Prescott College Kino Bay Center

For Cultural and Ecological Studies

Bahia de Kino, Sonora, Mexico

Mission of the Kino Bay Center

1. Education: To provide high quality undergraduate educational opportunities for hands-on field studies;

2. Research/ Conservation: To maintain a field station and program that can serve as a focal point for research and conservation in the Midriff Island Region;

3. Outreach: To facilitate outreach programs for local communities.

• Prescott College has been running field courses in the Kino Bay region for over 30 years.

• The property for the current center was purchased with help from a donor in 1991.

• A Mexican non-profit organization was formed to facilitate collaboration with Mexican research institutions

• The current center can support up to 30 resident researchers and students at any one time.

National Science FoundationKino Bay Planning Workshop

Outcomes• Confirmed Community Outreach and

Environmental Education as primary objectives of the Center

• Identified the need for a fellowship program to provide ongoing education and conservation programs in the community

• Established site development priorities

• Identified Prescott College education, research and conservation priorities– Provide educational opportunities for Prescott

College Students– Collaborate with Mexican institutions– Make real contributions to regional

conservation goals

1991

2007

Site Development

Geographical Context

• The Gulf of California is about 700 miles long and 70 miles wide.

• It extends from La Cienega de Santa Clara to the South of Baja.

• The area around Kino is known as the Midriff Island Region of the Gulf of California.

Biodiversity

Gulf of California- comprises 0.008% of the world’s ocean surface and is home to 14 of the worlds 32 marine phyla, including:

•36 species of marine mammals•4,848 macroinvertebrate species•626 macroalgae species•240 bird species•5 marine turtles species •875 fish species•Endemic reptiles

Habitat 375,000 Square Kilometers of Marine Habitat

•Mangroves (2,560 KM2)•Coastal Lagoons •Coral Reefs•Shallow and Deepsea Basins •Hydrothermal Vents •Over 922 Islands and Islets •Rocky shores

Ecological Importance

• The Midriff Island Region is of global ecological significance:

– High rates of endemism– Very important seabird

nesting colonies– Large sea lion rookeries– Resident and occasional

marine mammal populations– Productive fisheries

• It presents a unique interface between the desert and the sea: two dramatic environments come together.

The Cultures of Kino

Seri Indian Communities

American Sportsfishers / Retirees

Mexican Fishing Communities

Field-based College Studies Marine Biology, Conservation, Cultural

Studies, Adventure Education

Student Opportunities

• 90 P.C. students/year: - participate in scientific field study;- learn about conservation issues through direct participation;- contribute to scientific knowledge and conservation.

• Scholarships are awarded to 2 Mexican students to participate in Kino Center classes each year. Additional scholarships are provided for research.

• Educational groups from other universities and high schools visit the Center.

Lorayne Meltzer

Science and Conservation:Marine Biology, Island Management, Fisheries

Marine Science and Conservation

• The Kino Center has collaborative agreements with a variety of Mexican and American academic, governmental and non-governmental institutions.

• Students, faculty and

visiting researchers at the Kino Center are involved in ongoing and collaborative science and conservation projects.

• The Kino Center supports scientific and conservation efforts of independent researchers, government

agencies and NGOs.

• Island ecology and conservation• Introduced species eradication• Marine mammal ecology• Endangered species monitoring• Flora and fauna description• Fisheries science and management• Marine protected areas development and mgt.• Community-based mgt.

The Kino Center has supported hundreds of individuals from research institutions, NGO’s, government agencies and local communities in projects focusing on:

Research supported by the Kino Center

Kino Center Support for Education, Research and

Conservation• Boat time• Lab and desk space• Communications• Logistical support• Local knowledge• Data collecting and sharing

• Meeting facilities• Research assistance• Lodging• Workshop facilitation

Environmental Education

Environmental EducationProgram

• The Center’s programs aim to provide children with the knowledge, motivation and skills to one day become involved in conservation efforts.

• The Kino community lacks educational resources and can benefit from the community outreach programs of the Center.

• The Center offers environmental education programs to 260 students in three grade levels per year, building capacity for conservation in many ways.

• The Conservation Fellowship Program; established in 1999 to address regional build capacity for addressing regional environmental education, science, and conservation goals.

• The Haide Koskinen Scholarship Program; established in 2003 to support Prescott College students pursuing research at the Kino Bay Center.

• The Marine Conservation Scholars Program; established in 2006 to include Mexican students in Prescott College courses offered at the Kino Bay Center.

• The Coleman Family Foundation Scholarship Program; established in 2007 to support marine science education.

Scholarship Programs

• Conservation Fellowship Program: to facilitate our environmental education and conservation biology fellowships and build capacity for science and conservation work in the region;

• Research Support: to provide field and data management support for the quickly increasing research and conservation activities facilitated by our field station;

• Facilities Upgrades: to help us upgrade facilities to accommodate current levels of use.

Funding Priorities