Where We Work

* providing technical assistance and transfer technology and skills in the areas of well construction and the repair of hand dug wells in order to improve the village’s water supply

*capturing the water from a spring and transporting it to a village using the force of gravity. This project required doing a topographic study, design, list of materials, quote of prices, solicitation of funds and finally supervision of the construction

Final Report: Design of Potable Water Supply Systems in Rural Honduras by Nathan W. Reents, June 2003

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*researching and collaborating with local groups on the construction of soak pits and city sanitation; working with a local engineer interested in industrial pollution and solid waste management and writing policies for several government groups;  collaborating with other volunteers on a local radio show involving information on HIV/AIDS and health

Final Report: A Comparison of Wash Area and Soak Pit Construction: The Changing Nature of Urban, Rural, and Peri-Urban Linkages in Sikasso, Mali, Brooke T. Ahrens, February, 2005

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*worked on water supply/treatment and latrine projects for surrounding communities; providing instruction on the design and construction of a double vault compost latrine is provided, the various mechanisms responsible for pathogen removal in a compost latrine;  recommendations for operational procedures that can then effectively reduce the concentration of fecal pathogens in composted human manure, while producing a nutrient-rich fertilizer

Final Report: Compost Latrines in Rural Panama: Design, Construction and Evaluation of Pathogen Removal, Daniel Hurtado, March, 2005
 

*conservation of woodlots to form a biological corridor connected to the reserve;  the management of natural regeneration in fields

Thesis: An Ethnographic Study of Tree-Planting Successes and Failures by Small Farmers in Paraguay, Katrina Schnobrich, 1997

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 * phase over the nursery so that it is no longer relying on USAID funds; finding good budwood / scions for grafting; grafting mangos, starting a rabbit raising business, and aquaculture in a small fish pond that is dug but needs more work

Thesis: Parkia biglobosa: Changes in Resource Allocation in Kandiga, Ghana, Margaret Shao, 2001

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* writing and designing an identification book on the flora of the park; working with the youth nature center in the town mainly and doing GIS work for the national park; helping with management issues, maintenance, hunting licenses, and poaching.

Thesis: 100% Inventory Methods for Urban Parks in Khimelnitsky, Ukraine, Kara Filius, 2004

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* a project designed to have all schools compete against all other schools in their division to see who can construct and maintain the best tree nursery. Schools are given only a manual to begin and complete the project. The manual instructs schools on how to construct low-budget nurseries and provides contact information for PCVs, foresters in the area.

Thesis: The Gambia All Schools Tree Nursery Competition: Promoting Conservation in The Gambia Through Grassroots Environmental Education, Panchita Paulete, 2006

*remote sensing and field observations at Santiaguito Volcano; monitoring volcanic activity and assessing risks for the area around the volcano
- John Lyons: Guatemala 2005-2007

*form a "comite local de emergencias". These are groups of people from the community that are in charge of educating themselves (using civil defense as a resource), and educating others in the community about disasters, preparedness, action and relief.
-Ellen Engberg: Ecuador, 2005-2007