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Barry W. Barker, Professor and Foundation President
Reid Friedson, Professor & Consultant
Lewis Fox, Professor and Foundaton Vice-President

Board of Advisors
Dr. Barry W. Barker - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Dr. Lewis Fox
Dr. Dean Brooks
Mr. Joe LaFauci
Mrs. Deborah Stasiw
Mr. Eddie Compas
Mr. Hugh Root
Ms. Colette Eddy - Tampa, Florida
Mrs. Cindy Weatherby - St. Petersburg, FL
Ms. Merry Ashley Ridenbach
Connie Bickman - Cannon Falls, MN
Interns
Chris Hunt
Rachel Loughry
About the Amazonia Cloud Forest Biodiversity Center, Ecuador
About Finca Lupita, Costa Rica
About Finca Lupita, Broward County
About our ongoing research projects
DNA studies on the Puma
Reforestation Project in Ecuador
Photographic data collection of endangered/threatened species
Photographic cultural documentation project
About our Mission Statement
 

Wild Spots Foundation is an innovator in wildlife conservation and is uniquely dedicated to saving valuable habitats around the world through a variety of programs that promote, defend, and protect biodiversity through education, visual arts, ecotourism, science and technology. Specifically, the doctrine of the Foundation is to serve conservation beyond utilitarian reasons by incorporating a sense of stewardship and ownership, which protect the world’s valuable wild spots (ecosystems and associated biodiversity) in return for the physical, aesthetic and spiritual sustenance it offers for generations to come.

 

Significance Statement

 

The Foundation believes in the critical value of biodiversity and that the interaction between living things and their environment sustains life on earth. From a human perspective, knowing that plants and animals are located in a variety of places on earth captures the imagination, encourages the interaction, and evokes emotions of mankind. Consequently, the Foundation through education teaches the ecology of habitats, the biology of threatened and endangered species, and the ethnology of the indigenous peoples who populate these areas. The Foundation believes that photography and its related art forms promote and protect species in remote places on earth, technology connects these areas to the Internet, and ecotourism provides necessary income to perpetuate the Foundation’s programs.

 

Commitment

 The Wild Spots Foundation, Inc. is committed to carry out activities oriented towards the conservation of natural resources, wildlife preservation, and environmental education throughout the world including, but not limited to, the Amazonia Cloud Forest are of Ecuador, Africa, Malaysia, Australia, United Arab Emirates and in the State of Florida. 

Values

 In the conduct of its activities, the Wild Spots Foundation, Inc. supports the following values: institutional autonomy with respect to other organizations, national, and international; pluralism in matters ideological, political, ethnic, and geographic; honesty and transparency in actions, procedures, and responsibilities; and equal opportunity of participation for all sectors of society engaged in the objectives of Wild Spots Foundation, Inc.  Institutional Objectives 1.      To promote and protect biodiveristy throughout the world. The Foundation believes in the intrinsic value of biodiversity and that the interaction between living things and their environment sustains life on earth.   

Strategy: The Foundation believes that photography and its related art forms, can promote and protect species in remote places on earth, as well as provide a philosophical motivation to conserve biodiversity, in all of its definitions.

 2.      To provide aesthetic and symbolic value for human cultures.  The Foundation believes that by supporting cultural diversity, promoting and protecting historical monuments and places, and documenting the inspirational life of indigenous peoples, connections can be made with powerful symbols that are taken from the natural world.  

Strategy: The Foundation believes that activism, travel, and interaction between humans and the natural world provide a fundamental foundation for social ecology and the protection of biodiversity.

 3.      To preserve sacred and historic lands. In various places throughout the world, natural areas (sections of rainforests, entire mountains, and other geographical locations) have survived because of the spiritual meaning they hold for people who live there. Traditional practices of preserving scared land in its natural state have serves as an effective conservation strategy to protect biodiversity around the world.   

Strategy: The Foundation believes that teaching provides strength in protecting these sensitive areas.

 4.      To support and exploit the concept of transformative value.  Bryan Norton, in his book, Why Preserve Natural Variety, identifies this concept as essential to the way humans view the natural world. By looking at an object or symbol, such as a flower, an animal, and even historic structures, humans go beyond the knowledge of knowing that it is “there” by providing an occasion to examine or alter the experience.   Strategy: The Foundation believes that exploration actively protects biodiveristy. 5.      To following the principles of stewardship. Developing responsibility to manage life and property with proper regard to the rights of others, as well as understanding the intrinsic value of all biodiversity an important attribute.  

Strategy: The Foundation believes that by demonstrating the principles of stewardship, protecting biodiversity will be achieved.

