edinburgh, working with Dr. Mark Huxham, lead scientist for Earthwatch project Tidal Forests of Kenya.

Kumara has helped lead two Earthwatch teams in Kenya, and delivered a presentation at an international conference for the Society for Wetland Scientists in Northern Ireland, Florida, Belgium and England. He has also helped organize and run a national workshop on the ways forward, and priorities for, mangrove research in Sri Lanka. Recently, Kumara co-authored a paper on mangrove survival, published in peer-reviewed journal, Oecologica.

Kumara will complete his Ph.D. this year, and aims to continue working in mangrove conservation in Sri Lanka, where results are compared with the Kenyan mangrove forestation project, sharing the learning there and elsewhere in the interest of increasing knowledge of coastal protection.

Breaking new ground in mangrove conservation

Earthwatch team leader Kumara has helped run a national workshop on the ways forward for mangrove research in Sri Lanka

Dr. Kathy Townsend, a marine biologist from the University of Queensland, Australia, was awarded an international fellowship grant for her pioneering work researching the threats to marine turtles along the coast of Queensland.

Presented by Earthwatch, the first-ever Goldring Emerging Marine Scientist Fellowship supports promising early-career researchers and professionals who are committed to the creation of a sustainable environment through science, public education, and collaborative partnerships.

Data collected on Turtles in Trouble will providescientific data on the impact of marine debris to policy makers, and results from this study will be of international relevance.

Leading lady for marine research

Dr. Kathy Townsend is researching the threats to marine turtles along the coast of Queensland, Australia

The Earthwatch Capacity Development program trained over 70 fellows from Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia, on nine diverse projects in 2009

Learning and development opportunities for students are presented through Earthwatch project internships, providing essential field-based training

and easier to store, while eliminating as much paper as possible from the personnel training process without impacting the quality of the offering. The initiative reduced paper consumption within her department by 800,000 sheets, reducing the annual paper and printing costs by 50 per cent.

EducatorsThe year saw more teams of educators join Earthwatch expeditions thanks to Live From the Field fellowship awards, supported in part by HSBC in the Community and Wells Fargo. The program allows teachers to join cutting edge science research, sharing their experiences with classrooms from their research sites, live, through web journals, photos, lessons, suggested activities, and teleconferencing. Following an expedition, the fellowships provide funds for each teacher to develop a community project to address a local environmental issue. One teacher created butterfly gardens using native plant species, working with local parks to clear invasive plant species. Another created a vermi-culture project, exposing her school and community to composting by creating compost initiative using school lunch scraps, helping reduce waste. The ripple effect of these activities benefit thousands of students each year, further expanding the reach and legacy of the Earthwatch research experience.

Public EngagementEarthwatch Australia set a new benchmark in community engagement, unveiling a fantastic new initiative ClimateWatch: the country’s first large-scale phenology network, inviting children and adults alike to become Earthwatch citizen scientists to help collect baseline data that will support climate change research. Despite the existence of many volunteer organizations, no such network or data-set had previously been created in Australia. Rio Tinto became the founding sponsor of ClimateWatch as part of the organization’s long-standing partnership with Earthwatch.

Hildergarde Aloyce (pictured left) and Helena Francourt (pictured far left) were the two winners of the first annual Earthwatch Neville Shulman Awards, established to assist emerging leaders in education and field science in support of conservation in Africa and Asia. Both received sponsorships of £4,000 to help develop their own research project.

Hildergarde, from Tanzania, made of a series of conservation films on coastal pollution and its impacts on human health and livelihoods in Dar es Salaam. The films contributed to national marine pollution campaigns. Helena’s initiative reviewed all current data concerning marine reserves and biodiversity in the Seychelles, forming a database to help establish the effectiveness of Marine National Parks in the area.

These opportunities have enabled both winners to develop their own project planning and management skills. Four runners-up also received funding to continue their training in environmental conservation. These grants are making a real difference to the scientists as well as promoting conservation and research on the ground.

Award-winning initiatives

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Champions of change: 92 percent of HSBC Climate Champions who have participated in field-based research and learning with Earthwatch felt that the experience had increased their commitment to taking action on climate change and sustainability (source: Ashridge Business School Survey, 2009-2010).

