Dr. Salaman with Golden Poison Frog

Golden Poison Frog

Williams bright-eyed frog © Miguel Vences

On December 17, 2013, Rainforest Trust CEO, Dr. Paul Salaman, joined the Amphibian Survival Alliance’s (ASA) Global Council. The ASA, formed in 2009, is the world’s largest partnership for amphibian conservation and was established in response to the decline of frogs, salamanders and caecilians worldwide. Salaman will join the ranks of 20 world-renowned amphibian experts, both scientists and conservationists, which comprise the Global Council. The Council meets annually and is responsible for developing strategy and prioritizing programmatic actions for the ASA.

“Being elected to the Global Council is a wonderful honor. It’s also a great opportunity to raise public awareness about the state of amphibians, encourage others to act, and share knowledge and experience with leaders in the field. By closely coordinating our efforts with the ASA, we can improve amphibian conservation, which is vitally important for the future survival of many species,” said Salaman.

Salaman was elected to the Global Council as a result of his leading role in amphibian conservation, which dates back to 2003. At that time, he coordinated the Global Amphibian Assessment’s Tropical Andes Workshop, which included the participation of Conservation International (CI), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and 30 regional experts. Since then, Salaman has led Rainforest Trust in the establishment of several critical reserves specifically designed to protect amphibians, including the Golden Poison Dart Frog Reserve in Colombia and the Sierra Caral Reserve in Guatemala. Rainforest Trust has also protected areas in El Dorado, Colombia; Antisanilla, Ecuador; and Serra Bonita, Brazil that play a significant role in the survival of threatened amphibians.

“Endangered amphibians can survive in small watersheds, and Rainforest Trust has had great success throughout the tropics in protecting these areas through land acquisition. Saving these strongholds, which are sometimes only a few thousand acres in size, clearly overlaps with ASA’s mission and makes us natural partners,” he added.