Download Exhibition Highlights Young Artists Addressing Climate Change

In the Headlines
At the Center
Woods Hole Research Center Named Energy Superstar
As part of an ongoing program of the Falmouth Energy Committee, the Woods Hole Research Center has been
named an Energy Superstar by the Falmouth Board of Selectman. Due to the energy innovations of the Gilman Ordway campus, the proclamation recognizes “the Center’s dedication and inspiration in reducing ... use of fossil fuels
thereby making a positive impact on the well being of the planet and those that inhabit it.”
Major Climate Change Report Co-Authored By Center Director John Holdren
In February, the United Nations Foundation and Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, released “Confronting
Climate Change: Avoiding the Unmanageable and Managing the Unavoidable,” the final report of the Scientific
Expert Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development. The report, prepared as input for the upcoming
meeting of the UN’s Commission on Sustainable Development, outlines a roadmap for preventing unmanageable
climate changes and adapting to the degree of change that can no longer be avoided. Two years in the making, the
report was written by a panel of eminent scientists from around the world, including Woods Hole Research Center
Director John P. Holdren.
Woods Hole Research Center Responds to United Nations Call for Submission Regarding Deforestation
Center staff, in collaboration with colleagues at the Amazon Institute for Environmental Research (IPAM), responded to a call from the United Nations Subsidiary Body on Scientific and Technological Advice for information regarding the reduction of emissions from deforestation in developing countries. The contributions were used in workshops held in early March by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Cairns, Australia.
Exhibition Highlights Young Artists Addressing Climate Change
Continued from Page 1.
many people in the building - artists, students, scientists, parents, grandparents
- it made us all feel that what we do here is so important to help people make
connections. And what a thrill to see South Shore kids instant messaging to
kids in Siberia.”
She adds, “The artwork in the exhibition is so different from much of the
student work we see here on the South Shore. The powers of observation
are much more developed in what some may think of as an underdeveloped
area of the world. It has been an honor to have the work here - a unique
opportunity in many many ways.”
A young visitor admires a drawing by a
Zhigansk student showcased in the exhibition.
The exhibition is the latest initiative of Holmes’ Student Partners Project, a
program begun in 2002, when a 13-year-old girl named Anya, the daughter
of a boat captain, just happened to be along for a research expedition on the
Lena River that included Holmes. He noticed her interest in the scientific
sampling work, and communicating through a little English, a little Russian,
and a lot of hand signals, she quickly mastered the basic sampling protocols.
Anya’s participation quickly grew to include fellow students and teachers at
her school in Zhigansk, and in other communities throughout the Arctic. This
initiative, funded by the National Science Foundation, is not only advancing
scientific understanding of a part of the world already experiencing climate
change, but is also creating the next generation of scientists and scientificallyliterate citizens.
Walking the Talk: Center Staff Volunteer As Town Land Stewards
For Woods Hole Research Center staff members Fred Palmer, Camille
Romano, Tom Stone, and Wayne Walker, commitment to a healthy
environment does not end with the workday. They volunteer as Land
Stewards for the Town of Falmouth.
©
Post-doctoral fellow Wayne Walker, who has
served as a land steward since April 2006, posts
tags marking “Falmouth Conservation Land”
along the border of his parcel.
To receive future issues of The Woods Hole Research Center newsletter online,
register your email address at www.whrc.org
149 Woods Hole Road Falmouth MA 02540-1644
Spring 2007
The last title Associate Scientist Max Holmes
ever expected to have behind his name was “art
curator,” but thanks to the creative generosity
of students in Zhigansk, Siberia, that’s just what
he’s become.
In addition to helping create a healthy future for the parcels, being a land
steward allows the volunteers to glimpse into the past uses of the land
in Falmouth. Stone says, “The surrounding area, too hilly and rocky to
plow, was likely used for grazing - evidenced by stonewalls - and more recently was used as a woodlot and as a source
of boulders to split for sills and fenceposts. So the older uses of the land are evident but, for several decades anyway,
it is untouched and quite attractive.”
Continued on inside left panel.
The Woods Hole Research Center
A newsletter of The Woods Hole Research Center
Exhibition Highlights Young Artists Addressing Climate Change
The Land Steward Program was begun in 1989, with a renewed focus
in 2006. There are now more than 50 stewards who help take care of
about 1,450 acres of town and The 300 Committee conservation land.
The stewards provide a presence on the land by picking up trash, keeping
trails clear, and reporting problems to the conservation commission.
Tom Stone, a senior research associate, began volunteering in 1999. He
says, “After moving to a new home in Falmouth with a fair amount of
conservation land around it - one reason for moving there - I found
that there was a parcel within walking distance from home. Being from
Maine, and having grown up in forests, I need some nearby. This is my
contribution to making that possible.”
Canopy
Visitors examine drawings included in the South Shore Art Center and Woods
Hole Research Center’s joint exhibition, Young Artists for Global Awareness: The
Children of Zhigansk, Siberia.
From March 2 to April 8, a collection of
original paintings done by fifth through tenth
graders in Zhigansk, Siberia, was on exhibit
at the South Shore Art Center in Cohasset,
Massachusetts. The artwork depicts the
children’s environment and their perceptions
of the environmental changes going on around
them. Given to Holmes as a gift while he was
visiting the school this past November, the
collection demonstrates a remarkable skill level
and gives a glimpse of a remote world many
know very little about. Complementing the
student drawings were photographs of the
artists and the Siberian region, maps, video
excerpts from research expeditions, and native
textiles, many of which are intricately beaded
and embellished.