Partnering with Earthwatch is undoubtedly helping us to embed sustainability across our global business.

Nigel Pate, Senior Manager, HSBC in the Community

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In 2009, Earthwatch collaborated with nearly 40 corporate

partners from around the world. We continue to work with a wide range of businesses, all helping to create a culture of responsibility and sustainability by building collective awareness, knowledge and engagement through commitment to our crucial environmental research.

Integral to these partnerships are the delivery of learning and engagement programs for organizations and their employees. The British American Tobacco Biodiversity Partnership – a multilateral partnership between British American Tobacco (BAT) and a group of leading environmental NGOs – developed the Biodiversity Risk & Opportunity Assessment. The process ensures that risks around the impacts and dependencies of tobacco growing operations on biodiversity and ecosystems are assessed, avoided, mitigated or offset as appropriate. Earthwatch is helping train BAT staff on how to carry out the assessments, starting with a facilitated regional training workshop in Bangladesh in 2009.

In February 2009, Earthwatch and Syngenta carried out a “Proof of Concept” phase for a new research program, Living Landscapes, designed to develop Syngenta’s

leaders’ awareness of issues surrounding food security, healthy and diverse ecosystems and sustainable agriculture.

As part of the Living Landscapes initiative, two teams of Syngenta employees participated in the Earthwatch project Wildlife and Wine in Bordeaux. A carefully tailored learning journey, linked into Syngenta’s own “culture change” process, was provided for the Syngenta teams. The work produced by this partnership will enhance the ability of Earthwatch and Syngenta to understand and face the challenge of preserving vital ecosystem services and biodiversity while meeting the increasing demands for agricultural products now and in the future.

Earthwatch officially launched a ground-breaking new partnership between Shell and UNESCO in late 2009. The initiative aimed to team up carefully chosen, experienced employees from Shell with UNESCO World Heritage site managers and mentor them through a unique business-planning process. The objective of this training is to enhance the prospects for long-term sustainable management at some of the world’s most valuable and vulnerable strongholds of nature. By 2013, we hope to have trained the senior

management staff for every natural World Heritage site in Southeast Asia.

As well as building on our environmental knowledge, Earthwatch partnerships also aim to have tangible, positive impacts on reducing natural resource use. During the year, Earthwatch conducted reviews of wood usage and afforestation in BAT tobacco growing areas, and produced simple guidelines for categorising wood fuel sources and assessing sustainability.

A new five-year research program into carbon storage of tropical mangrove ecosystems, supported by insurance company, Aviva, was also announced. The project, based on the research from Earthwatch project Tidal Forests of Kenya, will quantify, and put an economic value on, the carbon storage capacity of mangrove plantations. It will inform decisions on how to best manage mangrove forests to maximize their carbon storage potential and provide sustainable harvests.

Earthwatch will continue to build on these productive collaborations, and forge new partnerships with committed businesses, working together to promote the understanding and action required to create a sustainable future for all.

Working together for the world

HSBC Climate PartnershipEarthwatch officially opened the final two Regional Climate Centers (RCCs) in China and India, adding to those already established in the USA, the UK and Brazil, completing the first phase of the HSBC Climate Partnership.

Communicating the importance of the program was achieved in a number of ways. Adapting the established two-week climate champion team model, Earthwatch successfully piloted a six-day Sustainability Leadership Program and seven-day Climate Champion field program. Public outreach grew significantly with the first-ever media team – run from the North America RCC – connecting journalists to Earthwatch and global climate change research. A highly successful event, it is now being developed as a key communication model for the other regions. Geographical magazine featured a six-page article following editor Geordie Torr’s visit to the RCCs in both India and the UK. Extracts from a completed documentary about the research program in India, made by award-winning Indian filmmaker Mike Pandey, were broadcast to 800 million viewers on Indian television.

Evaluations of the partnership, conducted by C&E Business and Society, an independent consultancy, found that over 70 percent of employees feel more favorable towards the bank due to the partnership, indicating a strong internal endorsement.

