Thank you Belize!

Thank you Belize for such a wonderful 10-day field school! We went out all day yesterday and snorkeled 2 reef sites and a mangrove area. We also had a couple presentations by the NMSU Gerald Thomas Chair Dr. Ed Boles and finished with another intertidal walk where we saw a good size octopus, fire worms, sea cucumbers, sea stars, sea horses, urchins, sea hairs, etc... you can spend an hour going 30 feet along the beach looking under coral rubble and finding 100 things.

Here's an interview with Ed and Danny the videographer over coffee this morning:

KRISTI: Danny, from your documentary video of the field course, what would you say is the overall sentiment of the students?

DANNY: Awesome. It was another great collaboration by the students. Almost half the material was from them. Really talented photographers [in the class]. Overall, the comedic parts were a success. It was a great cast of characters. One of my favorite bits was the intro to rainforest medicine....its a very important plant in the mundo maya...there were good [facial] reactions to their trying this plant.

KRISTI: How did you choose the music?

DANNY: I always use independent and local music. I have no particular way of choosing...I just drop in in there. The music sets the ambiance. I hope they go out and buy the music.

KRISTI: Dr. Ed - How did you think this field course went overall ?

ED: I think there's another group of NMSU students that have a broader perspective of the world. I imagine - out of this group - there will be quite a few returning to Belize. Some having snorkeled for the first time in their lives...some its the first time seeing the sea. One highlight was meeting University of Belize students and Fisheries personnel for a presentation and learning about all of the research and monitoring activities that they need to conduct....and discussing opportunities where our students - who are engaged in project based field courses - can make a valuable contribution to protected areas management.

Our banner! Staff at the lodges in Belize said the NMSU group was one of the nicest and best student groups they've seen in Belize.

Dr. Ed Boles giving a marine ecology lecture at IZE station on Southwater Caye

Corrie at the breakfast line: quiche, scrambled eggs, refried beans, fry jacks (flat sopapillas) fruit and juice - just the fuel we need for snorkeling!

Sunrise view from the Instructors' cabana - mangrove vegetation and reef right off shore.

Can you spot the blue-headed wrasse (almost center of the photo)?

Ariane snorkeling, checking out a 'donkey dung' sea cucumber

Check out the NMSU students, snorkeling in the crystal clear Caribbean Sea!

From all the Belize Field School staff and guests - Rhondine, Lenney, Melvis, Vladamir and Programme for Belize, The Belize Zoo and TEC, Dr. Isabelle med-vet, Nikki Buxton and Belize Bird Rescue, Richard and IZE at Southwater Caye, and Kristi and Charles...

THANK YOU NMSU students and faculty for participating in the Belize Field School Program. You have friends in Belize and you are always welcome back to Belize!

Here is the Belize Field School staff:

Mrs. Rhondine Petrof, owner of Toucan Education Programs. She is truly incredible! www.studyinbelize.com

Professional guide and conservation biologist - Mr. Lenney Gentle

Dr. Ed Boles, Aquatic Ecologist and Gerald Thomas Chair at NMSU Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology Dept.

Daniel Velazquez, professional videographer and artist

Dr. Martha Desmond, Interim Department Head for Fish, Conservation and Wildlife Ecology Dept - and lead Professor of this Belize Field School course

Kristi Drexler-Britt (Director) and Charles Britt (Research Coordinator), NMSU Belize Field School