Upon returning to Falmouth, Holmes showed
the collection to Cindy Vallino, a family friend
and a board member at the South Shore Art Center. When a slot unexpectedly opened in their exhibition schedule, one thing
rapidly led to another.
According to Holmes, “The opportunity to be a part of this, and to know what excitement and pride this generated in a
community 5,000 miles away, has been tremendous. To have the science blend so seamlessly with education and outreach
about an issue that is increasingly touching us all is, for me, a key achievement in making my work meaningful.”
The community of Zhigansk were active participants in the exhibition. During the opening reception on March 4, and
again for a Center event on March 22, students and teachers there rose before dawn to connect via Skype, an internet video/
telephone service, to chat with guests wandering through the show.
South Shore Art Center director Sarah Hannan commented, “The afternoon of the opening was just astounding to have so
This newsletter printed on recycled paper with vegetable-based inks.
Continued on inside right panel.
In the Headlines
At the Center
Woods Hole Research Center Named Energy Superstar
As part of an ongoing program of the Falmouth Energy Committee, the Woods Hole Research Center has been
named an Energy Superstar by the Falmouth Board of Selectman. Due to the energy innovations of the Gilman Ordway campus, the proclamation recognizes “the Center’s dedication and inspiration in reducing ... use of fossil fuels
thereby making a positive impact on the well being of the planet and those that inhabit it.”
Major Climate Change Report Co-Authored By Center Director John Holdren
In February, the United Nations Foundation and Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, released “Confronting
Climate Change: Avoiding the Unmanageable and Managing the Unavoidable,” the final report of the Scientific
Expert Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development. The report, prepared as input for the upcoming
meeting of the UN’s Commission on Sustainable Development, outlines a roadmap for preventing unmanageable
climate changes and adapting to the degree of change that can no longer be avoided. Two years in the making, the
report was written by a panel of eminent scientists from around the world, including Woods Hole Research Center
Director John P. Holdren.
Woods Hole Research Center Responds to United Nations Call for Submission Regarding Deforestation
Center staff, in collaboration with colleagues at the Amazon Institute for Environmental Research (IPAM), responded to a call from the United Nations Subsidiary Body on Scientific and Technological Advice for information regarding the reduction of emissions from deforestation in developing countries. The contributions were used in workshops held in early March by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Cairns, Australia.
Exhibition Highlights Young Artists Addressing Climate Change
Continued from Page 1.
many people in the building - artists, students, scientists, parents, grandparents
- it made us all feel that what we do here is so important to help people make
connections. And what a thrill to see South Shore kids instant messaging to
kids in Siberia.”
She adds, “The artwork in the exhibition is so different from much of the
student work we see here on the South Shore. The powers of observation
are much more developed in what some may think of as an underdeveloped
area of the world. It has been an honor to have the work here - a unique
opportunity in many many ways.”
A young visitor admires a drawing by a
Zhigansk student showcased in the exhibition.
The exhibition is the latest initiative of Holmes’ Student Partners Project, a
program begun in 2002, when a 13-year-old girl named Anya, the daughter
of a boat captain, just happened to be along for a research expedition on the
Lena River that included Holmes. He noticed her interest in the scientific
sampling work, and communicating through a little English, a little Russian,
and a lot of hand signals, she quickly mastered the basic sampling protocols.
Anya’s participation quickly grew to include fellow students and teachers at
her school in Zhigansk, and in other communities throughout the Arctic. This
initiative, funded by the National Science Foundation, is not only advancing
scientific understanding of a part of the world already experiencing climate
change, but is also creating the next generation of scientists and scientificallyliterate citizens.
Walking the Talk: Center Staff Volunteer As Town Land Stewards
For Woods Hole Research Center staff members Fred Palmer, Camille
Romano, Tom Stone, and Wayne Walker, commitment to a healthy
environment does not end with the workday. They volunteer as Land
Stewards for the Town of Falmouth.
©
Post-doctoral fellow Wayne Walker, who has
served as a land steward since April 2006, posts
tags marking “Falmouth Conservation Land”
along the border of his parcel.
To receive future issues of The Woods Hole Research Center newsletter online,
register your email address at www.whrc.org
149 Woods Hole Road Falmouth MA 02540-1644
Spring 2007
The last title Associate Scientist Max Holmes
ever expected to have behind his name was “art
curator,” but thanks to the creative generosity
of students in Zhigansk, Siberia, that’s just what
he’s become.
In addition to helping create a healthy future for the parcels, being a land
steward allows the volunteers to glimpse into the past uses of the land
in Falmouth. Stone says, “The surrounding area, too hilly and rocky to
plow, was likely used for grazing - evidenced by stonewalls - and more recently was used as a woodlot and as a source
of boulders to split for sills and fenceposts. So the older uses of the land are evident but, for several decades anyway,
it is untouched and quite attractive.”
Continued on inside left panel.
The Woods Hole Research Center
A newsletter of The Woods Hole Research Center
Exhibition Highlights Young Artists Addressing Climate Change
The Land Steward Program was begun in 1989, with a renewed focus
in 2006. There are now more than 50 stewards who help take care of
about 1,450 acres of town and The 300 Committee conservation land.
