Environmental Swat Team

This episode of The New Explorers follows scientists deep into the dry forest of Bolivia as they research these areas in an effort to preserve them. Much of the dry forests of Bolivia are threatened by industries such as agriculture, mining and logging, and the country is caught between preserving the forests and economic survival. Host Bill Kurtis joins the scientists as they track and record the different species of mammals, birds, insects and plants that would be lost if the forests disappear.

Environmental Swat Team would be useful for classes on Science, Biology, Ecology and Geography. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.

• approximate
• ardent
• assess
• botany
• decimated
• dilemma
• diverse
• encroach
• entomologist
• expedition
• extinction
• habitat
• hierarchical
• legacy
• methodically
• ornithologist
• phylum
• predators
• pristine
• siege
• specimens
• strategy
• transform
• virtually

1. Slash and burn agriculture threatens much of the rainforest and the dry forest in South America. What is the slash and burn method? Why is it a threat to the environment?

2. What other threats are there to the dry forest?

3. Prior efforts to preserve the dry forest have failed. Why?

4. Scientists researching the dry forests of Bolivia are trying to convince the country to preserve these areas. What are the scientists looking for? How can they convince the Bolivian government to preserve the areas?

5. The blue finch is an indicator species. What is an indicator species? What is the value of such a species to the scientists conducting research in the dry forests?

6. What is an ornithologist?

7. Discuss the role of conservationists in preserving natural resources such as Bolivia's dry forests.

8. What economic concerns must be taken into account when deciding whether or not to preserve a dry forest?

9. What is a classification system? How does it aid scientists?

10. Each scientist had his or her own agenda. What is an agenda? How can it determine what a scientist considers a priority?

11. One of Bolivia's burgeoning industries is ecotourism. What is ecotourism? How does it differ from traditional tourism?

1. Locate Bolivia on a map and indicate the areas of dry forest.

2. Create a poster or chart illustrating the biological classification system.

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Air Dates

• December 28, 2004