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Richard Garriott, private space explorer, partnered with The Nature Conservancy to identify environmental change and successful protection projects around the world. He photographed sites selected by Nature Conservancy scientists during his flight last year to the International Space Station. The photographs will be used by scientists to compare the ecological changes within one generation.
Students can explore and download the images below and complete research on why these sites are important to conservationists using the information and links provided. Learn why these places are in danger, and why people are trying to save these locations for future generation.
Each series of images follows the path of the space station over the area.The International Space Station is flying at an altitude of about 200 miles from Earth so from the window you can see vast areas of the planet. It is important to know that since Richard took the images from space North is not always towards the top of the image. You may need to rotate the image if you are comparing them to other maps. Also he took the images in a series, so each one has a slightly different perspective. He was floating over the window and may have changed his own orientation too. There are some images that were taken during cloudy weather, and so some parts of the ground are not visible.
The International Space Station is flying at an altitude of about 200 miles from Earth so from the window you can see vast areas of the planet. Can you tell when Richard used the zoom on his camera?
Please note: These images are very large high resolution files and will take some time to view or download. Average size of each image is 6 MB.~ Because they are high resolution, you can print them quite large.
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO VIEW / DOWNLOAD THE HIGH RESOLUTION VERSION OF IMAGES.
Murici Forest, Alagoas, Brazil
The American Bird Conservancy describes Murici as “probably the most important place for bird conservation in the Western Hemisphere” due to its extraordinary density of unique birds, including six endangered and five critically endangered bird species. For BirdLife International, Murici is simply “one of the most important forests in the world.” Located in Alagoas state in northeastern Brazil, Murici is the largest remaining forest patch in its entire ecoregion. Murici has gained worldwide attention in recent years because of its status as the last remaining woodland for several globally endangered bird species.
About Brazil’s Atlantic Forest
Brazil’s Atlantic Forest is home to 23 species of primates and 1,180 species of mammals, amphibians, reptiles and fish. Harboring 1,000 species of birds, almost 200 of which are not found anywhere else on Earth, it is considered the most important place for bird conservation in the Western Hemisphere by the American Bird Conservancy. For millions of local people, the rainforest is critical for their livelihoods and provides clean water and hydro energy. The Atlantic Forest also helps regulate the atmosphere and stabilize global climate. Centuries ago, the Atlantic Forest covered nearly 330 million acres, an area roughly the size of the eastern seaboard of the United States. Today only 7 percent remains, much of which is in isolated fragments. Home to 130 million people, the Atlantic Forest has taken heavy hits from urban expansion, coastal and industrial development, agriculture, ranching and illegal logging. Despite the forest’s diminished state, 70 percent of Brazil’s population relies on it for its drinking water. More than half the forest's tree species and nearly three-quarters of its other plants are found nowhere else on Earth The UN Economic and Social Organization (UNESCO) has recognized Brazil's Atlantic Forest as one of the highest priorities for conservation and has designated it a World Biosphere Reserve.
For more about the Murici Forest and Brazil’s rainforest, visit these resources
Planting a Billion Trees in the Atlantic Forest
Climate Change and deforestation
Canada’s Boreal Forest
The boreal forest is named for Boreas, the Greek god of the north wind, the North American boreal forest is one of three largest frontier forests remaining on Earth. It shelters wolves, lynx, grizzly bears and rare woodland caribou. It contains nearly 1 million lakes and helps buffer the world’s climate from rapid change with its vast water resources and enormous number of trees. The North American boreal forest provides breeding habitat for more than 30 percent of North America’s entire bird population. More than 75 percent of North American waterfowl rely on the boreal forest for breeding, migration and molting. One-third of all land birds in the US and Canada (more than 3 billion) migrate to the region each summer to feed and fledge their young.
Until recently, the boreal forest’s vast scale, cold climate and distance from major industrial centers buffered it from commercial pressures that have destroyed other forests around the world. Today, because of pressure for resources such as timber, hydroelectric power and minerals, Canada’s boreal forest is being lost at a rate of about 1 percent a year. This rate of loss is similar to the pace of destruction in tropical rainforests.
