CCC continues to carry out a program of research on howler monkeys in Belize. The study on howler social behavior is continuing under a National Geographic Society grant. Dr Roxie James of Kean College in NJ coordinates student volunteers on the project and has been collecting blood for genetic studies.

Data is showing a gradual increase in the population with smaller territories over time as more troops form and live in the same areas. There is some indication that with the higher population density comes more social turmoil with extra males taking over adjacent troops and causing troop instability.

Robin Brockett, an affiliate of Zoo Atlanta has been working as a research assistant on the project and observed infanticide in the species for the first time. This is another indication of the social changes with increased numbers. Brockett has been joined by Heather Donahue in gathering social behavior data.

The Cockscomb howler population which was translocated from the Community Baboon Sanctuary continues to do well although increased troop movements make it harder to observe some of the troops. Hermelindo Saqui, the main researcher on the project, has terminated his work and will be replaced with another Belizean researcher. Scott Silver and Linde Ostrow of Fordham University, have recently finished a year long study of the ecology and range of the translocated howlers. They will be analyzing data and writing their Ph.D. theses.

CCC Director, Dr. Rob Horwich, was requested by Primate Conservation, Inc. to make a trip to Vietnam to investigate the possibilities of CCC involvement in primate conservation in Vietnam. Primate Conservation lnc. (PCI) under the direction of Noel Rowe is involved in stimulating primate conservation by awarding small grants to primatologists with promising projects. PCI emphasizes Asia in their focus.

Horwich was hosted and travelled with Dr. Lois Lippold of San Diego State University and Vu Ngoc Thanh of the University of Hanoi. Dr Lippold is a leading authority on the endangered Douc langur and both she and Mr. Thanh are authorities on the primates of Vietnam.

Horwich travelled with Thanh and Lippold within forested areas of the Central Highlands of Vietnam in which the two species of Douc langurs occur. These areas have over a dozen species of primates, many of which are endemic to Vietnam. There is some possibility that there are yet undiscovered species of primates in these hills. This is not too surprising since two large undescribed mammals (a small ox and a giant muntjac deer), have been discovered in the last few years in Vietnam.

The plight of primates and many other forest animals is tragic in Vietnam due to deforestation and the traffic in animals for medicinal materials for the China market. Primates in the Central Highlands are hunted by tribal minorities and sold to Vietnamese animal dealers who boil the primates down completely into substances for medicine.

In addition, Horwich met with other primatologists as well as a number of scientists from American and German zoos who are supporting a primate rescue center at Cuc Phong Reserve where a number of endangered langurs and gibbons are currently housed.

The group also made a site visit to the Rescue Center where Dr. Lippold conducted some observations on a Douc langur whose taxonomy was uncertain. Horwich also toured the Cuc Phong facilities with members of its staff and Tom Dillon of World Wide Fund for Nature and other WWF staff members.

CCC has begun working on another Wisconsin project in Western Dane County, west of Madison, the state capitol. The project, was initiated by Brian Pruka who will act as an area ecologist to help stimulate private protection of the biodiversity in the area. Pruka, who has carried out research in the area has already made contact with a number of the area landowners.

The program will help landowners to identify the significant species or ecosystems on their property, provide help in implementing management techniques for the property and integrate these individual management plans into a regional conservation program.

The extension ecologist will additionally assist landowners in obtaining financial benefits such as subsidies, affordable conservation services and help in harvesting alternatives which are compatible with ecosystem conservation. The ecologist would also help landowners to coordinate and manage their natural resources in a ecologically sensitive manner

This kind of innovative and cost effective program will become more and more important within the state and other areas as budgets are cut. It is also in line with the wave of community based initiatives, which CCC has been propagating, which are occurring in many areas of the world. Such programs encourage landowners and other rural residents to take responsibility for the proper management of their own lands and those in their areas.

Thus far the project has been soliciting funds from area foundations. The first edition of a newsletter The Blue Mounds Conservationist, has been sent to a number of landowners and interested parties. The project is currently assembling an advisory board of interested local residents and beginning to coordinate landowner efforts.

Orang-utan Press, the publishing department of CCC, has recently published an 87 page book entitled "Organic Dairy Farming" by Laura Benson and Robert Zirkel. The book emerged out of a program run for the last three years by the Kickapoo Organic Resource Network (KORN) under the auspices of the Kickapoo Cultural Exchange of Gays Mills, Wl. The program was funded by the Sustainable Agriculture Program of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

The book idea came from discussions of KORN members and CCC staff with the idea of creating a forum to help farmers convert their farms to enironmentally sensitive oiganic farms. The book has already stimulated accolades from farmers both locally and abroad, with some inquiries about translating it into Russian for Russian dairy farmers.

"Organic Dairy Farming" has 6 chapters, covering some of the main topics concerning organic farmers. The first two chapters discuss the transition from traditional farming to organic farming with the main obstacles in undergoing the change. The following chapters are concerned with the health of the organic dairy herd, organic cropping systems, rotational grazing, marketing and organic certification.

