Environments of Mexico: The Baja Peninsula Project
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Team members will take part in firsthand investigations of the wide variety of terrestrial and marine ecosystems found in Baja Mexico, and the challenges faced by natural and human inhabitants of this still relatively untouched but rapidly changing region.
Baja Mexico is a peninsula known globally for its striking beauty and diversity. It is a mosaic of environments including pristine island ecosystems, marine mammal habitats, coastal lagoons, sonoran wildlands, and mountain ranges climbing to 7,000 feet. Here, in a dramatic cross section of landscapes from gulf islands to inland valleys, we will gain a unique perspective of the peninsula’s interwoven ecology and culture while participating directly in field studies designed to help us understand Baja’s biodiversity and conservation challenges. Baja’s large latitudinal and altitudinal gradients provide remarkable opportunities for studying the effects of natural processes and species interactions on the ecology of its resident flora and fauna, much of which is unique to this peninsula.
Over 2,000 miles of coast lines on the Gulf of California and Pacific Ocean provide a wide variety of marine habitats that rival the richness and diversity found in Baja’s terrestrial wildlands. Because of this incredible diversity of habitats, the unique character of its flora and fauna, and the beauty of much of its wilderness, Baja has long been a favorite place of study and inspiration for numerous ecologists, marine biologists, anthropologists, and writers.
THE PROJECT
Team members will travel to, and spend time exploring, a variety of habitats and biota along the length of the Baja Peninsula. We believe that hands-on experience with species and their environments is a crucial part of the training of any student, and spending time living and working in the field is 
the best way to gain an appreciation of any natural environment. The field study techniques learned here will not only be useful in understanding the circumstances of the Baja Peninsula, but will also be generally applicable to many habitats around the world.
On land, we will explore on-site examples of many ecosystems and habitats of the sonoran, coastal, and mountain areas. We will identify many of the significant animals and plants found there, while studying their adaptations to the environmental conditions they face. Basic methods for observing organisms and collecting data on their distribution and densities will be taught introducing team members to the techniques and challenges of ecological study.
Team members will also examine by small boat, kayak, and snorkeling, the diverse fish, invertebrate, and flora populations found in sandy beaches, lagoons, and reef environments on both the Pacific and Gulf Coasts. Techniques for observing and collecting data for marine species and habitats will be taught, many of the common marine/shore species will be identified, and their ecology investigated. A project highlight will be the field study of seasonal congregations of migratory Grey whales in Pacific bays and lagoons where they come to calf. Other locations on the coast will be explored where many whale, dolphin, and sea turtle species are often found.
A third focus of the project will be an on-site examination of the problems faced by conservationists and government agencies working to preserve Baja’s rich natural environment.
We will analyze on-site the impacts of commercial, recreational, and subsistence fisheries on both the marine environment and human cultures, and problems arising from development/urbanization in a region with scarce water resources and limited economics. We will also explore ecologically important sites such as the Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve and critical Grey whale calving lagoons in order to discover how conservationists and government agencies are attempting to balance development and the preservation of the natural environment.
Throughout the project, team members will learn how to identify and evaluate Baja’s land and sea species/habitats using a variety of field study methods, while gaining an intimate understanding of these species by living and working in close association with them in the field. By the end of the project, each of us will have gained hands-on field study experience, and a heightened understanding of Baja’s remarkable environments.
Full information available on request.
PROJECT LEADER
STEPHEN SHANER, is an ecologist and marine biologist who has worked on a wide variety of projects around the world as an environmental consultant. He is currently an extension instructor in Marine Biology for the University of California. He has spent over 30 years traveling and exploring throughout the Baja California peninsula.