Environmental meters for an ecology class in Haiti

Light meters

Each semester I take my Eco-201 students to the waterfall Bassin Zim near Hinche to practice a bioassessment of the watershed.  This year I used several models of environmental meters.  I had been using the Sper Scientific meter that has 4 instruments in one: temperature, % relative humidity (RH), wind, and light.  I first used this meter at the Amazon Academy in the Peruvian rain forest, where light levels do not exceed the maximum reading of 20,000 lux.  However, light levels in Haiti are higher, thus my quest to test other meters. Also the Sper meter has hold and mx/min buttons that put the readings on pause that can only be canceled by pushing certain buttons for 2 seconds. This confounds the students. Thus I purchased 3 different light meters, and 2 different anemometers (wind meter).  Here are the reviews of their use with university students in Haiti, with the color to match to the photo.  From the price you can see it is cheaper to buy light and wind meters separately.  I underlined the features I prefer.

Wind meters

Sper Scientific meter – 4 instruments, max of 20,000 lux is too low, numbers get stuck – have to press proper button 2 sec. to exit mode. Wind, temperature, and rH works fine.  Has case. Need screw driver to access 9v battery. $126.54 on Amazon Dec. 2016. Gray.

UNI-T UT383 light meter – Only light in lux or fc, max 199,999 lux. Easy to turn off hold and max/min. No case, unprotected light probe. Easy access to 3 AAA batteries. $21.99 on Amazon Dec. 2017. Red.

URCERI MT-912 light meter – Temperature and light (lux or fc), max 200,000 lux. Hold min/max 2 sec. to turn off, press hold once to turn off. Back-lit screen (will this use up batteries?). No case, attached cover for light probe! Easy access to 3 AAA batteries. $19.99 on Amazon Dec. 2017. Yellow.

Leaton Lux Meter L830 – Only light in lux or fc, max 200,000 lux. Easy to turn off hold and max/min. No case, cover for light probe. Easy access to 9v battery. Gray.

PEAKMETER MS6252B Digital Anemometer – Also has temperature and RH. Six choices for wind units: knots, m/s, km/h, mil/h, ft/m, ft/s. Backlight option. Comes with case, need screwdriver to access 9v battery. Comes with cable to download to computer. $39.95 on Amazon Dec. 2017! Yellow.

MASTECH MS625B Digital Anemometer – Exactly like PEAKMETER except green. $50.98 on Amazon Dec. 2017. Green.

BirdSleuth Caribbean for UCC preschool

Last week I led the first BirdSleuth seminar for the preschool teachers at UCC in Caiman.  13 teachers attended, with 2 of their children who were great for demonstrating teaching techniques.  We began with a 40 minute presentation about the importance of birds, showing photos on my ipad of birds found in Haiti.  After lunch of rice and beans with onion sauce, we began the games.  I gave each teacher a habitat and a bingo card, and showed how activities can be scaled from preschool to older kids.  My translator Donacien and I demonstrated the habitat and survivor games, then all joined in and had fun playing them.  I gave the preschool a BirdSleuth manual and set of survivor, scavenger hunt, and bingo cards for their resource room.  The elementary school principle is now asking that I give a workshop for her teachers!

  

BirdSleuth Caribbean at Wynne Farm

Recently for the staff of Wynne Farm Ecological Reserve in Kenscoff I had the opportunity to teach a 2 hour seminar on the importance of birds and to Haiti share BirdSleuth Caribbean teaching activities.  I met with the 15 participants while my university ecology students took a tour of the reserve and farm.  Participants included Jane Wynne and her daughter Sarah who run the reserve, staff, student interns, and others who had strong ties to the conservation ethic of the farm.

We began with a discussion about the importance of birds in Haiti, including pest control, pollination, seed dispersal, education, ecotourism, and art (including Haitian John James Audubon).  I then introduced the Cornell Ornithology Lab BirdSleuth educational materials sent to me by Birds Caribbean.  We practiced the Habitat and Survivor gamesof Lessons 4 & 5 and feedback helped me improve my use of them.  I gave Wynne Farm two manuals and two sets of the survivor, scavenger hunt, and bingo games.  They gifted me with Rene Durocher’s beautiful Les Oiseaux d’Haiti book of bird photography.  Thank you Wynne Farm and Birds Caribbean!