Copies of a limited addition are being provided free of charge. Any interested farmers can get a copy from CCC for $2 postage and handling. Since there is a demand for the book, Orang-utan Press will do a second printing shortly which will be sold .

As part of the ISAR (Institute of Soviet American Relations) grant to International Crane Foundation (ICF), CCC and the Druzhina for Nature Conservation of Moscow University Tanya Konovalov is training at ICF for crane research. She is also completing a section on wetland birds of the Homeland of the Crane for a guide book CCC is writing with the Druzhina.

Tanya, CCC and ICF staff met with other Russian visitors from the far eastern Pskov Region of Russia. The connection was made by CCC staff and organic dairy farmers John and Kitty Kiefer. The Kiefers,under the auspices of the Winrock program, were part of a farmer exchange between the U.S. and Russia. They in turn hosted Dr. Zoya Bonova and Ivan Karovko of Nevil Raion.

The two visitors may expand their existing Russian organic dairy program to include Taldom residents near the Homeland of the Crane wetlands. Dr. Bonova is an expert in organic dairy from the Velikiye Luki State Agricultural Academy, who is now actively propagating organic dairy practices within Russia. She works with Ivan Karovko who manages the former collective farm, Our Way Farm. Our Way Farm is becoming a model for changing from collective to privatization farming, which also incorporates practices of proper land use and nature conservation.

Discussions ensued during the visit in October about the Druzhina and CCC working with the Nevil Raion people to help stimulate organic dairy practices in Taldom and Sergei-Posad districts, surrounding the Homeland of the Crane zakaznik.

Alison Ormsby a graduate student of Yale's School of Forestry spent the summer working with the Friends of 5 Blues Association of St. Margaret's village to help develop the tourism and education program of the park, which is managed by the Association for the Government of Belize. She worked with Peace Corps Volunteer, Wendy Maldonado, warden Rick Peraza and St. Margaret village students in creating a display for the parks new educational shelter.

Ormsby, who was given partial support by CCC, also developed two brochures for the 5 Blues National Park. The first was an updated general publicity brochure. The second was a self-guided interpretive trail guide.

With a growing need for CCC help in community conservation projects, CCC has expanded its operations to include over a dozen projects in Belize, the USA, Mexico, Russia and potentially in Vietnam. Although CCC has been setting standards by catalyzing models in community conservation, its staff has been completely assembled from volunteers. Although this structure has certain advantages in incredibie human resources and economic efficiency, CCC's expanded role has made it necessary to create a formal structure for future expansion. As a first step, CCC has hired Maura Otis as a parttime office manager. Maura has recently moved her office operations into a newly renovated office of 650 square feet.

In addition CCC staff and Board of Directors with the help of Linda Lieb have printed a CCC booklet elaborating its philosophy, accomplishments, staff and projects. This booklet is being given to prospective partners as well as to potential funders of CCC and its projects.

CCC Associate, Dave Erickson has been compiling video footage on a number of CCC projects and other community based projects for a video on community conservation which is expected to air in April 1996 on Public TV. In Belize, Erickson filmed crocodiles and sea turtles at the Gales Point, Mantee project and various aspects of the Community Baboon Sanctuary (CBS). While at the CBS he was able to get good footage of the howler monkeys, travelling, feeding and howling.

In the U.S., Erickson filmed trout fishing and aspects of tourism along the West Fork of the Kickapoo River, a project CCC has been collaborating with. He filmed interviews with recently elected members of the Kickapoo Reserve Board along with CCC Director, Horwich who initiated the Kickapoo River project.

The video will additionally contain aspects of the Leopold Reserve work, bald eagle conservation efforts on the Wisconsin River and interviews with Russian biologists at the International Crane Foundation.

CCC Director, Rob Horwich was invited to participate in a U.S. Man and the Biosphere Program conference. The seminar, entitled "Conservation and Community Development in the Maya Rainforest of Belize, Guatemala and Mexico" was organized by Dr. Richard Primack of Boston University, David Bray of the Inter-American Foundation and Hugo Galleti of Chetumal, Mexico.

It was an attempt to bring together scientists, community activists and conservationists from the tri-country area. In addition to the lectures and round table seminars, Horwich attended a field trip to Petacab, a village which has been managing its own forests for selective logging, wildlife and chicle. The project, initiated 13 years ago, seems successful in producing economic benefits while still maintaining a significant amount of forest intact.

Horwich also met with Benjamin Morales of Ecosur in Chetumal, who has been studying the Mexican Manatee population in coordination with the Belize Manatee project. He also talked with, Carmen Pozo who will be studying the ecology of howler and spider monkeys in the modified forests of Petacab with Dr. Juan Pedro Gonzalez-Kirchner of Spain.