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Smith
Summer Program All About the Reef
For
the families and children who live in San Pedro, a village
on Ambergris Caye on the east coast of Belize, the coral
reef that stretches along the coastline plays a large role
in their lives. Not only is the reef practically in their
front yards, but for many along the Belizean coast, livelihoods
are made from fishing on the reef and providing services
for the many tourists who flock there for the pristine beaches
and diving.
| Coral
Reef Ed-Ventures 2010: Six Smith students spent six weeks in San Pedro,
Belize, teaching local children about the coral reef
and conducting underwater research. (Click on images
to view a .) |
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The reef’s health has come under threat in recent years due to overfishing and
overuse, coastal development and natural causes such as climate change.
In 2000,
three Smith faculty members—Al Curran, William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor Emeritus
of Geology, Susan Etheredge, professor of education and child study, and Paulette
Peckol, Louise C. Harrington Professor of Biological Sciences—teamed with personnel
at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve in San Pedro to launch an annual summer program
teaching local children and residents about the coral reef—its ecology, geology
and biology.
Coral Reef Ed-Ventures, now
in its 11th year, has grown each year, involving more than
100 children aged 7 to 11 from San Pedro this year. Each
summer, a group of Smith students travel to Belize for six
weeks to lead educational programs and activities about the
coastal ecosystem, and to conduct research on the reef.
“Coral Ed began from our belief
that reef science alone wasn’t going to ‘save’ coral
reefs,” said Curran. “We knew that local community education
and response via conservation and sustainability management
were needed. We chose San Pedro for this program specifically
because it is the largest coastal resort community in Belize,
with the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef immediately offshore and
a large population of schoolchildren.”
This year’s Smith student participants—Katie
Donovan AC’09 and MAT ’10, Lily
Maynard ’11, Emily Ulrich ’11, Elizabeth Wallace ’11,
Caitlin Kennedy ’11,
and Kaylyn Oates ’12—gave a presentation on campus earlier
this month about their experience at this year’s Coral Reef
Ed-Ventures.
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