The stewards provide a presence on the land by picking up trash, keeping
trails clear, and reporting problems to the conservation commission.
Tom Stone, a senior research associate, began volunteering in 1999. He
says, “After moving to a new home in Falmouth with a fair amount of
conservation land around it - one reason for moving there - I found
that there was a parcel within walking distance from home. Being from
Maine, and having grown up in forests, I need some nearby. This is my
contribution to making that possible.”
Canopy
Visitors examine drawings included in the South Shore Art Center and Woods
Hole Research Center’s joint exhibition, Young Artists for Global Awareness: The
Children of Zhigansk, Siberia.
From March 2 to April 8, a collection of
original paintings done by fifth through tenth
graders in Zhigansk, Siberia, was on exhibit
at the South Shore Art Center in Cohasset,
Massachusetts. The artwork depicts the
children’s environment and their perceptions
of the environmental changes going on around
them. Given to Holmes as a gift while he was
visiting the school this past November, the
collection demonstrates a remarkable skill level
and gives a glimpse of a remote world many
know very little about. Complementing the
student drawings were photographs of the
artists and the Siberian region, maps, video
excerpts from research expeditions, and native
textiles, many of which are intricately beaded
and embellished.
Upon returning to Falmouth, Holmes showed
the collection to Cindy Vallino, a family friend
and a board member at the South Shore Art Center. When a slot unexpectedly opened in their exhibition schedule, one thing
rapidly led to another.
According to Holmes, “The opportunity to be a part of this, and to know what excitement and pride this generated in a
community 5,000 miles away, has been tremendous. To have the science blend so seamlessly with education and outreach
about an issue that is increasingly touching us all is, for me, a key achievement in making my work meaningful.”
The community of Zhigansk were active participants in the exhibition. During the opening reception on March 4, and
again for a Center event on March 22, students and teachers there rose before dawn to connect via Skype, an internet video/
telephone service, to chat with guests wandering through the show.
South Shore Art Center director Sarah Hannan commented, “The afternoon of the opening was just astounding to have so
This newsletter printed on recycled paper with vegetable-based inks.
Continued on inside right panel.
Center News
Continued from Back Page
Fred Palmer, the Center’s facilities coordinator, who
joined the ranks last year adds, “I felt it was a chance
to give something back to the envionment, having
spent a large part of my career as a heavy equipment
operator, cutting trees, clearing lots, cutting in roads
for developments, spec houses, and such. It is a good
feeling to be an advocate for a piece of property where
you know it will be saved from development in perpetuity.”
Center Donors Encourage Family and Friends To Give
In the
Field:
The
Amazon
For several friends of the Woods Hole Research Center, celebrating the
holidays or marking a special birthday or anniversary has recently included encouraging family and friends to make a gift to the Center, instead
of giving presents.
This past year, Woods Hole Research Center trustee Iris Fanger and
her husband Bob celebrated a very special anniversary with friends and
family during a wonderful party at the Woods Hole Yacht Club. Many
of their close friends, who know the Fanger’s passion for the environment and their commitment to the work of the Center, made gifts to the
Center’s Annual Fund in
their honor and to mark
the occasion. Iris and
Bob were kept informed
of the gifts so that they
could acknowledge them
personally.
Margaret Russell, a staff member with The 300 Committee, comments, “The conservation commission is
well aware of what the stewards do and very appreciative.”
Controller Camille Romano signed up in January. She says, “I have been interested and involved,
both directly and indirectly, in land conservation
in Falmouth, so I thought this would be a good fit.
I’m looking forward to taking an active part in this
program.”
For Center Associate Scientist Michael Coe, this stream
-- located on a soybean ranch in the Brazilian state of Mato
Grosso -- is an outstanding example of how waterways can
be protected and restored with riparian buffer zones. To
learn more about the Center’s work in the Amazon, visit
www.whrc.org/southamerica
Observations from the Director
The Center has always been committed not only to research
on how the Earth’s environment works, but also to the pursuit of policies and actions to keep it working. This newsletter mentions a number of our activities in this applied
public-policy domain, from the Center’s submission to the
UN Framework Convention on policies for reducing deforestation, to the recent Scientific Expert Group report to the
UN Secretary General on what to do about global climate
change, to the volunteer activities of several members of our
staff as Land Stewards for the Town of Falmouth.
I want to note here that the policy-related activities mentioned are only the tip of a very large iceberg. Part of that
iceberg is our formal Public Policy Program, which is supported by a number of million-dollar grants: on “win-win”
climate-mitigation strategies for Brazil, China, and India
(funded by the Hewlett Foundation), on improved mechanisms for incorporating the value of the ecosystem services
of forests into decision-making (funded by Goldman Sachs),
and on helping leaders of tropical nations understand the
drivers of deforestation in their countries and their options
for remedial action (funded by Roger and Vicky Sant and
the Linden Conservation Trust). Smaller policy efforts are
informing decision-making about land use in New England
Ordway Campus Educational Trail Nears Completion
and the Chesapeake Bay region, about energy and climate strategy in the Northeast and in Russia, and about the restoration of
the Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique (to name a few).