Zoe Gamble, part of the Earthwatch Learning team, spent several months at the India RCC to help develop the program

Facilitated learning sessions have been developed as a fundamental part of the Climate Champion training program

Around 500,000 coffee cherries were counted through the Coope Tarrazú program

Volunteer teams in Costa Rica studied soil nutrients, coffee production, coffee plant health, and farming input management in each farm

For the last four years, Earthwatch has helped promote sustainable coffee farming practices that benefit both production for farmers and the environment, through our work with coffee cooperative, Coope Tarrazú, in the Los Santos region of Costa Rica. Most of the financial support over the last three years has been provided by Starbucks Coffee Company.

During the 2009 field season, 32 farms were visited by Earthwatch/Starbucks fellowship teams. Findings from data collected has indicated that farmers can lower their usage of synthetic fertilizers without negatively impacting their yields, meaning they can save on production costs while reducing agrochemical runoff during rain storms, which can lead to an increase in freshwater pollution. Also, the land cover/land use layer of a regional geographic database was updated using satellite images, which will help achieve sustainable management of this agricultural landscape.

Sustainable coffee farming with Starbucks

Earthwatch results are communicated to farmers through ongoing workshops and presentations

Syngenta employees participate in Earthwatch’s Wine and Wildlife in Bordeaux project, in an exemplary partnership working on agriculture, conservation and ecosystem issues

To date, 40 BAT staff have been trained in the Biodiversity Risk and Assessment process

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Earthwatch disseminates authoritative results through key public events and peer-reviewed papers.

Our overarching goal is to use the research you support to inform conservation policies and management plans locally and globally.

Dr. Mark Chandler, International Director of Research, Earthwatch Institute

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Earthwatch researchers continued to lead on the development of

environmental management plans and the protection of ecosystems and habitats, helping to advise and influence local authorities all over the world.

PeruScientists from Macaws of thePeruvian Amazon project were invited to contribute to management plans for the Tambopata clay licks – essential feeding grounds for threatened macaws – now facing degradation from rock slides and vegetation cover, with potentially devastating effects on the birds’ populations. During the meetings with the authorities in charge of managing the Tambopata National Reserve, the project’s long-term data set was presented and a rescue plan created.

MexicoData gathered by volunteers on Tracking Baja’s Black Sea Turtles during the last few years have been now been used to persuade local authorities in Baja California, to implement appropriate enforcement measures to stop illegal fisheries. The black turtle (Chelonia mydas), listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, was suffering

seasonal peaks in mortality, indicating that they were heavy by-catch victims of these fishing practices.

British ColumbiaGrey whale (Eschrichtius robustus) survey and photo-identification data from Earthwatch’s Whales of British Columbia project was supplied to the National Marine Fisheries Service, Seattle, to inform the international management plan, drawn up by the Canadian and American governments, for protecting the species in this region of the northeast Pacific.

EnglandIn South Shields, findings from a permanent large-scale excavation site are helping Earthwatch researchers understand how ancient Romans and Europeans came into contact with each other. The knowledge gleaned by the research on the project is passed on to conservation officers of the local authority who ensure that building development and intrusive work only takes place after appropriate archaeological mitigation and recording of threatened remains.

ScotlandOn the west coast of Scotland, the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust,

supported by Earthwatch, has been involved in an environmental working group to provide harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) distribution data for the Sound of Mull. Data and expertise collected in 2009, and before, have been integrated in the Sound of Mull Marine Spatial Plan, which was implemented in summer 2010. The plan informs regulation, management and protection of the marine environment of Sound of Mull, and contributes valuable information to the Scottish Marine Bill.

South AfricaEarthwatch scientists are currently in the process of naming, describing and illustrating 18 new species of invertebrate which they discovered in Mkhambathi Nature Reserve. A report, highlighting the important information about the invertebrates, was presented to Eastern Cape Parks scientists for use in their conservation planning and management strategies.

ThailandResults from Earthwatch project Coral Reefs of Thailand (supported up to 2009) helped lead national park authorities to implement a “no-boat” zone around key hard coral reef sites in the area.