 6.      To educate and involve youth. A Kenyan proverb says, “ The earth was not given to you by your parents’ it was lent to you by your children.” According to E.O. Wilson, “The earth is not our to bequeath; we are but its stewards.  A common value to all human population is to make life better for their children. Biodiversity cannot exist in a vacuum. Protection of natural areas, biopreserves, zoological gardens, and historic places represent commitments adult populations have made to future generations.” Wilson notes that without the health of surrounding ecosystems and the health of humankind everywhere, the loan made to us by our children may be returned neglected, diminished, and poorer for generations to come.  

Strategy: The Foundation believes in incorporating the concept of intergenerational value in its programs.

  

Institutional Objectives and Strategies Worldwide

 Objective 1: Support and promote ecotourism as a method of protecting biodiversity. Objective 2: Support and promote photographic/video/digital documentation of natural, historic, religious, and ancient areas around the world. Objective 3: Develop the physical infrastructure of the Foundation -         by creating and maintaining a Cloud Forest Biodiversity Education and Research Center in Baños, Ecuador; -         by acquiring property in South Florida for the use of the Foundation, to hold a research library and support the activities of local historic, preservationist and/or conversation groups; -         by developing a Master Plan for infra-structure development; and -         by seeking financial support to carry out the Master Plan 

Objective 4: Promote relations with other institutions locally and internationally

 -         by developing public relations programs, fund raising, donations, and membership development -         develop materials to publicize the objectives and activities of the Foundation  

Institutional Objectives and Strategies

Amazonia Cloud Forest of Ecuador

 

Objective 1: Promote, protect, and defend the biodiversity of the Amazonia Cloud Forest found in the Tungurahua Province of Ecuador.

 -         by building and maintaining a Cloud Forest Biodiversity Research Center -         by developing and implementing educational programs for the youth of Tungurahua  -         by developing and implementing travel programs for citizens of all countries 

Objective 2: Conduct and promote research on the native flora and fauna of the Cloud Forest Region of Ecuador.

 -         by carrying out general and quantitative inventories if the native flora and fauna of Ecuador -         by supporting research scholarships for undergraduate, graduate, and private students in the Americas in ecology, taxonomy, social ecology, ornithology, and mammology -         By supporting applied studies on the utilization ad conservation of floristic and faunistic resources. 

Objective 3: Support and promote the activities of the San Martin Zoological Gardens

 -         by providing veterinarian examination rooms for zoological species -         by providing educational meeting rooms for Ecuadorian school children -         by providing educational materials for visitors to the zoological gardens -         by providing and maintaining educational facilities to develop distance learning activities to schools in the Americas, provide housing for students and research scientists, promote the activities and programs of the Environmental Science/Studies Program of Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 

Objective 4: Develop and implement environmental education programs with the Province of Tungurahua for the study, promotion, and protection of Amazonia Cloud Forest Biodiversity

 -         by providing a science teacher education program sponsored by Nova Southeastern University that is adapted to Ecuadorian college graduates with majors in biology, botany, zoology, and environmental science to teach concepts and principles about biodiversity to Ecuadorian school children -         to hire Ecuadorian college graduates with bachelor’s degrees (or equivalents) as field teachers to be trained by NSU faculty and assigned throughout the Province to teach the principles of social ecology, ecology, biodiversity, and environmentalism to Ecuadorian students -         to create and implement programs for adult populations including, but not limited to docent programs for the San Martin Zoological Gardens; programs for Province farmers about insecticide/pesticide use; and programs to create biological corridors -         To create and implement programs in ecotourism for visitors, travelers, travel agents, tour and travel promoters 

Institutional Objectives and Strategies

 South Florida (USA)

 

Objective 1: Promote, protect, and defend the biodiversity of the South Florida including, but not limited to the Florida Keys, The Everglades, and the Coral Reef System from Ft. Lauderdale to Key West

 -         by acquiring facilities to maintain a private library, collect and disperse research materials, provide for members going to or returning from research assignments, and provide support for local preservation/conservation groups; -         by developing and implementing educational programs for the youth of South Florida; and -         by developing and implementing travel programs for citizens of all countries. Objective 2: Conduct and promote research on the native flora and fauna of South Florida -         by carrying out general and quantitative inventories if the native flora and fauna of South Florida; -         by supporting research scholarships for undergraduate, graduate, and private students in the Americas in ecology, taxonomy, social ecology, ornithology, and mammalogy; and -         By supporting applied studies on the utilization ad conservation of floristic and faunistic resources. 

Objective 3: To protect natural and historic areas of South Florida

 -         by actively supporting and working with local public park systems at the city and county levels -         by actively supporting efforts of historical societies to protect, preserve, and rehabilitate historical landmarks and buildings  

Golden Monkey: Chengdu, China

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Indri Lemur: Madagascar

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Tiger: Southeast Asia

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