Indeed, almost every project in which the Center is involved,
whether it carries a “policy” label or not, has a policy-and-action dimension. Recent indicators of the prominence and
effectiveness of Center researchers in this aspect of their work
abound: the work of Associate Scientist Toby McGrath and
his team on the government working groups revising resourcemanagement policy in the Amazon floodplain; the award to Senior Scientist Foster Brown by the government of the Brazilian
state of Acre for his work on policy for preventing and combating fires; and Senior Scientist Scott Goetz’s editorial in the
March 30 issue of Science -- the most influential science-policy
forum in the United States -- on the crucial issue of inadequate
government funding for Earth-observation satellites.
There is much more that space does not allow me to list. But
I hope I’ve provided enough here to make clear that, while all
that we do here is rooted in solid science, we are also determined to apply that science to make the world a better place.
- John P. Holdren
Sheila and Jerry Place
also took this maxim to
heart and asked their
children to make a donations to the Center in lieu of Christmas gifts. While this has been a
tradition in the Place Family for the past few years, it is the first year
that the Woods Hole Research Center was selected as the beneficiary.
After reading a Boston Globe interview with the Center’s founder
Dr. George Woodwell a few years ago and then hearing him speak at
a few local events, they selected the Center for this year’s “gift exchange.”
Woods Hole Research Center Trustee Iris Fanger
and her husband, Bob.
“Living on the Cape, we have always been concerned
about the environment,” said Mrs. Place. She and her
husband agreed that the Center was a good match
to those interests and shared their interest with their
children.
The Center will recognize these individual gifts in
honor of the Fangers and the Place Family in the 2007
annual report.
For more information on designating the Center for
a gift in honor or in memory of an occasion or individual, contact Mary Loftus at 508-540-9900, x153, or
[email protected].
Friends of the Center Sheila and Jerry Place
Center Leadership
Chairman of the Board
Lawrence S. Huntington
Board of Trustees
John H. Adams
Anita Brewer-Siljeholm
Steve Curwood
Iris Fanger
Joshua Goldberg
Joel Horn
Lily Rice Hsia
Thomas Lovejoy
Victoria Lowell
Merloyd L. Ludington
Wilhelm Merck
Mary Lou Montgomery
Amy Regan
Joseph Robinson
Gordon Russell
Tedd Saunders
Helen Spaulding
J. G. Speth
Ola Ullsten
George M. Woodwell
Honorary Trustees
Sara S. Brown
John Cantlon
Adrian DeWind
James MacNeill
Gilman Ordway
Ross Sandler
Robert G. Stanton
M. S. Swaminathan
Counsel
Neal Brown
Director
John P. Holdren
Deputy Director
R. A. Houghton
Progress continues in the Woods Hole Research
Center’s educational trail, which will inform visitors, teachers and students about the forest, particularly concerning the importance of the forest carbon
cycle. To date, the trail, located in the forested area
behind the building on the Gilman Ordway Campus, has been cleared, soil temperature and moisture
sensors have been installed in the ground, and an
open demonstration soil pit in which visitors can
see what goes on beneath the surface of the forest
has been dug. This fall, Center staff collected a first
set of leaf litter samples, to investigate the inputs
of carbon to the soil when leaves are shed from the
deciduous trees.
As part of the development of the project, Falmouth
area educators are receiving a first look. In early
Research Associate Kathleen Savage explains the research conducted in
March, science teachers from the Lawrence Middle
a soil pit to teachers from the Lawrence School.
School in Falmouth visited the Center and walked
the trail. Along the way, the teachers discussed the
forest carbon cycle, how trees remove carbon from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, and how they release
carbon back into the atmosphere through respiration, both from the soil and from living biomass. The open demonstration soil pit, which gives a glimpse into soil structure, tree and plant rooting depths and carbon allocation,
particularly stood out as something that students would be interested in seeing.
According to Research Associate Kathleen Savage, “The trail offers a variety of hands on opportunities for students
to learn more about forest ecology and the carbon cycle through field research projects. Potential student projects
include how climate variables such as light, temperature and moisture affect not only how plant and tree species are
located throughout the forest, but also how these climate variables can influence the cycling of carbon through the
forest system.”
She adds, “Field research is an important component of scientific learning and this trail provides an opportunity for
the Woods Hole Research Center to integrate education with science.”
Educational signs will be designed and installed this summer, and the trail will officially open.
Did you know?
The Woods Hole Research Center’s fiscal year ends June 30, 2007, and we need your help to reach our annual fund
goal of $1.2 million. The Center’s annual fund is a critical source of revenue that allows us to address emerging priorities, to bridge gaps between program funding and expenses, and to maintain the Gilman Ordway Campus – an
award-winning model of sustainable building design. Please consider making a gift to the Center before the end of
June. A return envelope has been enclosed for your convenience. You can also make a gift online through our secure
website at whrc.org.
Center News
Continued from Back Page
Fred Palmer, the Center’s facilities coordinator, who
joined the ranks last year adds, “I felt it was a chance
to give something back to the envionment, having
spent a large part of my career as a heavy equipment
operator, cutting trees, clearing lots, cutting in roads
for developments, spec houses, and such. It is a good
feeling to be an advocate for a piece of property where
you know it will be saved from development in perpetuity.”
Center Donors Encourage Family and Friends To Give
In the
Field:
The
Amazon
For several friends of the Woods Hole Research Center, celebrating the
holidays or marking a special birthday or anniversary has recently included encouraging family and friends to make a gift to the Center, instead
of giving presents.
