Ursula Valdez, a native from Peru is an experienced tropical ornithologist and conservationist. She graduated from the department of Biology at the Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina in Peru. She obtained a MSc degree in Zoology and Animal behavior at North Carolina State University studying raptor communities in Manu Biosphere Reserve. Ursula is currently a PhD candidate in Biology at the University of Washington where she is studying the ecology and habitat use of Forest-falcons in the southeastern Peruvian Amazon. Ursula has also worked with other species of birds and is an expert bird bander. She worked in Peru and Panama as a raptor biologist and was the Director of the Neotropical Environmental Education Program of The Peregrine Fund. She has conducted ornithological research in Peru, Panama, Ecuador, Spain and the US. She has been an instructor in tropical ecology courses in Peru and Costa Rica. Recently she started a series of field courses in ornithology for Latin American students. She is also a committed conservationist and active in finding ways to lower human ecological footprint.
Daniel Froehlich
Daniel Froehlich, raised both in Germany and the US, is a highly experienced ornithologist. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in biology from Carleton College and is currently working toward a PhD in Zoology at the University of Washington studying plumage, feather wear, and molt strategies. He is a master bander and banding trainer; he was program coordinator for the Institute for Bird Populations’ Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) Program and program director for the Institute’s Bander Training Program. He has participated in banding projects in the USA, Germany, Austria, Spain, Siberia, Ivory Coast, Australia, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Belize. In 2006, he was co-instructor for a field ornithology course in Peru for Latin American students.
Jose (Pepe) and Teresa Campoy
Jose (Pepe) and Teresa Campoy are originally from Barcelona, Spain, but moved to Peru about 40 years ago. They have raised three children in Peru and have three Peruvian grandchildren. Their love for nature and their simple but rich lifestyle is very inspirational. They are truly knowledgeable about social issues and helped underprivileged communities on the coast and in the Andes of Peru where they lived for many years. For the past 10 years they have lived in the Peruvian Amazon, serving local students and promoting conservation of the forest without monetary compensation. They are totally integrated and highly respected in the local community of “Tambopata Bajo” near Puerto Maldonado and are working with their neighbors to incorporate the whole area into the conservation reserve.
Fiona Wilkinson
Fiona A. Wilkinson is an experienced tropical ornithologist and ecologist, avid photographer and filmmaker. She holds a BS in Biology from Southern Connecticut State University and a MA in Video Production from George Mason University. She has spent over a decade studying the breeding ecology of two neotropical nightjars in the southeastern Peruvian Amazon as well as visually documenting the flora and fauna of the same area via photographs and short documentaries. Her photographic inventories include the flora and fauna of the US, Panama, Costa Rica, Peru, Tobago, and Southern Africa. Her strong interest in natural history and biodiversity has lead to several publications on neotropical birds, lizards, snakes, and small mammals. She is also a committed conservationist and is currently participating in several biodiversity projects in both the northern and southeastern areas of Peru.
Ashley Bassett
Ashley Bassett is fascinated by birds and other living organisms that she discovers in the Pacific Northwest and in the Neotropical rainforest. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and her Certificate of Scientific Illustration from the University of Washington. She has been a field assistant in Panama where she studied conspecific flock formations among antwren species, and in the Peruvian Amazon where she not only worked with Ursula studying forest-falcons, but also fell in love with CECCOT. Ashley is dedicated to conservation, sustainable agriculture and committed to educating others on the importance of leaving a small ecological footprint.
Raul Baez
Raul Baez is from Cusco, but moved to Puerto Maldonado many years ago. He has worked in everything you can imagine, gold mining, construction, driving trucks, boats, motorbikes and then ended up getting involved as a field worker on a nearby field station. Raul has gained a number of skills working as a field assistant for bird and primate research. He is currently the caretaker at CECCOT and provides logistic and research assistance during our programs.
Lee McCoy
Lee McCoy doesn't know the first thing about birds, but he loves biology and research. He received a Bachelor's degree in Zoology from Arizona State University, where he conducted behavioral research on butterflies. He went on to receive a Master's degree in Biology from A.S.U., conducting behavioral ecology research exploring the genetic mechanisms of differential competitive success in African and European honeybees. He has spent the last 7 years in the Pacific Northwest putting his skills as a researcher to work on estuarine ecology issues related to oyster aquaculture - including pest management, aquaculture impacts, and fish use. Lee also has experience with geographic information systems (GIS) and using high precision GPS for mapping and analysis.
Melanie Frazier
Melanie Frazier also doesn't know the first thing about birds, but she also loves biology and statistics. She received a Bachelor's degree in Biology from Arizona State University, where she conducted physiology research on acid/base loading in grasshoppers. She continued on to receive a Master's degree in Biology from A.S.U., exploring the interaction of temperature and oxygen on development in insects. She received her PhD from the University of Washington in Biology conducting research on insect adaptations for survival along altitudinal gradients. Melanie is currently a Post Doctoral contractor for the US Enviromental Protection Agency exploring the utility of using benthic indicators to determine the health of estuarine systems. Melanie's enjoys statistical analysis to a degree that is often baffling to behold.
