The WHSRN Executive Office is excited to announce the addition of three new team members: Joaquín Aldabe, Julia Salazar and Vianey Ramírez. Joaquín will lead efforts to support the conservation of grassland-dependent shorebirds at WHSRN sites, with an initial focus on Laguna de Rocha, Uruguay. Julia is conducting an assessment of opportunities to enhance the management of salt ponds for shorebirds, and seeking to work with salt production businesses to implement best management practices. And Vianey is leading the Executive Office’s communications work, to keep WHSRN partners informed about the latest in shorebird conservation, and to help us reach new audiences.
Joaquín Aldabe – Julia Salazar – Vianey Ramirez
Joaquín is from Uruguay where for the past 15 years he has been focused on the conservation of shorebirds, and in particular grassland dependent species. He has a Master’s Degree in Ecology and Evolution, and is currently studying for a PhD in Agrarian Sciences at the University of the Republic, Uruguay (where he also teaches classes). Joaquín was recently incorporated in the Uruguayan National System of Researchers. Both his research and his conservation activities have focused on integrating biodiversity conservation with agricultural and livestock production. Joaquín was one of the initial promoters of the “Alianza de Pastizal” (Southern Cone Grasslands Alliance), and the first national coordinator. In addition to his focus on grassland-dependent shorebirds, Joaquín will be assisting the Executive Office with the analysis and modeling of shorebird census data.
Julia is from southern Honduras, where her family owns a small salt farm. After a degree in Tourism, and a Master’s in project management, she developed a project promoting environmental education tours for school and university students to learn about salt production and mangrove ecosystems. This drew upon her Master’s thesis, which was focused on the ecosystem services that mangroves provide for salt production. Since then, she’s concentrated on implementing better management practices and diversifying incomes at her family salt farm. Her love for shorebirds started with the discovery of nesting Black-necked Stilts Himantopus mexicanus and Wilson’s Plovers Charadrius wilsonia at the family salt farm, the latter representing the first documented breeding record for Honduras. Julia’s work will build upon her firsthand experiences to develop new models for salt production that will help promote the conservation of shorebirds while enhancing the social and economic sustainability of salt farms.
Vianey is from Colombia, where she has more than 10 years of experience working in shorebird conservation, primarily from a communications perspective. She has a degree in Journalism and Communications, and additional training in the development and implementation of community-based projects. From 2007 to 2014 she worked as the Communications Coordinator and Specialist for Asociación Calidris, where she also co-authored the Colombian National Shorebird Conservation Plan and supported the designation of the Delta del río Iscuandé WHSRN site. In addition to managing the WHSRN website, publishing the monthly newsletter and maintaining WHSRN’s social media, Vianey will be developing new approaches to WHSRN communications, and using targeted communications to help support and promote linkages among sites.
Please join us in welcoming Joaquín, Julia and Vianey to the WHSRN Executive Office team!
