Infrastructure WG’s participants during the meeting held in September 2016 .

Tapajós river basin, Pará State, Brazil © Camila Jericó-DaminelloOn August 4, Brazil's federal environmental agency, IBAMA, formally suspended the environmental licensing process for a proposed dam on the Tapajós River, a "blue water" tributary of the Amazon. The river flows from the south, off Brazil's central plateau, its clear waters sculpting white sand beaches and it winds toward the main stem of the Amazon.

Macaws in the Madre de Dios region. Photo credit: Anonymous.

For this month's Donor Spotlight series, I sat down with Jon Mellberg, a Bay Area-based contributor who has supported CSF's videos on economic valuation, part of our popular animated video series. He recently spent some time with me to discuss his background, why he supports CSF and even the best way to calculate the economic value of an elephant! Aja: Can you tell me a little about your career to date?

The region of the Tapajós basin is considered the new frontier of energy expansion in Brazil. Specifically the São Luiz do Tapajós hydroelectric project, the largest planned for the basin. If it is built, many ecosystem services will be impacted, influencing the well being of hundreds of local people who depend on them. In this perspective, CSF conducted a study that sought to understand the economic impacts on the services provided to local populations.

Course coordinators Margaret Duncan, Niki Gribi, Craig Martz, and Kim Bonine.CSF traveled to Sacramento, CA in October to lead a three-day training for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Participants included 28 members of the CDFW staff, and 6 members of the California Fish and Game Commission (FGC). We were able to reach 16 staff in field offices across California using remote access technology and our online workspace.

A newly released CSF infographic takes a look at the backbones of economic development: energy and transportation infrastructure, and how such large-scale development projects can be balanced with ecosystem conservation to improve social, economic and environmental well-being. Click image below to view the complete infographic:

Rushikesh Chavan at Pench River between Maharashtra and M.P. Photo courtesy of Ishwar Uikey

CSF's sound fiscal management practices and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned it a 4 out of 4 star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator.