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The WILDLABS Community Base is the ideal place to get oriented with the all that our community platform offers, hear about news and opportunitys, and to meet new friends and collaborators. 

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event

Catch up with The Variety Hour: September 2024

Alex Rood

24 September 2024 4:53pm

Hear about autonomous drones, marine GPS tags, open-source Python packages, and no-code custom AI.

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Dan Morris

27 September 2024 8:35pm

I'm going to miss my first Variety Hour in like forever, so can I log my guesses for the Variety Hour Quiz now, even before I know what the quiz is?  My guesses are:SlothRF...
Dan Morris

27 September 2024 8:35pm

[For some reason my previous very important comment got posted twice, and there doesn't appear to be a "delete" button, so I'm replacing the second copy with this.]
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discussion

What would you do with a $100.000.000 grant?

Frank van der Most

18 September 2024 2:56pm

It sounds crazy, right? I mean, who would even give that amount away for one grant?But just imagine what you could do with that! An opportunity to think big about your nature...

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Frank van der Most

19 September 2024 7:06pm

For what it's worth coming from a non-expert, it sounds interesting and impressive to me. Does it mean that to adapt one native crop, complete domestication and get it to market, would take 100/12 ≈ 8 million dollars?

Would you consider applying for a grant like this?

Peter Apps

20 September 2024 2:14pm

"real and measurable progress" - so no blue-sky, no envelope-pushing, no dispruption ?

Frank van der Most

22 September 2024 5:39pm

I don't know.  From the same quote I would highlight the word 'promises'. One can promise a rocket to the moon. It's not likely to happen but if it does it would be 'real and measurable'. So perhaps you should dig deeper.

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discussion

What do you want to find in the Funding and Finance group?

Frank van der Most

28 August 2024 3:51pm

The WILDLABS Funding and Finance group is now live at https://wildlabs.net/groups/funding-and-finance. We have started publishing funding opportunities here, and we...

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Peter Apps

20 September 2024 2:27pm

A filter or flag for funders that want innovation rather than implementation, and that are willing to take short-term risk for long-term benefit. Also, those whose fuding/investment cycles last longer than the average Postgrad project.

Frank van der Most

22 September 2024 5:10pm

Hi Arthur,

Thanks for adding your point. As you may have noticed we recently published a post on basic funding opportunities, but I think much of it does not apply to you, because in a way, you seem to be a service provider to conservation projects. Right?

Assuming for now that I got this right, then it's good to know that we are working on a article about funding opportunities for tech development. To me your question is a question as well. I have a few tentative answers, but I am also curious which ways of funding open source development work and scaling up have been tried and tested. There must be many WILDLABS members that are in a similar position as you and I am guessing that there are some that have solved the problem. It would be a great question to ask and see what people come up with.

How would open source development work be financed in other sectors? You mention that you have a decade of industry experience. How does it work over there?

Frank van der Most

22 September 2024 5:29pm

Hej Peter,

Thanks for your reply. Obviously, I see where your question is coming from, but I don't think we are going to provide a funding database. After all there already are quite a few out there. Have you tried any to find funding sources that are looking for innovation and willing to take short-term risks? In any case, I will keep an eye out and highlight it in a funding post if I run into one.

About the longer funding cycles, that will be a tough one to find for sure. There is a lot of discussion about long-term funding / basic support, but little action. There is One World Together, which started about a year ago. Don't get your hopes up high, because it is not like they have a call for applications. They have picked their partners already and provide a defensive answer to the FAQ question 'How do you pick your partners' 

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discussion

GIVEAWAY: Freaklabs Boomboxes

Asia Murphy

14 September 2024 9:49pm

Hey all! Black Mammalogists Week is giving away two sets of 5 Boomboxes from Freaklabs. BoomBox is an open source device that attaches to a camera trap (or trailcam) to...

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Asia Murphy

20 September 2024 6:30pm

Just a reminder that this giveaway is ending TOMORROW (SATURDAY) at 5pm PST!

There are people in this community who need (or know someone who needs) some FREE ABRs to connect to their camera traps! Used for research or for human-wildlife conflict needs! Share with your network!

Check out other uses and learn more about them from our Monday Tech Panel: 

To enter this giveaway:

Just tell us what you would do with 5 Boomboxes below! AND

If you have a twitter, bluesky, instagram, or threads account, please follow us and tell us on there!

Asia Murphy

22 September 2024 1:26am

We've drawn the winners of the 2 sets of 5 Freaklabs BoomBoxes and they are twitter's Xim_Neri and MustelidMay!

Thank you to those who entered the random drawing from this site!

Akiba

22 September 2024 3:33pm

Yay! Congratulations! Feel free to reach out to us either here or at the FreakLabs website if you have any questions on usage and operation :)

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event

Design-led innovation for nature

Catherine Greene

20 September 2024 2:24pm

How can space-enabled data and services be translated into information that is trusted and actionable, fuelling responsible behaviours towards nature? A new programme where SMEs will be paired with design consultancies...

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discussion

Looking to understand SMART 

Loveness L Mutungi

31 July 2024 7:06pm

Hi all, i am looking for your help in understanding how SMART is used in combating poaching and enhance law effectiveness within conservation areas and management zones. Thank you.

