On January 17, CSF course graduate José Serra and CSF's Alfonso Malky presented an economic study of the proposed Inambari dam, designed to generate hydropower primarily for Brazilian consumers. The study, sponsored by the Wildlife Conservation Society's Peru office, examines the feasibility of the project, which would harness energy from an Amazon tributary in the country's southeastern jungle. Serra led the investigation, looking into the overall economic return, environmental costs, profits for the dam builder and impacts on various sectors of Peruvian society. Results showed that the project's feasibility depends on charging a relatively high electricity price and delivering benefits, in the form of flow control, to downstream dams in Brazil.

Carlos Soria was among the first 22 conservationists to receive his economics education from CSF, back at our first course in 1999. The Peruvian lawyer was named this month as the new General Secretary of Peru's entire collection of national protected areas. Carlos has distinguished himself over the years at the Instituto del Bien Común (IBC), in the national ombudsman's office (Defensoría del Pueblo) and other key positions. As head of SERNANP (the Spanish acronym for the park service) he will oversee 73 nationally protected areas covering around 15% of the country's territory. They span a wide diversity of habitats, from Amazon jungles to high Andes reserves and marine parks.