The Smithsonian Bird Friendly coffee and cocoa certification program just opened its new Latin American office at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama, making it easier for regional coffee and chocolate industries to join the global movement to produce sustainable coffee and chocolate.
A species of tree fern found only in Panama uses ‘zombie leaves’ or reanimated dead leaf fronds, and turns them into root structures that feed the mother plant.
Six Latin American students received funding to join the Neotropical Environment Option (NEO) course through the new Social-Ecological Field Science Fellowship
Smithsonian researchers collaborated with stakeholders to share mangrove carbon accounting techniques and learn about their importance in mitigating climate change.
The importance of community participation and consent in all aspects of tropical forest research in indigenous areas is critical but can only be achieved through creating space for dialogue.
The smallest and possibly most ancient terrestrial plants, bryophytes are an important part of our environment, but in the tropics, there is still much to learn about them.
Ancient, fossilized grape seeds from Panama, Colombia and Peru, provide perspective on the evolution of plants after the extinction of the dinosaurs.
Regrowing tropical forests emit significantly lower soil carbon dioxide than cattle pastures.
To create a global standard for forest carbon storage, we need boots on the ground. The GEO-TREES system of forest plots offers this immediately: establishing a single method for forest carbon estimation at existing on-the-ground forest study sites around the world.
Grant Supports the Smithsonian’s Leadership Role in Bringing the Global GEO-TREES System Online
