Renowned Oceanographers Honored with the Duarte, Sánchez y Mella Award as Part of the 1st Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival

Santo Domingo, 9/9/2011

As part of the 1st Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival, Dominican President Leonel Fernández honored two extraordinary women who have been on the forefront of marine life and ocean conservation for several decades: American, Sylvia Earle and Dominican, Idelisa Bonnelly de Calventi. President Fernández conferred the Order of Merit Duarte, Sánchez y Mella Award upon both women in a ceremony at the National Palace on Friday, September 9, 2011.

Upon receiving her honor, Idelisa Bonnelly de Calventi thanked President Fernandez and the Global Foundation for Democracy (GFDD) and its Dominican-based sister organization FUNGLODE, for the honor which she promptly dedicated to her family, friends and colleagues.

“I am receiving this medal but really this has been a joint effort of professors who showed me the way, students who understood and comprehended the work that needed to be done, politicians, friends and colleagues…there are many who helped in this effort,” said the Professor Emeritus from the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo where she dedicated 25 years promoting Dominican marine sciences and sustainable use of marine resources with special emphasis on the conservation of marine mammals and the establishment of the Marine Mammal Humpback Sanctuary.

“Twenty five years ago, we barely realized the value of the humpbacked whales. Now, today, they are a symbol of our country and our commitment to correctly manage our marine resources and our seas,” said Professor Bonnelly de Calventi.

She pointed out that the DR Environmental Film Festival, organized by GFDD/FUNGLODE, and medal of honor from the Dominican government coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Sanctuary for the Marine Mammals of the Dominican Republic (formerly Silver Bank Sanctuary), “aspects of which I have dedicated a lot of time in my life.” 
With regard to marine mammals, the Dominican Republic has taken a leading role among Caribbean Basin nations. At a time when some Caribbean nations are quietly supporting the resumption of commercial whaling while publicly advertising themselves as whale watching destinations, the Dominican Republic proudly confirms its commitment to these gentle giants by maintaining this Sanctuary which lies approximately 70 miles north of the coast of the Dominican Republic

Meanwhile, Dr. Sylvia Earle, American oceanographer, explorer, author, lecturer and former chief scientist at NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration) said that receiving this honor makes her part of the Dominican family.

“You have made me part of this country and I thank you for that,” said the National Geographic explorer-in-residence.  Dr. Earle, like her Dominican colleague, has a long trajectory of ocean and marine mammal conservancy.

Indeed, Dr. Earle has done much of her research underwater, for which, she was called "Her Deepness" by the New Yorker and the New York Times, and a "Living Legend" by the US Library of Congress.

She led the first team of female aquanauts as part of the Tektite Project in 1970. The Tektite habitat was an underwater laboratory and the first scientists-in-the-sea program.  From that point on, Dr. Earle has been a tireless crusader and researcher mostly concerning marine ecosystems with special reference to exploration and the development and use of new technologies for access and effective operations in the deep sea and other remote environments.

The renowned oceanographer pointed out that 12 percent of the earth is protected but that this is a “very small fraction in relation to all the animals that inhabit the planet.”  She praised the Dominican Republic for having established norms and regulations that protect and control its natural resources.

“I personally want to salute you, Mr. President and all of you, for setting the standard and I can’t wait to see what you’re going to do next,” said Dr. Earle, who often refers to the ocean as the “blue heart of the planet.”

Others present at the ceremony in the Ambassadors Hall included Environment Minister Ernesto Reyna, Education Minister, Josefina Pimentel, Senator from Monseñor Nouel, Félix Nova, family and friends of the honorees and activists and educators in the areas of education and environment.

More on the Honorees

Idelisa Bonnelly de Calventi, seen as the mother of marine conservation in the Caribbean region, has been honored for her extraordinary contributions to the development of policy and management strategies that promote marine conservation in the Caribbean region. She has made strong contributions to the advancement of science based conservation in the Dominican Republic by helping to usher through environmental laws, designate several protected areas, and teach two generations of conservation biologists within the country. She has also been an avid promoter for woman in sciences and a role model for hundreds of young Latin American researchers.

In 1988 she was included in the PNUMA honor list Global 500. After retirement from academic life, she continued her work through the Fundacion Dominicana de Estudios Marinos (FUNDEMAR), organizing a marine science based-conservation team that has become a basic Dominican research institution. Professor Bonnelly coordinated the Friends of the Dolphins Project (with national and international researchers and collaborators) in the Parque Nacional del Este promoting the development of sustainable tourism as an alternative to the dolphin captivity industry. In 2008, this project won a Ford Motor Company Award in the category of Conservation and Education. She was awarded the Medal of Merit for Women in Science from the Dominican government, the UNESCO Madame Curie Medal 2009, the Ecology Award from Corripio Foundation and in 2010 received a Distinguished Service award from the Society for Conservation Biology.

Sylvia Earle, oceanographer, explorer, author, and lecturer and field research scientist,  is the Executive Director for corporate and nonprofit organizations, including the Aspen Institute, the Conservation Fund, American Rivers, Mote Marine Laboratory, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Rutgers Institute for Marine Science, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, and Ocean Conservancy.

Dr. Earle has led more than 60 expeditions and logged more than 6,000 hours underwater, including leading the first team of women aquanauts during the Tektite Project in 1970 and setting a record for solo diving to a depth of 1,000 meters (3,300 feet). Her research concerns marine ecosystems with special reference to exploration and the development and use of new technologies for access and effective operations in the deep sea and other remote environments.

Former chief scientist of NOAA, Earle is founder of the Mission Blue Foundation and chair of the Advisory Council for the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies. She has a B.S. from Florida State University, an M.S. and a Ph.D. from Duke University, and 15 honorary degrees. She has authored more than 150 scientific, technical, and popular publications, lectured in more than 60 countries, and appeared in hundreds of television productions.