ESSEG Program Overview

Ok, so I figured I should also give more background on the ESSEG (Economic and Socially Sustainable Economic Growth) Program. It is sponsored by CEES (the Center for the Environment, Economy, and Society) at Columbia University. The program is three years old and the goal of the project is to restore the natural water resources of Miches in order to stimulate long-term economic grown that will benefit the fishing and tourist industries.

There are some fantastic youtube videos that show how beautiful Miches is and the plan on how to develop the area sustainably.

The Miches Story Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/v/BY9tk1bJL_E&hl=en&fs=1

The Miches Story Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/v/aGAjcK-LTSc&hl=en&fs=1

Ecotourism hasn't really taken off in the area yet due to the economic recession and the current problem that is being addressed is how to make the fishing industry more sustainable. I'm involved in the lobster house project and they are also working on a fishing net exchange, which will exchange out nets that are not legal because they have smaller holes that catch fish that are undersized. Another project is putting sterile grass carp in Laguna Limon, which is full of invasive hydrilla. The Minister of the Environment wants to fund a pilot project on putting the carp in the laguna and even flew to Miches in his helicopter two days ago.

Since I got here, the program has grown from two people (Henry and Darien) in the field to ten! Adam, an undergraduate at Columbia, arrived the same day I did and is going to help me with my lobster house project and also with the fish net exchange. There are three peace corp. volunteers: Lauren is posted at Laguna Redonda, Evan is at Laguna Limon, and Angela is at Sabana de Nisibon, an ocean fishing communities. There is also a law enforcer named Amable (an ironic name for a law enforcer) and two employess from the Ministry of the Environment, Wilman and Jovina. I guess I came here at the right time. : )