After researchers on Robben Island indicated the importance of sustainable fish stocks in the area to the successful reproduction and survival of the African penguin (Spheniscus demersus), South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism facilitated the temporary closures of fisheries to allow scientists to monitor the subsequent effects on penguin populations. Following previous closures encouraged by the project, 2009 saw areas around St. Croix Island and Robben Island closed to purse-seine fishing for a period of two years. The project teams have taken the lead in collecting and providing the data required from Robben Island, and the results will form the basis for any long-term closures of fisheries around penguin colonies in South Africa - a measure that could provide a major boost to the conservation of the species.

South African Penguins

Earthwatch research at the Ikh Nart Nature Reserve of Mongolia has enjoyed particular success, following its designation as an “Important Bird Area”, as authorities are considering upgrading the Reserve to National Park status. In addition, the United Nations Development Program initiated a project on protected areas and sustainability, awarding Ikh Nart the highest conservation management rating for Mongolia’s Protected Areas. As a result, the staff managing the reserve will now receive extra resources. The program will also be used as one of three “model” Protected Areas, improving conservation management throughout Mongolia.

Wildlife of the Mongolian Steppe

Model projects

Data captured on Whales and Dolphins of the Hebrides is being integrated in the Sound of Mull Marine Spatial Plan

Earthwatch researchers in Mongolia are continuing to monitor populations of little-studied small mammals, such as the jerboa (of the family Dipodidae)

New archaeological teams have been established to document cultural heritage in Mongolia

The heads of 855 chicks were measured to determine how well they were growing

Volunteers tagging an African penguin

Earthwatch researchers use automatic systems designed to detect and recognise individual penguins as they pass remote cameras

Macaws are disappearing from many areas of the American tropics – Earthwatch data is helping determine the factors that influence their survival

Research results from 2009 have been published in 16 major books, furthering scientific research for generations to come

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School children listen to a talk given by an Earthwatch volunteer from Kenya. A new school block, built through the support of Earthwatch volunteers and scientists, directly benefiting the villagers of Gazi, Kenya, was officially opened in August 2009.

There is a universal recognition of the urgency of reliable, authoritative science to help understand the changes taking place in the world. Earthwatch is placing that environmental understanding into hearts and minds – and hands – of the global community.

Prof. David Macdonald, CBE, Vice Chairman, Earthwatch Institute

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Volunteer data gathered to date will help clarify the role of surrounding ecosystems in regulating volatile pollutants resulting from volcanic activity in Central America

Ecosystem services provided by the Amazonian flooded forests, including water quality maintenance, soil conservation, seed dispersal and carbon sequestration, have been maintained through management and conservation actions carried out by Earthwatch’s Amazon Riverboat Exploration project, headed by scientist Dr. Richard Bodmer, in collaboration with the authorities and local communities of the Peruvian Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. The Reserve is more intact than it has been over the past 25 years, while the local Cocama indigenous people are more involved in conservation than ever before. Researchers will continue to advance the conservation of the Amazon forest, using the Reserve as their case study site.

Ecosystem services enhanced or protected

Recent population trends for the leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea, listed as Critically Endangered onthe IUCN Red List) in the Atlantic Ocean have indicated that nesting populations are stable or rising. Long-term Earthwatch project Trinidad’s Leatherback Sea Turtles supports nesting by one of the species’ largest nesting colonies in the world, so the management of this insular population is critical to driving the restoration of this species. Educational outreach spearheaded by Earthwatch researcher Dennis Sammy has stopped the slaughter of turtles for meat, while annual beach clean-ups have provided clear spots for nesting females, and nest excavations have saved an estimated 600 hatchlings every year.

Species and habitat protected

Life-changing research

Archaeological Earthwatch projects located in the UK and Italy are bringing to light new discoveries into the Roman legacy in Europe. Paul Bidwell’s project Ancient Britain: Romans on the Tyne provides information to local conservation officers and building authorities to ensure the remains can be recovered before new buildings are constructed. Findings are shared with the Tyne and Wear Museum, while learning and outreach programs benefit the local communities and schools. Discovering Italy’s Ancient Roman Coast, led by Dr. Andrea Camilli, is informing knowledge of the history of the industrially important Etruscan city Populonia. The project facilitates community involvement in its research, and provides professional apprenticeships for local youth.

