Prescott College Kino Bay Center

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Prescott College Kino Bay Center For Cultural
and Ecological Studies
Bahia de Kino, Sonora, Mexico
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Mission of the Kino Bay Center

• Education To provide high quality undergraduate
  educational opportunities for hands-on field
  studies
• 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
• Outreach To facilitate
  outreach programs for local communities.

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• 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.

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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

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Site Development
1991
2007
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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.

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Biodiversity

• Gulf of California- comprises 0.008 of the
  worlds 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

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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

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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.

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The Cultures of Kino
Mexican Fishing Communities
Seri Indian Communities
American Sportsfishers / Retirees
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Field-based College Studies Marine Biology,
Conservation, Cultural Studies, Adventure
Education
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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
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Science and ConservationMarine Biology, Island
Management, Fisheries
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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.

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Research supported by the Kino Center

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

• 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.

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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

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Environmental Education
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Environmental EducationProgram

• The Centers 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.

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Scholarship Programs

• 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.

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Funding Priorities

• 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.