Ursula Valdez, a native from Peru is an experienced tropical ornithologist and conservationist. She graduated from the department of Biology at the Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina in Peru. She obtained a MSc degree in Zoology and Animal behavior at North Carolina State University studying raptor communities in Manu Biosphere Reserve. Ursula is currently a PhD candidate in Biology at the University of Washington where she is studying the ecology and habitat use of Forest-falcons in the southeastern Peruvian Amazon. Ursula has also worked with other species of birds and is an expert bird bander. She worked in Peru and Panama as a raptor biologist and was the Director of the Neotropical Environmental Education Program of The Peregrine Fund. She has conducted ornithological research in Peru, Panama, Ecuador, Spain and the US. She has been an instructor in tropical ecology courses in Peru and Costa Rica. Recently she started a series of field courses in ornithology for Latin American students. She is also a committed conservationist and active in finding ways to lower human ecological footprint.
Daniel Froehlich, raised both in Germany and the US, is a highly experienced ornithologist. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in biology from Carleton College and is currently working toward a PhD in Zoology at the University of Washington studying plumage, feather wear, and molt strategies. He is a master bander and banding trainer; he was program coordinator for the Institute for Bird Populations’ Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) Program and program director for the Institute’s Bander Training Program. He has participated in banding projects in the USA, Germany, Austria, Spain, Siberia, Ivory Coast, Australia, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Belize. In 2006, he was co-instructor for a field ornithology course in Peru for Latin American students.
Jose (Pepe) and Teresa Campoy are originally from Barcelona, Spain, but moved to Peru about 40 years ago. They have raised three children in Peru and have three Peruvian grandchildren. Their love for nature and their simple but rich lifestyle is very inspirational. They are truly knowledgeable about social issues and helped underprivileged communities on the coast and in the Andes of Peru where they lived for many years. For the past 10 years they have lived in the Peruvian Amazon, serving local students and promoting conservation of the forest without monetary compensation. They are totally integrated and highly respected in the local community of “Tambopata Bajo” near Puerto Maldonado and are working with their neighbors to incorporate the whole area into the conservation reserve.
Fiona A. Wilkinson is an experienced tropical ornithologist and ecologist, avid photographer and filmmaker. She holds a BS in Biology from Southern Connecticut State University and a MA in Video Production from George Mason University. She has spent over a decade studying the breeding ecology of two neotropical nightjars in the southeastern Peruvian Amazon as well as visually documenting the flora and fauna of the same area via photographs and short documentaries. Her photographic inventories include the flora and fauna of the US, Panama, Costa Rica, Peru, Tobago, and Southern Africa. Her strong interest in natural history and biodiversity has lead to several publications on neotropical birds, lizards, snakes, and small mammals. She is also a committed conservationist and is currently participating in several biodiversity projects in both the northern and southeastern areas of Peru.
Ashley Bassett is fascinated by birds and other living organisms that she discovers in the Pacific Northwest and in the Neotropical rainforest. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and her Certificate of Scientific Illustration from the University of Washington. She has been a field assistant in Panama where she studied conspecific flock formations among antwren species, and in the Peruvian Amazon where she not only worked with Ursula studying forest-falcons, but also fell in love with CECCOT. Ashley is dedicated to conservation, sustainable agriculture and committed to educating others on the importance of leaving a small ecological footprint.
Raul Baez is from Cusco, but moved to Puerto Maldonado many years ago. He has worked in everything you can imagine, gold mining, construction, driving trucks, boats, motorbikes and then ended up getting involved as a field worker on a nearby field station. Raul has gained a number of skills working as a field assistant for bird and primate research. He is currently the caretaker at CECCOT and provides logistic and research assistance during our programs.
Lee McCoy doesn't know the first thing about birds, but he loves biology and research. He received a Bachelor's degree in Zoology from Arizona State University, where he conducted behavioral research on butterflies. He went on to receive a Master's degree in Biology from A.S.U., conducting behavioral ecology research exploring the genetic mechanisms of differential competitive success in African and European honeybees. He has spent the last 7 years in the Pacific Northwest putting his skills as a researcher to work on estuarine ecology issues related to oyster aquaculture - including pest management, aquaculture impacts, and fish use. Lee also has experience with geographic information systems (GIS) and using high precision GPS for mapping and analysis.
Melanie Frazier also doesn't know the first thing about birds, but she also loves biology and statistics. She received a Bachelor's degree in Biology from Arizona State University, where she conducted physiology research on acid/base loading in grasshoppers. She continued on to receive a Master's degree in Biology from A.S.U., exploring the interaction of temperature and oxygen on development in insects. She received her PhD from the University of Washington in Biology conducting research on insect adaptations for survival along altitudinal gradients. Melanie is currently a Post Doctoral contractor for the US Enviromental Protection Agency exploring the utility of using benthic indicators to determine the health of estuarine systems. Melanie's enjoys statistical analysis to a degree that is often baffling to behold.