Projects

Out on a Limb – Forest Canopies
Grant/Project

(October 27, 2005) – Professor Meg Lowman  was awarded a $75,000 grant for her exhibit “Out on a Limb – Forest Canopies,” a traveling rain forest diorama complete with scaled models of scientists exploring a canopy ecosystem. Lowman, who is director of New College’s Environmental Studies program and an internationally acclaimed canopy researcher, was awarded the grant on October 1, 2005 by the National Science Foundation, as part of their Communicating Research to Public Audiences program.

The exhibit, which includes graphic panels and interactive activities, will circulate to community venues in southwest Florida. Lowman’s goal in creating the exhibit is to increase public awareness of how forest canopies are important to life on earth.

“Canopy research,” explained Lowman, “provides a highly visual, exploratory approach to scientific inquiry that can be effectively communicated to the general public, and to school groups.”

The Forest Canopies exhibit, construction of which is slated for completion in late 2006 or early 2007, will be comprised of several mobile components, central of which is a three-dimensional diorama depicting the biodiversity of an Amazon tropical rain forest. This diorama will feature to-scale replicas research scientists using creative canopy access techniques to study the treetops. A multi-media component will feature a DVD touch-screen kiosk where a computer will provide additional information about the ecology of the rainforest and its inhabitants. The Forest Canopies exhibit will be available in Spanish translations as well.

             Click here for the Bay Neighbor Profiles Brochure

 

This project, completed in Fall 2006, used Geographic Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to digitally map and model the storm water infrastructure, tree canopy and landscaping practices found within the Indian Beach/Sapphire Shores neighborhood.


The Bay Neighbor Regional Community Outreach Initiative

The NCESP has partnered with the Indian Beach Sapphire Shores Association (IBSSA) neighborhood to collect environmental information on areas of specific concern and make it available to neighborhood residents. This information will be used to take action to protect the neighborhood’s resources.


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