Cultural heritage conserved

More than 80 percent of all leatherback sea turtles in the Caribbean are known to nest on Trinidad. Earthwatch has supported the research here since 2003

Information provided by research in the Amazon can help the indigenous people make appropriate decisions on how best to save the region

Ancient Britain: Romans on the Tyne won the award for Best Archaeological Research Project at Britain’s Current Archaeology magazine Awards in 2009

Three Rugosity Enhancing Devices (artificial reef forms) have now been placed for coral growth and the creation of fish habitat, as part of John Rollino’s reef restoration in The Bahamas

Long-term data gathered by teams in the Czech Republic is proving valuable for reforestation in the region

Work conducted by Earthwatch brings direct, lasting benefits to

the environment around the research area, as well as the local communities.

Dr. Josef Krecek’s twenty-year restoration effort in the Czech Republic is paying dividends, returning the mixed forest to its original, native composition, restoring the watershed and improving water quality. The restoration is also positively affecting the soil formation and nutrient cycling in the area, increasing the ecological stability of the ecosystem, previously devastated by chronic levels of industrial pollution.

Earthwatch volunteers are contributing substantial support to establishing surveys on the Volcano project, led by Dr. Hazel Rymer. Outcomes will inform guidelines, which will help to determine short-term responses to gas-related health emergencies, as well as medium-term land management policies for reducing the effect of degassing – where poor agricultural yields and reduced quality of (human) life occur through volcanic activity – while providing direct economic benefit to vulnerable communities.

At the Arctic’s edge, Dr. Peter Kershaw is benchmarking current permafrost conditions in order to evaluate predicted future changes, and helping to provide information to mitigate against the detrimental effect of climate change on the environment. Nationally, the data on permafrost status and environmental conditions across the country are providing a more accurate picture of the current situation and trends so that predictions of future change can influence decisions on park management.

The restoration of coral reefs in The Bahamas, under the guidance of Earthwatch scientist John Rollino, provides opportunities for the residents of San Salvador to gain ownership of their marine environment. Working in collaboration with local organization Living Jewels, residents take responsibility for it, by being directly involved with the enhancement of their island’s natural resources.

Earthwatch researchers working to understand the structure of the Reverdin’s Blue butterfly (Lycaena arginommon) population on Mount Fuji

will provide wildlife managers in Japan with guidance on how to conserve the species and the ecosystem on which they depend. Mount Fuji has long been a spiritual home of the Japanese and an object of religious worship. It is very important, not only to threatened species, but also to the Japanese people, to devise a conservation strategy for this area.

Earthwatch funding can provide crucial start-up support for researchers to create and run their own projects. Biologists Christopher Meehan and Eric Olson reaped the rewards from this early support, working on their own research in Costa Rica thanks to previous Earthwatch funding, when they announced in 2009 the discovery of the world’s first known “vegetarian” spider. The species Bagheera kiplingi, a small Central American jumping spider, was found to feed mainly on plant matter. The research will have major implications on the scientific understanding of the local ecology.

Earthwatch Institute global financial summary

Program services and support includes: recruitment, development and management of research projects and volunteers, and management of education programs and partnerships including fellowship, capacity development, community education and corporate engagement programs.

Total funds 2009 2008 2009 2008£000’s £000’s US$000’s US$000’s

Incoming resources 12,967 11,384 20,617 20,605Resources expended 12,555 11,818 19,962 21,391Net (outgoing)/incoming resources

412 (434) 655 (786)

These figures refer to Earthwatch Institute offices: Australia, Europe, Japan and USA.

Earthwatch is pleased to present an abbreviated synopsis of its 2009 fiscal performance. This was another challenging year for the global non-profit community. However, Earthwatch, with its long history of robust and stable programs, was able to maintain its revenues and continues to diversify its base of committed supporters.

Managing comprehensive field operations in a fluctuating financial environment has proved difficult, we have delivered a healthy programs-to-operations ratio in 2009, with 87% of our expenditures directed towards our worldwide research and education activities (against 83% in 2008).

Earthwatch recognizes the responsibility of our mission to maintain urgent programmatic needs and field commitments. We continually strive for greater operational efficiencies and cost effective mission delivery to ensure we devote the majority of our revenues to this end.

