Seacology is pleased to announce that Jose Angel Sanchez-Pacheco has just been retained as our field representative for Mexico. After earning a degree in Marine Biology from the Universidad Autonoma de Baja California Sur, México, Jose Angel began doing research on sea birds, coastal lagoons, islands, fisheries and the abundance and distribution of gray whales as a a member of the team that assembled the proposal for the creation of “El Vizcaíno” in Baja California Sur, one of the first and the largest Biosphere Reserves of Mexico. Since then his achievements include co-founding and directing Grupo de Ecologia y Conservacion de Islas, the highly effective and award-winning Mexican sister organization of the international NGO Island Conservation (US, Mexico, Canada).
During his tenure as director, Jose initiated and oversaw projects to protect and restore more than 25 Mexican islands by forming NPAs/MPAs on and around them, resulting in the legal protection of the natural resources and wildlife species that live there. Jose is also co-founder and director of Instituto SummerTree A.C., the Mexican branch of SummerTree institute of California. In this position, he created programs to develop sustainable economic opportunities in remote communities of Baja California peninsula, and develop environmental education programs and conservation activities around whale watching and ecotours to the coastal lagoons, islands and desert. Currently, Jose is co-owner of Cedros Outdoor Adventures, a company that promotes ecotours, sportfishing and whale watching with the goal of promoting environmentally-friendly economic opportunities in remote communities on the Baja California peninsula and islands.
Seacology is pleased to welcome a new field representative for the Samoan Islands, Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster. Toeolesulusulu is Cedric’s
matai (chief) title for his home village of Satapuala on the island of Upolu. Cedric holds a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from the University of Victoria and a Master’s degree in Sustainable International Development from Brandeis University. For the past five years, Cedric has been one of three directors of the Pacific Environment Consultants Ltd, a group that specializes in environmental planning, natural resource management, and ecologically sustainable development. For seven years Cedric worked for the Samoan government’s Division of Environment and Conservation, first as a National Parks Officer and later as Head of the Biodiversity Conservation Unit. He also serves as Pacific Coordinator of the Global Greengrants Fund. Cedric’s areas of expertise include biodiversity conservation, ecological surveying, and strategic planning. We are thrilled to have him join the Seacology team to launch and monitor projects in the Samoan Islands.