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We are connected in many ways to other people and lands around the world.
The future of wildlife depends on a global approach to conservation and Cleveland Metroparks is taking a leading role. Since 1993, Cleveland Metroparks has taken a vested interest in becoming a global citizen.
One of Cleveland Metroparks international partnerships is with the Parque Natural Metropolitano in Panama. After years of study on migratory songbirds conducted by the Smithsonian Institution in Cleveland Metroparks, then Cleveland Metroparks Chief of Natural Resources Tom Stanley was invited to visit Panama in 1996 to observe and participate in the Smithsonian's field work on the migratory songbirds. The work in Panama parallels the work conducted in Cleveland Metroparks, by examining the impacts of forest fragmentation on Neotropical birds. The importance of these protected tropical forests is similar to the importance of Cleveland Metroparks providing the last forest refuges in large metropolitan areas for the migratory birds that are shared between the two areas.
Both parks also have canals in common. The Panama Canal and Ohio & Erie Canal were built as an inexpensive way to move goods and contributed to the growth of both Cleveland and Panama City.
On his 1996 trip to Panama, Stanley met board members and staff of the relatively new Parque Natural Metropolitano de Panama, once the military training grounds of Dictator Manuel Noriega. Out of this relationship developed a request from Parque Metropolitano to develop a mutually beneficial relationship between Cleveland Metroparks and the Panamanian Park District.
Like Cleveland Metroparks in the early years, Metropolitiano is struggling with funding to support its need for basic facilities and infrastructure. Cleveland Metroparks helped Parque Metropolitano formulate plans to overcome the financial hurdles that typically challenge all new park districts. Cleveland Metroparks also shared general information on every facet of park operations, helped them develop a big picture approach concerning conservation and education, and helped them establish a mission statement.
Parque Natural Metropolitano website
Click here for information on the Canal to Canal Project
Click here for infomation on Environmental Education Projects
Project sponsored by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
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