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Richard Bergl

9 August 2024 1:30pm

In addition to the suggestions already listed, I'd recommend engaging with the SMART Community Forum:

https://smartconservationtools.org/en-us/SMART-Community/Community-Forum

 

There are also many peer reviewed papers on the topic, for example:

Read "Conservation Technology - Google Books" on Google Books

Conservation Technology - Google Books

The global loss of biodiversity is occurring at an unprecedented pace. Despite the considerable effort devoted to conservation science and management, we still lack even the most basic data on the distribution and density of the majority of plant and animal species, which in turn hampers our efforts to study changes over time. In addition, we often lack behavioural data from the very animals most influenced by environmental changes; this is largely due to the financial and logistical limitations associated with gathering scientific data on species that are cryptic, widely distributed, range over large areas, or negatively influenced by human presence. To overcome these limitations, conservationists are increasingly employing technology to facilitate such data collection. Innovative solutions have been driven by dramatic advances in the conservation-technology interface. The use of camera traps, acoustic sensors, satellite data, drones, and computer algorithms to analyse the large datasets collected are all becoming increasingly widespread. Although specialist books are available on some of these individual technologies, this is the first comprehensive text to describe the breadth of available technology for conservation and to evaluate its varied applications, bringing together a team of international experts using a diverse range of approaches. Conservation Technology is suitable for graduate level students, professional researchers, practitioners and field managers in the fields of ecology and conservation biology.

Google Books

 

http://www.primate-sg.org/storage/pdf/VJP_3_4_pp59-68.pdf

Read "Willingness to Adopt the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART): The Case of Ugalla Game Reserve, Tanzania. | EBSCOhost" on

Willingness to Adopt the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART): The Case of Ugalla Game Reserve, Tanzania. | EBSCOhost

Discover this 2021 paper in Journal of Education, Humanities & Sciences (JEHS) by Magige, Flora John; Nahonyo, Cuthbert L.; Wilfred, Paulo; et. al. focusing on: TANZANIA; PROTECTED areas; EMPLOYEE training; HUMAN resources departments; LAW enforcement; GAMES

Read "Asia-Pacific Forest Sector Outlook: Innovative forestry for a sustainable ... - Pingault, N., Roshetko, J.M., Meybeck, A. (eds.) - Google Books" on Google Books

Asia-Pacific Forest Sector Outlook: Innovative forestry for a sustainable ... - Pingault, N., Roshetko, J.M., Meybeck, A. (eds.) - Google Books

Young students and people, formally or informally engaged in the forest sector, will be the guardians and managers of tomorrow’s forests. Technology savvy, the youth can play an instrumental role in the uptake and scaling-up of innovative technologies (whether digital technologies, biological technologies, technical innovations on processes and products, or innovative finance and social innovations), able to advance sustainable development in the forest sector in the region. Young people can bring in the innovation debate forward-looking perspectives and out-of-the-box thinking. This is why FAO and CIFOR/FTA decided to strengthen their voice in the debate, relaying their experiences and propositions for sustainable innovation in the forest sector. This FAO and CIFOR co-publication gathers 13 youth contributions, carefully selected. These contributions illustrate, in various contexts, the potential of innovative technologies to advance sustainable forestry and sustainable forest management in the Asia-Pacific region.

Google Books
Arky

26 August 2024 10:42am

Have you looked at some of the case studies published on SMART website. Also SMART webinars on Youtube could also interesting to understand the software. 

https://smartconservationtools.org/en-us/SMART-Community/Your-stories

 

Also recommend looking at  SMART alternative  EarthRanger which is far more simpler than SMART.

 

https://smartconservationtools.org/en-us/SMART-Community/Your-stories
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funding

The Boring Fund 2024

Adrien Pajot

16 September 2024 5:00pm

The Boring Fund supports the essential but overlooked aspects of conservation technology. With the support of Arm, $50,000 in grants will go to critical, foundational activities that will help build a more resilient and...

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discussion

Seeking Internship/Volunteer Opportunity in Human-Wildlife Interaction

Sarah Mshanga

25 August 2024 10:08pm

Hello everyone!My name is Sarah Mshanga, and I am a member of Cohort Three of the Women in Conservation Technology program, based in Tanzania. I am deeply passionate about...

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Alex Rood

3 September 2024 4:15pm

Definitely keep checking the career openings on our resources page! Best of luck :) 

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discussion

Effect of Climatic change on Animals "LIONS🦁"

Nora Noel

29 August 2024 5:12pm

Hello. Hope everyone is great.I have a question for anyone that has participated either  in research or any readings regarding effects of climatic change on physiology of...

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Sarah Mshanga

30 August 2024 9:27pm

Hello Nora.

Hope the information below will be usefull.

Climate change impacts lions’ physiology by causing extreme heat stress, which can lead to dehydration, impaired metabolism, and overall health issues. Reproductive physiology is affected as heat stress may reduce fertility and impact pregnancy and cub survival. Lions' immune systems can weaken due to increased disease risk, while behavioral changes, such as becoming more nocturnal to avoid heat, can affect their energy and nutrition. Additionally, reduced prey availability due to climate change can lead to malnutrition and poor body condition.

And in the side of young male and female, young male lions are particularly vulnerable as their higher energy expenditure and roaming behavior expose them to greater risks from climate impacts, including decreased prey and water availability. In contrast, young female lions face challenges related to reproductive health and cub survival. While both sexes are affected, young males are more prone to the negative effects due to their solitary lifestyle and increased conflict risks.

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