This past year, Woods Hole Research Center trustee Iris Fanger and
her husband Bob celebrated a very special anniversary with friends and
family during a wonderful party at the Woods Hole Yacht Club. Many
of their close friends, who know the Fanger’s passion for the environment and their commitment to the work of the Center, made gifts to the
Center’s Annual Fund in
their honor and to mark
the occasion. Iris and
Bob were kept informed
of the gifts so that they
could acknowledge them
personally.
Margaret Russell, a staff member with The 300 Committee, comments, “The conservation commission is
well aware of what the stewards do and very appreciative.”
Controller Camille Romano signed up in January. She says, “I have been interested and involved,
both directly and indirectly, in land conservation
in Falmouth, so I thought this would be a good fit.
I’m looking forward to taking an active part in this
program.”
For Center Associate Scientist Michael Coe, this stream
-- located on a soybean ranch in the Brazilian state of Mato
Grosso -- is an outstanding example of how waterways can
be protected and restored with riparian buffer zones. To
learn more about the Center’s work in the Amazon, visit
www.whrc.org/southamerica
Observations from the Director
The Center has always been committed not only to research
on how the Earth’s environment works, but also to the pursuit of policies and actions to keep it working. This newsletter mentions a number of our activities in this applied
public-policy domain, from the Center’s submission to the
UN Framework Convention on policies for reducing deforestation, to the recent Scientific Expert Group report to the
UN Secretary General on what to do about global climate
change, to the volunteer activities of several members of our
staff as Land Stewards for the Town of Falmouth.
I want to note here that the policy-related activities mentioned are only the tip of a very large iceberg. Part of that
iceberg is our formal Public Policy Program, which is supported by a number of million-dollar grants: on “win-win”
climate-mitigation strategies for Brazil, China, and India
(funded by the Hewlett Foundation), on improved mechanisms for incorporating the value of the ecosystem services
of forests into decision-making (funded by Goldman Sachs),
and on helping leaders of tropical nations understand the
drivers of deforestation in their countries and their options
for remedial action (funded by Roger and Vicky Sant and
the Linden Conservation Trust). Smaller policy efforts are
informing decision-making about land use in New England
Ordway Campus Educational Trail Nears Completion
and the Chesapeake Bay region, about energy and climate strategy in the Northeast and in Russia, and about the restoration of
the Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique (to name a few).
Indeed, almost every project in which the Center is involved,
whether it carries a “policy” label or not, has a policy-and-action dimension. Recent indicators of the prominence and
effectiveness of Center researchers in this aspect of their work
abound: the work of Associate Scientist Toby McGrath and
his team on the government working groups revising resourcemanagement policy in the Amazon floodplain; the award to Senior Scientist Foster Brown by the government of the Brazilian
state of Acre for his work on policy for preventing and combating fires; and Senior Scientist Scott Goetz’s editorial in the
March 30 issue of Science -- the most influential science-policy
forum in the United States -- on the crucial issue of inadequate
government funding for Earth-observation satellites.
There is much more that space does not allow me to list. But
I hope I’ve provided enough here to make clear that, while all
that we do here is rooted in solid science, we are also determined to apply that science to make the world a better place.
- John P. Holdren
Sheila and Jerry Place
also took this maxim to
heart and asked their
children to make a donations to the Center in lieu of Christmas gifts. While this has been a
tradition in the Place Family for the past few years, it is the first year
that the Woods Hole Research Center was selected as the beneficiary.
After reading a Boston Globe interview with the Center’s founder
Dr. George Woodwell a few years ago and then hearing him speak at
a few local events, they selected the Center for this year’s “gift exchange.”
Woods Hole Research Center Trustee Iris Fanger
and her husband, Bob.
“Living on the Cape, we have always been concerned
about the environment,” said Mrs. Place. She and her
husband agreed that the Center was a good match
to those interests and shared their interest with their
children.
The Center will recognize these individual gifts in
honor of the Fangers and the Place Family in the 2007
annual report.
For more information on designating the Center for
a gift in honor or in memory of an occasion or individual, contact Mary Loftus at 508-540-9900, x153, or
[email protected].
Friends of the Center Sheila and Jerry Place
Center Leadership
Chairman of the Board
Lawrence S. Huntington
Board of Trustees
John H. Adams
Anita Brewer-Siljeholm
Steve Curwood
Iris Fanger
Joshua Goldberg
Joel Horn
Lily Rice Hsia
Thomas Lovejoy
Victoria Lowell
Merloyd L. Ludington
Wilhelm Merck
Mary Lou Montgomery
Amy Regan
Joseph Robinson
Gordon Russell
Tedd Saunders
Helen Spaulding
J. G. Speth
Ola Ullsten
George M. Woodwell
Honorary Trustees
Sara S. Brown
John Cantlon
Adrian DeWind
James MacNeill
Gilman Ordway
Ross Sandler
Robert G. Stanton
M. S. Swaminathan
Counsel
Neal Brown
Director
John P. Holdren
Deputy Director
R. A. Houghton
Progress continues in the Woods Hole Research
Center’s educational trail, which will inform visitors, teachers and students about the forest, particularly concerning the importance of the forest carbon
cycle. To date, the trail, located in the forested area
behind the building on the Gilman Ordway Campus, has been cleared, soil temperature and moisture
sensors have been installed in the ground, and an
open demonstration soil pit in which visitors can
see what goes on beneath the surface of the forest
has been dug. This fall, Center staff collected a first
set of leaf litter samples, to investigate the inputs
of carbon to the soil when leaves are shed from the
deciduous trees.
