Dear colleagues and friends! These days, science is looking for a new challenge, although never stops. In this regard I refer to an event called The #SciFund Challenge: 49 scientific projects with the intention to seek funding for science through crowdfunding. This is the first time they occur simultaneously 49 projects of researchers of various nationalities, on the same crowdfunding platform, at the same time. The excitement and expectation around this challenge is high these days.
One such project is a long-term study of the arthropod fauna in the canopy of a Mediterranean forest in Barcelona (Catalonia), my project Biodiversidad Insecta Collserola. And I make this canopy research since 2009 in a Collserola Natural Park. Larger than 8500 hectares, Collserola is the largest metropolitan park in the world, 22 times larger than Central Park in New York and 8 times larger than the Bois de Boulogne in Paris. Despite the exploitation of its resources for centuries, the park's fauna is much richer than one would expect in a metropolitan natural area, thanks in large part to the great diversity of ecosystems. Around 300 species of vertebrates have been cited in the park, with a variety of mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles. Nonetheless, Collserola is a natural system under great threat. The park is surrounded by urban sprawl and it is completely cut off from other natural areas in the vicinity. In addition to the small towns within the park, in the last century have been built many facilities that impact in different ways in Collserola. With three years of continuous monitoring, our project is now at a key moment. In Spain there are very few research grants. This situation is compounded by the increasing cuts in science funding this year, a global problem. That is why the use of crowdfunding appears as an alternative for small project like mine, which can be performed with small contributions from society, colleagues and family. It will be an honor and a great pleasure to count with your support and invite you to join this project, unique in the Iberian Peninsula. And as is customary in the crowdfunding, I have prepared for you all a very exciting rewards! This challenge has launched in the crowdfunding platform called RocketHub. In this link you will see a three-minute video that seeks to bring, in a pleasant way, this study to the general public with an explanatory text: http://rockethub.com/projects/3788-can-we-save-collserola-natural-park I deeply appreciate your attention. Your help in this regard could make a big difference. Best regards! Jorge L. Mederos López http://canopycollserola.wordpress.com
