Wanang Conservation Area

Wanang village with classrooms built from traditional forest materials, on the edge of the Conservation Area.Construction site in the rainforest - erecting the first building.Children with their teacher in front of their classroom.

International Ecology Course

A long journey from a classroom to the field (and from theory to practice). Our International Ecology Courses are organized every two years by BRC and the University of South Bohemia.

They include 10 PNG students and early career biologists, 10 European BSc and MSc Biology students, and 10 paraecologists or field assistants, working together in lowland rainforests of Wanang.

2011

Students happily settling down at the Swire Research Station.
Students happily settling down at the Swire Research Station.
Kipiro Damas giving his traditional lecture on plant identification by sight, touch, smell, taste and sound.
Kipiro Damas giving his traditional lecture on plant identification by sight, touch, smell, taste and sound.
Pygmy parrot: a new data point for the ornithological project.
Pygmy parrot: a new data point for the ornithological project.

Butterflies beware!
Butterflies beware!
Dolly and Mary frying flourballs, a local delicacy.
Dolly and Mary frying flourballs, a local delicacy.
Experimenting with an ant-plant and its herbivores.
Experimenting with an ant-plant and its herbivores.

Leaving Wanang Conservation Area.
Leaving Wanang Conservation Area.
Making sense of a few hundred moth species.
Making sense of a few hundred moth species.
The most popular research project of all.
The most popular research project of all.

We are against child labor, except when it is needed...
We are against child labor, except when it is needed...
Traditional singsing: a farewell from the Wanang village.
Traditional singsing: a farewell from the Wanang village.
Traditional singsing: a farewell from the Wanang village.
Traditional singsing: a farewell from the Wanang village.

Back in the lab: and being very busy.
Back in the lab: and being very busy.
Is that graph pretty enough?
Is that graph pretty enough?
Uncovering the hidden beauty of moss samples.
Uncovering the hidden beauty of moss samples.

Light in the forest attracts students as well as moths.
Light in the forest attracts students as well as moths.
Enjoying themselves on ash fields of the Manam volcano.
Enjoying themselves on ash fields of the Manam volcano.
Arriving on the black volcanic beach of Manam.
Arriving on the black volcanic beach of Manam.

River arthropods large and small (plus an odd fish or tortoise).
River arthropods large and small (plus an odd fish or tortoise).
Day and night, leafhoppers are always interesting.
Day and night, leafhoppers are always interesting.
Laying precise grid for a permanent plant plot.
Laying precise grid for a permanent plant plot.

2008

Ecology Course participants.
Ecology Course participants.
Surveying plant plots.
Surveying plant plots.
Kipiro Damas gives a lecture in plant identification.
Kipiro Damas gives a lecture in plant identification.

Looking at insects in Wanang bush lab.
Looking at insects in Wanang bush lab.
Sorting moths into hundreds of species.
Sorting moths into hundreds of species.
Looking for birds.
Looking for birds.

Refreshment is getting ready.
Refreshment is getting ready.
A balancing act.
A balancing act.
Getting some American food ready for dinner.
Getting some American food ready for dinner.

Data analysis in BRC labs.
Data analysis in BRC labs.
Frogs – the least known vertebrate group in PNG.
Frogs – the least known vertebrate group in PNG.
Erosion in freshly deposited volcanic ash.
Erosion in freshly deposited volcanic ash.

New technology in the village: baking owen for cakes and pizza.
New technology in the village: baking owen for cakes and pizza.
Landing on a volcanic beach of the Manam Island.
Landing on a volcanic beach of the Manam Island.
Exploring alpine vegetation above the timberline.
Exploring alpine vegetation above the timberline.

WANANG Conservation Area - Partners

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