Gareth R. Price International Head of Finance and Operations, Earthwatch Institute

Earthwatch research is supported by Land Rover in various locations around the world, where they supply and maintain all-terrain vehicles for safe transport to and from wilderness-based research locations.

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$1 million plusHSBC Holdings PLC

$250,000-999,999Durfee FoundationShell International Ltd.Starbucks Coffee CompanySyngenta Crop Protection AG

$100,000-249,000Alcoa FoundationBritish American Tobacco PLCDiwan of the Royal Court of OmanErnst & Young LLPThe Goldring Family FoundationICAPDavid H. KochMitsubishi Corporation Fund for Europe & AfricaMonsanto FundNewmont Ghana Gold Ltd.Northrop Grumman FoundationOrica Ltd.Dr. Arthur D. and Jane M. RiggsRio Tinto Saudi AramcoUBS Investment BankWells Fargo Bank

$50,000-99,999AnonymousAccenture Japan Ltd.AmcorAviva PLCHelen and Peter BingBHP Billiton Iron OreBrotherCadbury SchweppesThe Geraldine R. Dodge FoundationThe Phil Hardin FoundationKao CorporationLand RoverLand and Water AustraliaNational Australia Bank

Estate of Joy Valentine Tyco International (US) Inc.Woodside

$10,000-49,999AnonymousThe Abu Dhabi National Energy CompanyThe Ahmanson FoundationAtlas of Living AustraliaBalcombe TrustBluewater Management SuiteClowes FundHarry H. and Anna Borun FoundationRichard Burnes, Jr. Conservation & Preservation Charities of AmericaDepartment of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts Duke Energy CorporationThe Eberstadt Kuffner Fund Inc. Russell FaucettGlaxo SmithKline PLCG. Keith and Grace FunstonAlexandra Gardiner GoeletBarbara GreenewaltHenry C. GreenewaltSamuel M. Hamill, Jr.HSBC JapanHSBC North AmericaHSBC SingaporeHunter HallHunter Hall International LtdIan Potter FoundationThe Louise H. and David S. Ingalls FoundationInnovations in Wallcoverings, Inc.Jeffrey A. JakubiakGeorge Frederick Jewett FoundationJohn Ellerman FoundationWhitney and Mollie JohnsonDonald KendallThe Esther A. & Joseph Klingenstein FundKPMG

Lake District National Park AuthorityMitsui & Co., Ltd.Merrill & Cynthia MagowanThe Marpat FoundationGiles W. and Elise G. Mead FoundationYoka NambaCatherine NierrasNippon Yusen Kabushiki KaishaPerpetual TrusteesRio Tinto AustraliaRufford Maurice Laing FoundationG. Carl and Julia SchweserSeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation FundSkyscrape FoundationSheehan Family FoundationNathaniel and Elizabeth P. Stevens FoundationTransgridOrlin and Onolee TrappThe Trust CompanyVictoria Electricity John P. and Jane K. Wilson Fund of the Community Foundation of TexasLynn and Natalia WoodsKaren D. and M. E. ZukermanZurich

$5,000-9,999Anonymous (2)Allen-Stevenson SchoolAnglo AmericanBay and Paul FoundationsAmy Ruth BorunChristina and Jason BlumenthalDeakin UniversityThe Jack D. and Beverly B. Finley Charitable FoundationElizabeth Gordon through the William J.J. Gordon Family Foundation Gaye Hill and Jeff UrbinaMarymount SchoolPayne W. MiddletonMitsubishi International CorporationNational Fish and Wildlife Foundation

DonorsEarthwatch would like to thank the following individuals, companies, and grant-making organisations for their invaluable support, both in 2009, and looking ahead.

