Cornell University Esbaran Amazon Field Laboratory

The Cornell University Esbaran Amazon Field Laboratory was inaugurated in July, 2001, as a research facility dedicated to education, conservation, and the discovery of novel medicinal compounds from applied field chemoecology, under the direction of Dr. Eloy Rodriguez. The laboratory was constructed in partnership with the Amazon Yarapa River Lodge, an ecotourism venture, with funds granted from Cornell University, the National Institutes of Health, and private donations.

Location

The laboratory is located in the Amazon Rainforest along the banks of the Yarapa River, a remote tributary of the Amazon River in Peruvian Amazon Rainforest. Jaldar, the closest native village has been brought into an agreement to serve as custodians of the land and manage it in a way consistent with conservation and sustainable use. Further upstream, can be found the villages of Nuevo Loreto and Puerto Miguel, and on an adjacent tributary the village of Jerusalem where a local shaman leads students in botanical expeditions.

Research at the EsBaran Field Laboratory relies heavily on the collaboration of local guides whose knowledge of the rainforest is unparalleled. Students engage local children in an exchange of knowledge to facilitate the sharing of perspectives and cultural assets.

Objectives

The Primary goal of the Cornell University EsBaran Amazon Field Laboratory is to provide a research facility in the Peruvian Amazon to foster increased understanding of the complex biological interactions that sustain the complex ecosystem of the Amazon Basin in support of long-term sustainable use and conservation of these invaluable resources. More Specifically, research at the EsBaran Laboratory aims to:

1) Survey and catalog the inventory of biological diversity (biodiversity) found along the Yarapa River Basin while providing researchers with field experience in the broad range of disciplines necessary for this task.

2) Promote collaborative efforts and research-based training between North American and Peruvian scientists, students and educators, while enhancing knowledge and awareness within the local communities to promote the long-term sustainable use and conservation of the bioregion.

3) To explore potential value-added derivatives of biodiversity. This includes both tangible returns in the form of new discoveries in the biomedical and related sciences, as well as the less tangible goods such as the promotion of ecotourism and an ecological aesthetic, and the corresponding benefits to the local communities, and to participating students and researchers of all nationalities.

Research

The Cornell University Undergraduate Research Program on Biodiversity (CURPOB) offers an opportunity for undergraduate students to participate in research related to the continuing exploration of the rich, biological complexity of the tropics. The program focus is on novel drug and medicinal plant discovery and nutraceuticals. Through participation in this research program, students learn about a wide range of topics related to biodiversity studies, including chemical ecology, biosystematics, habitat conservation, wildlife conservation, natural products chemistry, biomedicine, ethnobiology, health, diseases, biochemistry, and molecular medicine. A main thrust of this research is on the wealth of biomedicines derived from terrestrial and aquatic plants, animals, fungi, and microbes, which constitute the biodiversity of the tropical world.

External links

[http://labs.plantbio.cornell.edu/cbl/EsBaran.html Esbaran Homepage]

[http://www.sonerito.com/EsBaranFlash.html Esbaran Presentation]

[http://labs.plantbio.cornell.edu/cbl/Publications.html CURPOB Publications]

[http://www.yarapa.com Amazon Yarapa River Lodge]