Friends of the Great Green Macaw, Inc

Annual Report

June 2001 - June 2002

Funds Raised

Total Funds raised in the US in 2001 = $ 3,178.26
Total funds raised in CR in 2001 = $475.00
TOTAL 2001 = $3653.60

1. Adopt a tree- $450, ($436 directly marked from 2000 and 2001)
FGGM raised $450 for our Rainforest Reconstruction or our reforestation program. All of this money was raised from our Adopt-a-Tree program where we gathered $1 per tree. In the books $436 has been directly accounted for while the remaining $14 is mixed with other UWSP Chapter checks. These funds were raised in both 2000 and 2001 thus are not factored into the total funds raised for the 2001-2002 Annual Report.

2. Merchandise:
FGGM made $938 from merchandise sales. The cost of creating the merchandise was $693. Thus we have made $245 in profit of our sales and still have a good amount of merchandise remaining.

TOTAL $938

3. Membership = 57 members in Total
Since the inception of FGGM we have had a total of 57 members. We received 26 new members in the 2001 campaign. The 23 members from 2000 all need to receive renewal notices, as do many of the 2001 members. Memberships will be for 1 year from the date a person or family becomes a member. In total we made $380 this year from memberships, and in total have raised $680 from memberships.

4. Donations
In 2001 FGGM took in $1474.26 in direct donations. Of this, $999.26 was raised in the US, while $475.00 was raised in Costa Rica, from the donations of Charles Munn, the VENT tourist group, and volunteer fees.
Donations 2001
US = $999.26
CR = $475.00
TOTAL = $1474.26

5. Benefit Concert:
The FGGM benefit concerts have been a success. FGGM held two benefit concerts. One in the fall of 2001 and one in the Spring of 2002. Both were in Stevens Point. The fall amount is larger because funds made from merchandise sales, memberships and trees are not separated as it is for the spring event.

Fall $727.00, Spring $405.00 = TOTAL = $1132.00

6. In Kind Donations – Jose Herrero, Russell Advertising & Marketing, Inc., Orion Kiesch (Not totaled yet)

DISBURSEMENTS
In total, FGGM had disbursements of $1,679.39 in the US. Costa Rican expenditures have yet to be factored in that total.

Non-programmed 100 FGGM
TOTAL 760

Conservation Activities

El Retorno
FGGM spent 141 days working at Finca El Retorno from November 2001 to June 2002. Program director Andrew Rothman and Assistant Program Director Stephanie Schmid were working on
El Retorno from Nov to June and Nov to April respectively. Additionally the FGGM had 11 volunteers assist with work at the farm. In total 3,352 man hours were spent working on
projects at Finca El Retorno. The following is a brief summary of accomplishments.

Rainforest Reconstruction
Our Reforestation program resulted in the planting of over 100o trees, encompassing about
22 acres. These 22 acres are divided into three different plots. We received a donation of 500 almendros of which we planted 450 of these and donated the remaining 50 to Finca La Peninsula. In addition 650 trees were purchased from local growers (CACSA and EARTH) and subsequently planted at El Retorno, with funds raised in our
Adopt – a – Tree Program. All the trees have been mapped and measured on a bi-monthly basis. We also maintained these planted trees by clearing competing grass around them, and mulching the seedlings.

Point Count Bird Survey/ Christmas Bird Count
Within our reforestation sites we began taking data on the diversity and abundance of bird species. We have been doing this on a point count basis, and the data we have so far is currently being summarized. In June 193 species of birds had been identified at Finca El Retorno. Additionally we conducted a Christmas Bird Count in which we observed 81 species on Christmans Day 2001. It is hoped that this count can become an annual event.

Sustainable Agriculture
We began trying to develop small scale farming practices at El Retorno to supplement our diets, and develop information and techniques for the possible use in organic agriculture production in the future. We have constructed 7 gardens, and planted about 35 fruit trees in a proposed orchard. We also constructed a grey water system that helps dilute the waste water from our showers and sinks. We also made contacts in San Jose to buy our organic produce.

Species Inventory
At El Retorno we began sampling and inventorying the farm and have logged 193 species of birds, x number of amphibians and reptiles, and y number of Mammals. Due to the immense number of plant and insect species these count have been unattempted as to date.

Tourism
Friends of the Great Green Macaw hosted a group of tourist from Victor Emanuel Nature Tours. FGGM also led bird hikes for the CIEE Study Abroad program and assisted with the group with questions about and directions around the farm.

Internship and Volunteer Program
FGGM brought 5 interns and 11 volunteers to Finca El Retorno in 2001 - 2002. Our 5 interns are currently still on the farm assisting us with our ongoing projects, as well as completing their own research projects for their universities as well.

Property Protection
In addition to the other projects many hours were spent walking the property boundaries and trails of Finca El Retorno, searching for signs of illegal hunters and intruders. Also time at El Retorno was spent putting up and often replacing Private Property and No Hunting Signs. We also dismantled the old house, and kept the new house in good condition, including lawn work and basic maintenance.

Lapa Count
Friends of the Great Green Macaw organized the first annual Great Green Macaw count. This event took place on the 2nd of June. The idea was to have an organized single day count of the macaws to possibly get a better idea of the number of macaws in the area.

With little help, we organized a group of 22 observers who witnessed at total of 37 macaws. The group covered a large area, and the number of macaws observed seems frighteningly low, yet with such a small number of observers our data does not give a good measure of population. We hope to have more observers next year and to get help from other conservation organizations to make the event more fruitful.

Biological Corridor
As a member organization of the Rio San Juan – La Selva Biological Corridor Committee, we attended and participated in monthly meetings and Corridor events. We helped distribute information on the Corridor and the Great Green Macaw festival, and also assisted with preliminary meeting with school teachers in the villages near El Retorno. And participated in the first annual Bi-national Macaw Festival in Boca San Carlos, Costa Rica.

Newsletter
Currently 197 people are receiving our newsletter. Of these only 57 are members. It would be important to have the remaining people become paying members. We distributed 7 newsletters in 2001 from June 2001 to June 2002.

Other Special Activities:
Lapa Festival
Booths –Wild Bird Expo, Mayville Marsh Days