National Life Group of VermontThomas and Catherine NicholsonNTT Tokyo Information & Directory Services Corp.Jeremy and Angela PalmerRoyal Mail Group PLCNeville and Emma ShulmanSandra Pitts SeidenfeldSeven-Eleven Green FundChristine Bata SchmidtSony Deutschland GmbHMark Styles and Bill Holt, on behalf of EarthwatchSydney Olympic Park AuthorityTimbnet Group Ltd.Judson TraphagenPamela Wilton UlmVicSuperPhilip WeickhardtWainwright BankE.G. Watkins Family Foundation

$1,000-4,999Anonymous (5)Charles Allen AOLuis Alberto Quijano AxleSir Erik BennettJohn Blanton Jr. and Deborah HandlerGeorge and Jane Bunn, Jr.Clare CannonMark and Anne-Marie CappellanoJames CarpenterDanny Climber, on behalf of EarthwatchCasio Computer Co., Ltd.Stephen ColumbiaDonald DanaGene DanielsJacqueline Schulman DobranskiDavid EarlEmployees of Earthwatch EuropeLisa ErhartBarbara EricksonKathryn Fagg

Andrea FerenceFirst WindGeorge FloraFuture LeadersCharles GansonNeilma GantnerGenzymeJuliana GilbertGladstone Power StationMyles GoldfeinColin GommRupert and Jan Grey Alan HickenbottomW. Charles HitchcockHitachi Research InstituteRobert HustonPam InmanAnne JaumeesAnne KantorKatherine C. KeckPeter R. and Cynthia K. Kellogg FoundationPeter and Jill KrausJohn LambertRichard LawsonMargaret LowmanDeborah LynchElaine MassieMarks Family Charitable TrustMammoth Site of Hot Springs South DakotaRobert Maple-BrownJohn MayerLeslie MelzerAnthony McMahonJuanita MillerMitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd.Mitsubishi Estate Co., LtdMitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.Jonathan and Abigail MosesTim MullerNamaste FoundationNikon CorporationJeannette Nolen

Daryl and Robert OfferBrent OppenheimerOptiverOxford RAG Society, on behalf of EarthwatchMaurice and Kitty PechetPershingJane Phillips David PirrieP & I Associate David Richards and Ann MacGregorPaul Rose, on behalf of EarthwatchBrian RossChuck RovenDaniel RubensteinWilliam RuvelsonSusan SakmarRuth and Ken ScheerAnne ScheppHenry and Julia SharpeTsuru Shinya, Ph.D.Paul and Mary SlawsonChad and Tricia SmithRobert StackJack SteningHarriet and Conrad ToddVictoria and Jamie TomashoffDenise A. TrapaniTravelocityUBSUltraFeedbackR & B Wagner, Inc.Walsh Charitable FundStan and Karen WattEd WilsonJane T.Wilson Asnah WijataDelaina WilkinWorldwide Small Change Foundation

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International Board of DirectorsWhitney L. Johnson, ChairmanProf. David Macdonald, CBE, Vice Chairman*Louise BarrettAmy Ruth BorunRichard M. Burnes, Jr.Mark CappellanoSagarika ChatterjeeAndrew ChristieRichard DonkinGeorge A. EberstadtRussell B. FaucettG. Keith Funston, Jr.Alexandra (Alix) GoeletGary F. GoldringWillard C. (Dub) HayDr. John Hemming, CMG*Donald R. Kendall, Jr. *†Dr. Margaret D. Lowman*Merrill L. MagowanProf. Jacqueline M. McGladeAnthony J. McMahonDr. William R. Moomaw*Thomas H. Nicholson*G. Andrew Pindar, OBEHerschel Post, MBEBrian A. Rosborough, Ex-OfficioDr. Daniel I. Rubenstein *†Ruth C. ScheerDr. Tsuru Shinya, Ex-OfficioRobert J. StackCharles SwinglandMark D. WardPhilip L. Weickhardt, Ex-OfficioEd Wilson, Ex-OfficioKaren D. Zukerman

Directors EmeritiWilliam G. Meserve, Chairman Emeritus, USSir Crispin Tickell, Chairman Emeritus, UKChester G. AtkinsDonald E. DanaJames S. HoyteDavid H. KochLinda MillardGraham G. SpurlingProf. Ian Swingland, OBE

James M. StoreyBronson ThayerJill Walsh

US Board of AdvisorsMerrill L. Magowan, ChairKaren D. Zukerman, ChairLynn C. AndersonVanessa AlexanderChristina BlumenthalPaul CumminsJacqueline Schulman DobranskiHenry GreenewaltSamuel M. HamillJeffrey A. JakubiakKatherine KeckJames P. KellyWallace J. NicholsCatherine NierrasAnne PedreroChristine Bata SchmidtSandra Pitts SeidenfeldG. Carl SchweserJohn L. StowellVictoria TomashoffJudson TraphagenPam Wilton UlmAmy Ziff

