Hi everyone!!

You can email me at kirsten@blueventures.org.

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Friday, May 29, 2009

Getting ready

T minus 30 days -- my excitement is mounting!

My summer project in Madagascar is a prelude to a 18-month fellowship that Tom and I will start in January. This summer, I'll be based in southwest Madagascar, living with the Vezo, an indigenous fishing people. They have voluntarily closed some areas of their reef to octopus fishing, and they have evidence that the subsequent harvests (so-called "takes") are record high. I'll be formalizing the evidence by looking at the economic costs and benefits of their management regime. The aim is to demonstrate to the communities and donors that the conservation model works in economic terms (the language of policy, for better or worse!).

This week I drafted my surveys and questionnaires to submit to the institutional review board -- those are the folks who make sure that no one will be harmed by my research. And I've started buying things to take with me (Immodium!).

I'll be posting updates here all summer. Keep an eye out.

love, Kirsten

3 comments:

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  2. Oma was in tears of course, when she read this. But she realizes that it will be a GREAT adventure.

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  3. Hope your travels have gone well! It was great to skype with before your extended plane, train and automobile adventure to get to the REAL adventure!

    Hugs and kisses from all of us including a slobbery one from Ethan!
    XOXOX

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