Ecosystems

PhD research within Scenario Evaluation for Sustainable Agro-forestry Management (SESAM) project: Reflexive governance for coastal resilience: the role of scenario evaluation games
Objective:  Growing uncertainty over the cause and impact of hazards, especially under conditions of climate change, require new approaches for enabling reflexive and therefore adaptive governance. This study explores the role of scenario evaluation gaming in enabling reflexive forms of decision making in both centralised and decentralised governance arrangements around mangrove forest use and conservation in Suriname. Both explorative research and scenario evaluation games will be used to determine the degree reflexivity can be institutionalised in these settings. The results will generate new knowledge on the ways in which state and non-state actors can contribute to solutions for enhancing coastal resilience.
Project coordinator : G.U. Satnarain, MSc and Prof. Dr. S.R. Bush
Time frame : 2020-2024
Funding :  Wageningen University INREF Program.

Voltage variatie en specifieke habitat karakteristieken van Surinaamse sidderalen.
Objective: to determine the voltage variation and specific habitat characteristics of electric eels in Suriname. The project will be carried out at three strategic locations in the interior of Suriname, where the electric eels have been spotted before: Central Suriname Nature Reserve, the Tibiti area and the Mozeskreek. At these locations, electric eels will be detected in water bodies and measurements will be made on the electric eels, as well as the immediate environment in which they are found. The electric eels will be captured, measured and released back to the site found. Environmental factors will also be measured in the exact locations where the electric eels are observed, to determine the specific preferences of these animals. The aim is to measure 10 electric eels per research location. This field research will be carried out together with 4 university students (SMNR) and 2 students from Hogeschool Van Hall Larenstein, and the results will be published in a scientific journal. The research results in the form of presentations and a documentary will also be made available to communities (including schools) located around the research areas.
Project coordinator : Research coordinator ER-SMNR project and D. Narain
Time frame : Nov 2021- May 2022
Funding : SCF

Promote the Sustainable Use of Ecosystem Services of Mangrove Forests in district Nickerie
Objective: to increase the awareness of the benefits of the mangroves for us as human beings and for the environment. In order to be able to manage the mangrove forest up-to-date data is essential, therefore a research station in the Bigi Pan Lagoon will be set up that will enable scientists and students of the MSc. in SMNR to enhance their academic skills. The obtained up- to- date data sets will improve the decision-making processes for management purposes.
Project coordinator : G.U. Satnarain, MSc
Time frame : May 2017- November 2018
Funding : UN