For more information about Canada’s Boreal Forest, visit
http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/canada/work/art12507.html
Laguna Madre
Laguna Madre is part of the world's longest barrier island system located along the coasts of Louisiana, Texas and Mexico in the Gulf of Mexico. The enormous Laguna Madre (or "Mother Lagoon") is located at the mouth of the Rio Grande River. It’s mosaic of coastal wetlands, freshwater ponds and native grasslands provide critical habitat for migratory raptors, songbirds, waterfowl and shorebirds, and the Kemp's Ridley sea turtle. The lagoon is one of only five known hyper-saline estuary systems in the world. Of the 44 species of fish identified in the Gulf of Mexico as commercial or recreational, 37 have been found in the Laguna Madre. It is home to many commercial and sport fish species, including speckled sea trout, redfish and flounder. A rich variety of wildlife depends on the Laguna Madre for survival — 90 percent of all redhead ducks winter in the lagoon. Its marshes and swamps are ideal homes for the reddish egret, brown pelican, peregrine falcon, piping plovers, jaguarundi and ocelot. Today, the entire coastal region of southern Texas and northeast Mexico and its wetlands, marshes, bays, lagoons and barrier islands are coming under increasing pressure from resort development, sewage, agricultural run-off, commercial boat traffic and dredging.
For more information about Laguna Madre and the Gulf of Mexico visit these resources:
Puget Sound, Washington
Puget Sound is where Washington's mountains, prairies and rivers meet the tides and the sea. It's diverse and rich habitats support a tremendous variety of mammals, fish, birds, invertebrates, plants and more. Many generations of people have lived, worked and played along its 2,500 miles of shoreline. Conservation actions in Puget Sound include habitat restoration at Port Susan Bay, helping the native oyster population, eliminating cordgrass, an aggressive noxious weed and removing toxic substances.
What does it mean to restore and protect the shorelines?
It means that invasive species will be removed, so native species to thrive; banks and bluffs revegetated; barriers to the shoreline removed; habitat supporting native shellfish replaced; and tidal marshes will be enhanced and restored.
For more information on the Puget Sound, click to these resources
Restoring Washington’s Rarest Habitat
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico's estuaries, wetlands and watersheds serve as a major source of food, minerals and energy for the region and support an amazing array of wildlife. Mangrove swamps, bays and lagoons, salt and freshwater marshes, dense brushlands, tallgrass coastal prairies and upland forests characterize this expansive land and seascape. The shores of the Gulf of Mexico extend more than 4,000 miles, linking the ports of five U.S. states (Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas) and six Mexican states (Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo) with the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea.
For more information about the Gulf of Mexico visit these resources:
San Pedro River, Arizona
The San Pedro River’s cottonwood-shaded corridor supports about 350 bird species and provides critical stopover habitat for up to 4 million migrating birds each year. The San Pedro flows north from the Mexican state of Sonora into Arizona to join the Gila River, one of only two major rivers that flows north out of Mexico into the United States. It also is one of the last few large undammed large rivers in the Southwest. The mild climate around the San Pedro has attracted tens of thousands of newcomers in recent decades along certain parts of the river, increasing human demands on precious water supplies. It is estimated that the upper portion of the basin in the U.S. alone had a 2.3 billion gallon ground-water deficit in the year 2000.
For more information on the San Pedro River, click to these resources
Rancho Los Fresnos and the San Pedro River
The Yangtze River, China
In excess of 350 million people live within the watershed of the Yangtze River, more than the entire population of the United States. A large percentage of this population depends upon the river directly for food, water and electricity. Alongside the human population lives a diverse array of species, including more than 300 species of fish. The demand for freshwater and electricity in China has led to the building of massive dams and changes on the surrounding landscape.