Max Nicholson GroupSir Erik BennettAdrian BlandAndrew and Nonie ChristieDavid Earl*Paul GamelRupert and Jan Grey*Richard Lawson and Elaine Massie*Janet McCrae*Anthony McMahonMr David Richards and Dr. Ann MacGregor*Jeremy and Angela PalmerHerschel and Peggy PostNeville and Emma Shulman*Paul and Mary Slawson*Bob StackMark WardLynn and Natalia Woods

Australia Board of DirectorsPhilip L. Weickhardt, ChairmanProf. Mark BurgmanHeather CampbellRichard GilmoreColin GommAndrew GrantAnthea HancocksVictoria SedwickProf. Nigel StorkEd Wilson

Japan Board of DirectorsDr. Tsuru Shinya, ChairmanYoichi Tao, Co-ChairmanProf. Hideki IshidaProf. Masayuki NagaiEd Wilson

Earthwatch Science AdvisorsProf. M. James CrabbeProf. Ken NorrisDr. Hazel RymerProf. M. S. SwaminathanDr. Hugh SyngeSir Crispin Tickell GCMG KCVO

International Executive TeamEd Wilson, President & CEONigel Winser, Executive Vice President and Head of ProgramsEve Carpenter, International Director of Learning and EngagementDr. Mark Chandler, International Director of ResearchBarbara Erickson, Chief Development OfficerDave Hillyard, International Director of PartnershipsMarsha O’Doherty, International Director of Human ResourcesGareth Price, International Head of Finance and Operations

Earthwatch International Board of Directors, Mission Committee and Science Advisors

AcknowledgementsOne orchestraEarthwatch would like to acknowledge and thank all those who have contributed to our activities over the past 12 months. We never take your contribution for granted. It is a remarkable and effective network – in fact “one orchestra” of collective effort.In 2009, we were helped by 2,965 hardworking volunteers who contributed over 200,000 hours of robust science across 107 projects globally in the 2009 season. Our science leaders serve as Principal Investigators for each project and this they do with customary research diligence, safely and as inspired teachers. Our Science Advisors around the world give us time and expertise.Our International Board of Directors, Trustees and Advisors provide governance, inspiration, resources and leadership. We have numerous Corporate Partners, all of whom provide a global perspective and are generous with time and the resources we need to operate. The links we have established through our many academic partnerships provide intellectual strength as well as key individuals with whom we develop new programs. And of course, the entire Earthwatch staff, numbering over 150 in nine offices around the world, all contribute in some way to the mission. This is the team that ensures we deliver effective programs. This is your report. Thank you.

Environmental printingEarthwatch publications use the highest standard of environmentally responsible print processes available. This report was produced by RR Donnelley, using FSC-certified 100% recycled and uncoated paper, and energy from renewable sources. All extra material used in the production of this report has been recycled where possible. RRD proudly maintains several environmental certifications including ISO 14001.

Production teamDevelopment and editorial: Caroline Chisholm, Rob Stringer, Crispin Zeeman. Design and creative direction: Neil Parkes, Heather Ponting-Bather, Crispin Zeeman.

Photography credits Earthwatch thanks all those who have contributed and allowed us to use their pictures to illustrate this report. Front cover: Crispin Zeeman. Inside and back cover: The majority of the photographs were supplied by Earthwatch researchers, staff and volunteers. A number of images were also taken by photographers Jake Bryant, Tilo Burghardt, Andy Fairbairn, Joan Gonzalvo/Tethys Research Institute, Paul Harris, Kate Holt/ShootTheEarth, Phillip Ross, Crispin Zeeman and Yifei Zhang.

*International Mission Committee members†Co-Chairman of International Mission Committee

Earthwatch engages people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. Our vision is for a world in which we live within our means and in balance with nature.

Earthwatch Institute (USA) is a non-profit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Earthwatch Institute (Europe) is the working name for Conservation Education & Research Trust (CERT), a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (number: 4373313) and a registered charity (number: 1094467)

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