About CCB
OUR MISSION
To conduct research and broad policy research and public outreach on the future of biodiversity and Earth’s life-support systems, and on harmonizing conservation and human well-being.
News
Improving co-existence of birds and farming in Costa Rica
New paper in PNAS: Tree planting enables coexistence of Costa Rican birds and farmers
Abstract:
https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/12/09/1118276108.abstract
Excerpt from Stanford News report:
https://news.stanford.edu/news/2011/december/costa-rica-birds-121411.html
"The colorful birds of Costa Rica play a crucial role in the country's rural landscapes, by distributing seeds, controlling pesky insects and pollinating plants.
But knocking down the Costa Rican forest to make room for farms and pastures can drive away the birds and the benefits they bring to farmers.
Birds, Bats and the Berry Borer
Conserving Insectivores and Pest Control Services in Costa Rican Coffee Plantations
An article in the Amigos Newsletter by Daniel Karp
https://www.stanford.edu/group/CCB/articles/dkarp-%20amigos%20newsletter.pdf
Excerpt:
"For decades, the primary method for predicting the future of biodiversity assumed that humandominated landscapes were biological deserts. These “species-area” models simplified
the world into two states: patches of habitat and a vast human-dominated matrix, unsuitable for wildlife. Based on these models, the 13% of the world’s terrestrial surface that currently exists as protected areas could only hope to protect 5-10% of terrestrial biodiversity. With expanding population and resource demands, creating sufficient protected areas to preserve Earth’s biota seemed impossible.
Biodiversity at the Genetic Level
Consequences of Human Land Use on the Genomes of Amphibians
An article in the Amigos Newsletter by Luke Frishkoff
https://www.stanford.edu/group/CCB/articles/lfrishkoff-%20amigos%20newsletter.pdf
Excerpt:
"Tchx tchx tchx. Off to the left. Maybe 5 meters. Beyond two rows of coffee plants. I stand still hoping for another sound to break the serenity of the coffee plantation at dusk. Tchx tchx tchx. There it was again. I carefully duck below coffee bushes, never-the-less bumping the branches,
spraying remnant droplets of water from the afternoon rain storm over myself. Was the sound coming from this plant? I quickly scan the upper surfaces of the leaves, probing for the source. Nothing. Need another sound to hone in. I try to imitate the call, hoping to elicit a response.
NYT Profiles Gretchen Daily and the Natural Capital Project
On August 8, 2011, The New York Times published a profile of Gretchen Daily in the Science section, discussing the progress of the Natural Capital Project and the InVEST valuation model. Read the article here: An Economist for Nature Calculates the Need for More Protection
Boething Speakers
2011 Boething Lecture
Alan Wesiman - March 31, 2011
Alan spoke on the theme of his recent book, "The World Without Us" in which he explores 'how our planet would respond without the relentless pressure of the human presence.'
Boething Lecture History