As part of the development of the project, Falmouth
area educators are receiving a first look. In early
Research Associate Kathleen Savage explains the research conducted in
March, science teachers from the Lawrence Middle
a soil pit to teachers from the Lawrence School.
School in Falmouth visited the Center and walked
the trail. Along the way, the teachers discussed the
forest carbon cycle, how trees remove carbon from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, and how they release
carbon back into the atmosphere through respiration, both from the soil and from living biomass. The open demonstration soil pit, which gives a glimpse into soil structure, tree and plant rooting depths and carbon allocation,
particularly stood out as something that students would be interested in seeing.
According to Research Associate Kathleen Savage, “The trail offers a variety of hands on opportunities for students
to learn more about forest ecology and the carbon cycle through field research projects. Potential student projects
include how climate variables such as light, temperature and moisture affect not only how plant and tree species are
located throughout the forest, but also how these climate variables can influence the cycling of carbon through the
forest system.”
She adds, “Field research is an important component of scientific learning and this trail provides an opportunity for
the Woods Hole Research Center to integrate education with science.”
Educational signs will be designed and installed this summer, and the trail will officially open.
Did you know?
The Woods Hole Research Center’s fiscal year ends June 30, 2007, and we need your help to reach our annual fund
goal of $1.2 million. The Center’s annual fund is a critical source of revenue that allows us to address emerging priorities, to bridge gaps between program funding and expenses, and to maintain the Gilman Ordway Campus – an
award-winning model of sustainable building design. Please consider making a gift to the Center before the end of
June. A return envelope has been enclosed for your convenience. You can also make a gift online through our secure
website at whrc.org.
Center News
Continued from Back Page
Fred Palmer, the Center’s facilities coordinator, who
joined the ranks last year adds, “I felt it was a chance
to give something back to the envionment, having
spent a large part of my career as a heavy equipment
operator, cutting trees, clearing lots, cutting in roads
for developments, spec houses, and such. It is a good
feeling to be an advocate for a piece of property where
you know it will be saved from development in perpetuity.”
Center Donors Encourage Family and Friends To Give
In the
Field:
The
Amazon
For several friends of the Woods Hole Research Center, celebrating the
holidays or marking a special birthday or anniversary has recently included encouraging family and friends to make a gift to the Center, instead
of giving presents.
This past year, Woods Hole Research Center trustee Iris Fanger and
her husband Bob celebrated a very special anniversary with friends and
family during a wonderful party at the Woods Hole Yacht Club. Many
of their close friends, who know the Fanger’s passion for the environment and their commitment to the work of the Center, made gifts to the
Center’s Annual Fund in
their honor and to mark
the occasion. Iris and
Bob were kept informed
of the gifts so that they
could acknowledge them
personally.
Margaret Russell, a staff member with The 300 Committee, comments, “The conservation commission is
well aware of what the stewards do and very appreciative.”
Controller Camille Romano signed up in January. She says, “I have been interested and involved,
both directly and indirectly, in land conservation
in Falmouth, so I thought this would be a good fit.
I’m looking forward to taking an active part in this
program.”
For Center Associate Scientist Michael Coe, this stream
-- located on a soybean ranch in the Brazilian state of Mato
Grosso -- is an outstanding example of how waterways can
be protected and restored with riparian buffer zones. To
learn more about the Center’s work in the Amazon, visit
www.whrc.org/southamerica
Observations from the Director
The Center has always been committed not only to research
on how the Earth’s environment works, but also to the pursuit of policies and actions to keep it working. This newsletter mentions a number of our activities in this applied
public-policy domain, from the Center’s submission to the
UN Framework Convention on policies for reducing deforestation, to the recent Scientific Expert Group report to the
UN Secretary General on what to do about global climate
change, to the volunteer activities of several members of our
staff as Land Stewards for the Town of Falmouth.
I want to note here that the policy-related activities mentioned are only the tip of a very large iceberg. Part of that
iceberg is our formal Public Policy Program, which is supported by a number of million-dollar grants: on “win-win”
climate-mitigation strategies for Brazil, China, and India
(funded by the Hewlett Foundation), on improved mechanisms for incorporating the value of the ecosystem services
of forests into decision-making (funded by Goldman Sachs),
and on helping leaders of tropical nations understand the
drivers of deforestation in their countries and their options
for remedial action (funded by Roger and Vicky Sant and
the Linden Conservation Trust). Smaller policy efforts are
informing decision-making about land use in New England
Ordway Campus Educational Trail Nears Completion
and the Chesapeake Bay region, about energy and climate strategy in the Northeast and in Russia, and about the restoration of
the Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique (to name a few).
Indeed, almost every project in which the Center is involved,
whether it carries a “policy” label or not, has a policy-and-action dimension. Recent indicators of the prominence and
effectiveness of Center researchers in this aspect of their work
abound: the work of Associate Scientist Toby McGrath and
his team on the government working groups revising resourcemanagement policy in the Amazon floodplain; the award to Senior Scientist Foster Brown by the government of the Brazilian
state of Acre for his work on policy for preventing and combating fires; and Senior Scientist Scott Goetz’s editorial in the
March 30 issue of Science -- the most influential science-policy
forum in the United States -- on the crucial issue of inadequate
government funding for Earth-observation satellites.