Originating high on the Tibetan Plateau, the Yangtze, the third longest river in the world, descends rapidly, stretching almost 4,000 miles through mountain valleys, limestone gorges and winds past lowlands to empty into the ocean at the port of Shanghai. As China’s economy rapidly expands, the health of the Yangtze River deteriorates, imperiling extraordinary aquatic species like the finless porpoise, Chinese alligator, sturgeon and paddlefish, as well as the health and safety of the people living near and dependent on the river.
For more information on the Yangtze River, click to these resources
Meili Glacier in Zhongdian, China
Straddling the Yunnan-Tibet border, the Meili Snow Mountain Range rises steeply between the deep gorges of the Mekong and Salween Rivers. Towering 22,241 feet above sea level, Kawagebo Peak is the tallest mountain in Yunnan Province. The most likely culprit for the vanishing Meili glacier is rising temperatures caused by climate change. Photos of the landscape taken over the past 100 years show that the glacier is retreating, with a loss of more than 200 meters in the past four years. The Conservancy is helping China adapt their conservation practices, exploring strategies such as changing grazing patterns and fire management techniques, and reducing the threats of future mass tourism projects.
To research more about the Nature Conservancy’s work studying the Meili Glacier, click to these resources.
Study: Sacred Glacier Disappearing under Higher Temperatures
New Brunswick Boreal Forest
The Canada Lynx is one of three cats that inhabit Canada’s boreal forest. These seldom seen creatures are smaller in comparison to the Cougar and slightly larger than the Bobcat. They are primarily found in the forested areas of northern New Brunswick and throughout Cape Breton Island and Newfoundland. Although the Lynx's population is distributed through much of the boreal or northernmost forest, which is also occupied by the Snowshoe Hare (its primary diet), the species is declining in numbers in the eastern Canadian provinces including New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
For more information about New Brunswick Boreal Forest, visit
http://www.natureconservancy.ca/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=10549&news_iv_ctrl=0&abbr=at_ncc_
Cotopaxi, Stratovolcano in Ecuador
At 19,347 feet, Cotopaxi is currently the world’s highest active volcano. By promoting adrenaline-fueled ecotourism activities such as ziplining, horseback riding, climbing and mountain biking on sustainably run ranches, landowners are determined to support conservation in the area and protect highland cloud forests, páramos and wetlands in the Andes. Cotopaxi is located in Equador’s Cotopaxi National Park in the Andes Mountains.
The Condor Bioreserve located east of Quito in the Andean region includes seven protected areas including Cotopaxi National Park, as well as the Sumaco Napo-Galeras National Park, Llanganates National Park, Cofan-Bermejo Reserve, Cayambe-Coca Reserve, Antisana Reserve and Pasochoa Wildlife Refuge, and several watershed protection areas and private reserves. It comprises the Cotopaxi, Antisana and Cayambe volcanoes and stretches into the Andean foothills and rain forests of the Amazon River Basin further east.
The Andes mountains are home to more than half of the vascular plant species in South America. Twenty-thousand of those species are found nowhere else in the world, and half of those are found in the Condor Biosphere Reserve. In the explored areas of the reserve, more than 760 bird, 150 mammal, and 120 amphibian species have been found, amounting to 29 percent of all species in Ecuador. Endangered species such as the Andean condor, the spectacled bear, mountain tapir, and river otter also find refuge in the reserve. The integrity of the Condor Biosphere Reserve is threatened by the expansion of unsustainable agriculture and cattle ranching activities. The construction of poorly planned roads and diversion of water sources affect the sensitive aquatic systems of the reserve. Unsustainable forestry and hunting activities threaten the endangered spectacled, or Andean, bear. The Parks in Peril program is concentrating conservation efforts in Condor on protecting the core areas of the reserve and maintaining the corridors that connect them.
To research more about the Nature Conservancy’s work studying the Cotopaxi volcano and Cotopaxi National Park, click to these resources.
Conservation Protects Highland Volcanoes
Condor Biosphere Reserve: Parks in Peril
