Rainforest Biodiversity Group
7 N. Pinckney St
Suite 220
Madison, WI 57003
www.greatgreenmacaw.org
amigosdelalapa@yahoo.com

Rainforest Biodiversity Group
Annual Report 2006
January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2006

Rainforest Biodiversity Groups’ mission is to protect biological diversity, including migratory bird species, through the protection of habitat for the Great Green Macaw and the creation of local conservation initiatives. We accomplish our goals through the creation and support of public, as well as, private conservation initiatives.   This annual report covers our activities for the calendar year of 2006. 

Annual Summary

At the beginning of 2006, Rainforest Biodiversity Group was almost defunct due to lack of funding. There were not any volunteers nor paid staff conducting any activities in Costa Rica. That however changed upon the organization receiving word it had obtained a grant through the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the congressionally approved Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act.  This grant for the organization was for $50,000 to be dispersed as need between June 1, 2006 and June 1, 2008.

The work conducted by RBG for year was focused on the implementation of the Costa Rican Bird Route.  To implement the project Guissell Monge Arias was hired as the Costa Rican Bird Route Director in Costa Rica.  To assist her Jon Kohl was hired as an advisor for the project. Andrew Rothman acted as the US Director of the Costa Rican Bird Route.

Additionally there were many people who were involved in one way or another with the development of the Costa Rican Bird Route. These people included Holly Robertson, Olivier Chassot, Andrea Holbrook, Russ Rothman, Matt Kemp, Gary Johnson, Matt Kemp, Vladimir X, Raquel Gomez, Jim Zook, and the Costa Rican Ornithological Association.

2006 Activities

The Rainforest Biodiversity Group completed the following during the 2006 Annual Cycle.

1. Secured staff and operational needs
• RBG has secured the services of Guisselle Monge as Project Director in Costa Rica, Jon Kohl as Project Advisor, and Andrew Rothman as Assistant Project Director in US.
2. Worked to create six new reserves into the Costa Rican Private Reserve Network
   • Met with the Private Reserve Network Board and explained our project and inclination to create 6 new reserves. The Private Reserve Network is supportive our initiative, and we participated in a Private Reserve Network workshop in May 2007.
3. Promotion of Costa Rica Bird Route
   • Began development of the Costa Rican Bird Route Guide Map. Met with the designer and design layout established.
   • Worked with the Tropical Science Center (TSC) in Costa Rica to create polygons of the properties included within the Route and we will contract this work out to the TSC.
   • RBG developed a logo for the Costa Rican Bird Route
   • RBG developed and produced an information brochure that was distributed within the region of this project to introduce local communities and landowners to the project.
   • RBG developed an advertisement that will be included within a brochure that will highlight the nature tourism attractions of the region the project is based in.
   • An initial website was created (www.costaricanbirdroute.com).
   • We also secured the services of a professional web designer to design the final website.
4. Established the Costa Rican Bird Route Code of Ethics and Requirements within 4 months of funding:
• A set of Sustainable Tourism Standards was developed. These standards are based on the Sustainable Tourism Standards of the Rainforest Alliance. All sites will be required to follow these Sustainable Tourism Standards. All new sites will have an Action Plan developed for them to adhere and implement the Sustainable Tourism Standards. Our Project Director in Costa Rica has selected a team of 4 people to help develop these action plans with the input of the property owners.
• RBG adopted the American Birding Association Code of Ethics as the ethical standard to be assumed by bird watchers and visitors to the Route.
5. Identify and map all current nature tourism options and businesses within the CBSS within 4 months of funding:
• A data base of existing tourism sites within the San Juan – La Selva Biological Corridor region of the Costa Rican Bird Route was partially developed.  
6. Identify and map pool of 20 properties with new reserve potential within 6 months of funding:
• A total of 21 potential new sites were identified. A selection criterion of 28 criteria was developed to select the sites for the Bird Route.  Ten criteria were used to reduce the potential number of candidates to 15.
• In addition a total of 15 existing reserves were potential candidates to be included in the Route. Our initial selection criteria reduced that number to 10.
7. Select 13 reserves (7 existing, 6 new) to be included within the Costa Rican Bird Route within the first year of funding:
• We completed our site evaluations. Site evaluations included on-site visits and single day bird observation days conducted by members of the Costa Rican Ornithological Association. Bird diversity was measured, as well as occurrence of charismatic species, such as the Great Green Macaw (Ara ambgiua). This data is available upon request.
• We selected the sites to wanted to have within the Costa Rican Bird Route. A total of 6 new or Remote Sites have been selected. A total of 7 existing or Portal Sites have been selected based on our developed selection criteria and site visits.
8. Provide information to communities within the CBSS about the Costa Rican Bird Route.
• An introductory brochure was produced and distributed to local communities and local landowners. We began to plan 6 “town hall” type meetings to explain project to local communities.
9. Identify a minimum of two transportation routes to each of the 13 reserves of the Costa Rican Bird Route within the first year of funding.
   • Each site will have two access routes determined after selection. These two routes will be identified on the Guide Map.