There is much more that space does not allow me to list. But
I hope I’ve provided enough here to make clear that, while all
that we do here is rooted in solid science, we are also determined to apply that science to make the world a better place.
- John P. Holdren
Sheila and Jerry Place
also took this maxim to
heart and asked their
children to make a donations to the Center in lieu of Christmas gifts. While this has been a
tradition in the Place Family for the past few years, it is the first year
that the Woods Hole Research Center was selected as the beneficiary.
After reading a Boston Globe interview with the Center’s founder
Dr. George Woodwell a few years ago and then hearing him speak at
a few local events, they selected the Center for this year’s “gift exchange.”
Woods Hole Research Center Trustee Iris Fanger
and her husband, Bob.
“Living on the Cape, we have always been concerned
about the environment,” said Mrs. Place. She and her
husband agreed that the Center was a good match
to those interests and shared their interest with their
children.
The Center will recognize these individual gifts in
honor of the Fangers and the Place Family in the 2007
annual report.
For more information on designating the Center for
a gift in honor or in memory of an occasion or individual, contact Mary Loftus at 508-540-9900, x153, or
[email protected].
Friends of the Center Sheila and Jerry Place
Center Leadership
Chairman of the Board
Lawrence S. Huntington
Board of Trustees
John H. Adams
Anita Brewer-Siljeholm
Steve Curwood
Iris Fanger
Joshua Goldberg
Joel Horn
Lily Rice Hsia
Thomas Lovejoy
Victoria Lowell
Merloyd L. Ludington
Wilhelm Merck
Mary Lou Montgomery
Amy Regan
Joseph Robinson
Gordon Russell
Tedd Saunders
Helen Spaulding
J. G. Speth
Ola Ullsten
George M. Woodwell
Honorary Trustees
Sara S. Brown
John Cantlon
Adrian DeWind
James MacNeill
Gilman Ordway
Ross Sandler
Robert G. Stanton
M. S. Swaminathan
Counsel
Neal Brown
Director
John P. Holdren
Deputy Director
R. A. Houghton
Progress continues in the Woods Hole Research
Center’s educational trail, which will inform visitors, teachers and students about the forest, particularly concerning the importance of the forest carbon
cycle. To date, the trail, located in the forested area
behind the building on the Gilman Ordway Campus, has been cleared, soil temperature and moisture
sensors have been installed in the ground, and an
open demonstration soil pit in which visitors can
see what goes on beneath the surface of the forest
has been dug. This fall, Center staff collected a first
set of leaf litter samples, to investigate the inputs
of carbon to the soil when leaves are shed from the
deciduous trees.
As part of the development of the project, Falmouth
area educators are receiving a first look. In early
Research Associate Kathleen Savage explains the research conducted in
March, science teachers from the Lawrence Middle
a soil pit to teachers from the Lawrence School.
School in Falmouth visited the Center and walked
the trail. Along the way, the teachers discussed the
forest carbon cycle, how trees remove carbon from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, and how they release
carbon back into the atmosphere through respiration, both from the soil and from living biomass. The open demonstration soil pit, which gives a glimpse into soil structure, tree and plant rooting depths and carbon allocation,
particularly stood out as something that students would be interested in seeing.
According to Research Associate Kathleen Savage, “The trail offers a variety of hands on opportunities for students
to learn more about forest ecology and the carbon cycle through field research projects. Potential student projects
include how climate variables such as light, temperature and moisture affect not only how plant and tree species are
located throughout the forest, but also how these climate variables can influence the cycling of carbon through the
forest system.”
She adds, “Field research is an important component of scientific learning and this trail provides an opportunity for
the Woods Hole Research Center to integrate education with science.”
Educational signs will be designed and installed this summer, and the trail will officially open.
Did you know?
The Woods Hole Research Center’s fiscal year ends June 30, 2007, and we need your help to reach our annual fund
goal of $1.2 million. The Center’s annual fund is a critical source of revenue that allows us to address emerging priorities, to bridge gaps between program funding and expenses, and to maintain the Gilman Ordway Campus – an
award-winning model of sustainable building design. Please consider making a gift to the Center before the end of
June. A return envelope has been enclosed for your convenience. You can also make a gift online through our secure
website at whrc.org.
In the Headlines
At the Center
Woods Hole Research Center Named Energy Superstar
As part of an ongoing program of the Falmouth Energy Committee, the Woods Hole Research Center has been
named an Energy Superstar by the Falmouth Board of Selectman. Due to the energy innovations of the Gilman Ordway campus, the proclamation recognizes “the Center’s dedication and inspiration in reducing ... use of fossil fuels
thereby making a positive impact on the well being of the planet and those that inhabit it.”
Major Climate Change Report Co-Authored By Center Director John Holdren
In February, the United Nations Foundation and Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, released “Confronting
Climate Change: Avoiding the Unmanageable and Managing the Unavoidable,” the final report of the Scientific
Expert Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development. The report, prepared as input for the upcoming
meeting of the UN’s Commission on Sustainable Development, outlines a roadmap for preventing unmanageable
climate changes and adapting to the degree of change that can no longer be avoided. Two years in the making, the
report was written by a panel of eminent scientists from around the world, including Woods Hole Research Center
Director John P. Holdren.
