Micronesia is a sub-region of Oceania, east of the Philippines and northeast of Indonesia. It is comprised of thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. Kiribati, the Mariana Islands, the Marshall Islands, Caroline Islands, Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, and Wake Island are all considered part of Micronesia. In total, Micronesia is 1,230 square miles, or about twice the size of Los Angeles.

ASOARTESANAS, a cooperative of women that collect and prepare plastic bags to be crocheted into eco-bags, were recognized at Rio+20 in June with the Equator Prize by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). ASOARTESANAS was one of the 25 selected out of 800 applicants to receive this $5,000 prize, as well as one of 10 who received an additional $20,000 special recognition award at the conference on sustainable development.

In April, CSF held the third workshop of the CSF Project for Tourism in Indigenous Peoples' Lands Paiter-Surui and Parintintin. We discussed the final details of tours and infrastructure, the market study data, and the financial viability of the businesses. The project aims at developing a business plan for tourism for each indigenous area. The process of preparing the plan is done in a participatory manner, with decisions made collectively. In addition to discussing the business aspects, the CSF workshops also provide an opportunity to empower indigenous people. As each stage of the project is completed, participants enjoy a greater level of community involvement.

A Fundação Nacional do Índio (Funai) realizou a oficina técnica para alinhar ações da Instituição e dos diversos parceiros ao Projeto de Conservação da Biodiversidade em Terras Públicas na Amazônia com ação da Funai. O Projeto implementado em 2011, tem como objetivo contribuir para a conservação da biodiversidade e a gestão de terras públicas no sudeste da Amazônia brasileira, em especial Terras Indígenas e Áreas Protegidas do Sistema Nacional de Unidade de Conservação (SNUC), bem como, fortalecer iniciativas que promovam o uso econômico sustentável... Blog da Funai

On January 17, CSF course graduate José Serra and CSF's Alfonso Malky presented an economic study of the proposed Inambari dam, designed to generate hydropower primarily for Brazilian consumers. The study, sponsored by the Wildlife Conservation Society's Peru office, examines the feasibility of the project, which would harness energy from an Amazon tributary in the country's southeastern jungle. Serra led the investigation, looking into the overall economic return, environmental costs, profits for the dam builder and impacts on various sectors of Peruvian society. Results showed that the project's feasibility depends on charging a relatively high electricity price and delivering benefits, in the form of flow control, to downstream dams in Brazil.

In early December, CSF’s Marcos Amend delivered economics know-how to students in the Professional Masters for Protected Area Managers program run by INPA (National Institute for Amazon Research). The program's objective is to train managers to face the challenges of protected areas management in Amazon region. This is the second time CSF has contributed to the program, which was founded by CSF course graduate Rita Mesquita.

An hour drive from Kampala lies the Mabira Forest, one of the few remaining natural forest reserves in Uganda. Rich in biological diversity, the forest contributes to the livelihood of the adjacent communities and provides an opportunity for ecotourism. In 2009 the Sugar Corporation of Uganda Limited (SCOUL) requested permission from the government to use part of the Mabira Central Forest Reserve for sugarcane growing. CSF graduate Ronald Kaggwa took action. An environmental economist at the Uganda National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), Ronald conducted an economic analysis to prove that the net benefits of conservation far outweighed those of sugarcane.

Proyecto Tití is a Colombian non-profit that integrates wildlife and forest preservation with education and community development. Proyecto Tití’s work centers around the cotton-top tamarin monkey, Colombia’s cutest, but most threatened, primate.

CSF-Brazil analyst Fernanda Alvarenga returned to the Southern Amazonas state last week to help locals complete business plans to sustainably use forest resources. The technical assistance sessions followed a business plan training delivered with CSF's Leonardo Fleck and partners from the FORTIS consortium.

John Reid discusses California's Proposition 23 and what it would mean for the fate of rain forests in an op-ed featured in Santa Rosa's Press Democrat. "California has always led on environmental policy, but never in the wrong direction." To read the article, click here.