Additional Activities: 

Associations:

• Became official member organization of Bird Conservation Alliance
• Received official support for Project from Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative
• Maintained membership within Executive Committee of San Juan – La Selva Biological Corridor.

Awards:

• Official RBG plaques were given to the follow people to recognize their significant contributions to the Rainforest Biodiversity Group:
• Stephanie Schimd
• Bobbie Webster
• Bill Volkert
• Carl Leopold

Promotion of Activities/ Outreach:

• Developed and distributed press releases to various media outlets regarding RBG and our obtaining the NMBCA grant.
• Created Myspace Account for RBG
• In 2006 we published 3 newsletters.  Issues number 26, 27 and 28. Our newsletter list serve contains close to 400 people.
• The RB Website was updated and maintained in 2006.

Membership

Board of Directors: 
In 2006 the Board of Directors maintained two parts, an Executive Board, and an Advisory Board.  The Executive Board held voting responsibilities on issues and policies, and the advisory board provided recommendations and oversight of the development and implementation of these same topics, as well as acting as the tie breaking vote.

The Executive Board 2006:
President: Andrew Rothman
Vice President: Bill Volkert
Secretary: Jen Ewald
Treasurer: Russ Rothman

The Advisory Board 2005:
Carl Leopold
Bobbie Webster

General membership:
In 2006 our membership bottomed-out. We had just 9 official members. This is an area that the organization can significantly improve on.

2006 Donors / General Members

Jamie Gigot
Mara Hoyer-Winfield
Bob Queen
Stephen Bielke

RBG General Accounting

CASH DONATIONS 2006:

2006 Total Donations: $470
Membership total: $225
Other cash donations: $245 

IN-KIND Donations 2006:

Work:

• Volunteer hours:
• Holly Robertson: $1300 (=100 hours @ $13/hr)
• Andrew Rothman: $4200  (= 40 days at $105/day)
• Raquel Gomez: $2100 (=105 hrs @ $20/hr)

• Russell Stevens Marketing: $7671.55

• Jen Ewald Website Services: $450

TOTAL IN-KIND US 2006: $15,721.55

TOTAL DONATIONS US 2006: $16,191.55  

EXPENDITURES US 2006

Total Expenditures:$471. 28

Includes: Office Supplies, website fees, printing as well as a donation to the Bi-National Macaw Festival

Bird Route Accounting:

NMBCA Funds Spent in 2006:

In 2006 RBG used $9761.44 of the $50,000 grant. These funds were used to pay salaries of staff, purchase office items, print initial brochures, and for travel within and to Costa Rica. For detailed information please contact the organization.  

CASH ACCOUNTING TOTALS:

TOTAL INCOMING DONATIONS 2006: $470

TOTAL EXPENDITURES RBG 2006: $471.28

DIFFERENCE: $- 1.28

CASH ON HAND:
Jan 1. 2006: $1454,27
Dec. 31 2006: $1452.99 (=$1351.99+101)

Difference = $1.28

BIRD ROUTE ACCOUNTING:

TOTAL DISPURSED to RBG: $9761.44
TOTAL EXPENDED by RBG: $9761.44

DIFFERENCE: $0