Woods Hole Research Center Responds to United Nations Call for Submission Regarding Deforestation
Center staff, in collaboration with colleagues at the Amazon Institute for Environmental Research (IPAM), responded to a call from the United Nations Subsidiary Body on Scientific and Technological Advice for information regarding the reduction of emissions from deforestation in developing countries. The contributions were used in workshops held in early March by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Cairns, Australia.
Exhibition Highlights Young Artists Addressing Climate Change
Continued from Page 1.
many people in the building - artists, students, scientists, parents, grandparents
- it made us all feel that what we do here is so important to help people make
connections. And what a thrill to see South Shore kids instant messaging to
kids in Siberia.”
She adds, “The artwork in the exhibition is so different from much of the
student work we see here on the South Shore. The powers of observation
are much more developed in what some may think of as an underdeveloped
area of the world. It has been an honor to have the work here - a unique
opportunity in many many ways.”
A young visitor admires a drawing by a
Zhigansk student showcased in the exhibition.
The exhibition is the latest initiative of Holmes’ Student Partners Project, a
program begun in 2002, when a 13-year-old girl named Anya, the daughter
of a boat captain, just happened to be along for a research expedition on the
Lena River that included Holmes. He noticed her interest in the scientific
sampling work, and communicating through a little English, a little Russian,
and a lot of hand signals, she quickly mastered the basic sampling protocols.
Anya’s participation quickly grew to include fellow students and teachers at
her school in Zhigansk, and in other communities throughout the Arctic. This
initiative, funded by the National Science Foundation, is not only advancing
scientific understanding of a part of the world already experiencing climate
change, but is also creating the next generation of scientists and scientificallyliterate citizens.
Walking the Talk: Center Staff Volunteer As Town Land Stewards
For Woods Hole Research Center staff members Fred Palmer, Camille
Romano, Tom Stone, and Wayne Walker, commitment to a healthy
environment does not end with the workday. They volunteer as Land
Stewards for the Town of Falmouth.
©
Post-doctoral fellow Wayne Walker, who has
served as a land steward since April 2006, posts
tags marking “Falmouth Conservation Land”
along the border of his parcel.
To receive future issues of The Woods Hole Research Center newsletter online,
register your email address at www.whrc.org
149 Woods Hole Road Falmouth MA 02540-1644
Spring 2007
The last title Associate Scientist Max Holmes
ever expected to have behind his name was “art
curator,” but thanks to the creative generosity
of students in Zhigansk, Siberia, that’s just what
he’s become.
In addition to helping create a healthy future for the parcels, being a land
steward allows the volunteers to glimpse into the past uses of the land
in Falmouth. Stone says, “The surrounding area, too hilly and rocky to
plow, was likely used for grazing - evidenced by stonewalls - and more recently was used as a woodlot and as a source
of boulders to split for sills and fenceposts. So the older uses of the land are evident but, for several decades anyway,
it is untouched and quite attractive.”
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The Woods Hole Research Center
A newsletter of The Woods Hole Research Center
Exhibition Highlights Young Artists Addressing Climate Change
The Land Steward Program was begun in 1989, with a renewed focus
in 2006. There are now more than 50 stewards who help take care of
about 1,450 acres of town and The 300 Committee conservation land.
The stewards provide a presence on the land by picking up trash, keeping
trails clear, and reporting problems to the conservation commission.
Tom Stone, a senior research associate, began volunteering in 1999. He
says, “After moving to a new home in Falmouth with a fair amount of
conservation land around it - one reason for moving there - I found
that there was a parcel within walking distance from home. Being from
Maine, and having grown up in forests, I need some nearby. This is my
contribution to making that possible.”
Canopy
Visitors examine drawings included in the South Shore Art Center and Woods
Hole Research Center’s joint exhibition, Young Artists for Global Awareness: The
Children of Zhigansk, Siberia.
From March 2 to April 8, a collection of
original paintings done by fifth through tenth
graders in Zhigansk, Siberia, was on exhibit
at the South Shore Art Center in Cohasset,
Massachusetts. The artwork depicts the
children’s environment and their perceptions
of the environmental changes going on around
them. Given to Holmes as a gift while he was
visiting the school this past November, the
collection demonstrates a remarkable skill level
and gives a glimpse of a remote world many
know very little about. Complementing the
student drawings were photographs of the
artists and the Siberian region, maps, video
excerpts from research expeditions, and native
textiles, many of which are intricately beaded
and embellished.
Upon returning to Falmouth, Holmes showed
the collection to Cindy Vallino, a family friend
and a board member at the South Shore Art Center. When a slot unexpectedly opened in their exhibition schedule, one thing
rapidly led to another.
According to Holmes, “The opportunity to be a part of this, and to know what excitement and pride this generated in a
community 5,000 miles away, has been tremendous. To have the science blend so seamlessly with education and outreach
about an issue that is increasingly touching us all is, for me, a key achievement in making my work meaningful.”
The community of Zhigansk were active participants in the exhibition. During the opening reception on March 4, and
again for a Center event on March 22, students and teachers there rose before dawn to connect via Skype, an internet video/
telephone service, to chat with guests wandering through the show.
South Shore Art Center director Sarah Hannan commented, “The afternoon of the opening was just astounding to have so
This newsletter printed on recycled paper with vegetable-based inks.
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