As of April 2009 a total of 14 students (5 junior high school, 4 senior high and 5 at the university) continue in the scholarship program and a final performance evaluation will take place in June 2009. Predator reduction activities continued but were suspended due to a severe earthquake in early January 2009 when communities were focused more on repairing houses. However, the activities resumed again in April. There has been no forest clearing and garden opening in the areas set aside under the Seacology agreement. Unfortunately in both mid-December and mid-January, the Bird’s Head was affected by extremely high tides combined with storms, with waves washing up to 5m above normal high tide mark. The high waves scattered turtle eggs all over the beach, the waves caused shore erosion and kept turtles from nesting. The field team estimates that 85% of nests at Warmon and Jamursba Medi were lost due to the high waves. The high waves had also damaged the trial anti-predator enclosures, which aim to protect turtle eggs from predation by feral dogs, wild boar, and monitor lizards. In general, unusual big waves continued until mid-March and made access to the beach by speed boat difficult.

As of November 2008, final exams showed increased academic performance for scholarship students. One recipient received a teaching certificate and plans to start teaching at a village school. A total of 15 students continue in the scholarship program, ranging from middle school age to students at the university level. Within the protected area reduction in predatory animals continues.

In August 2007, the village agreed to add an additional 2,031 acres of protected area to the original 440 acres. The larger protected area includes 25 kilometers of turtle nesting beach going 300 meters back into fringing forest. The scholarship committee reported that all students participating in the first year program tested well or exceptional on their annual exams.

As of April 2007, the local government subsidized a portion of the tuition. The village decided to use the extra funds to pay for the students to take an additional course in Math and English before final exams in June 2007. Since installing demarcation signs in the protected areas, each village elder, landowner and leader has signed a statement, ensuring their commitment to protect the nesting beach and forest reserve.

After three months of community-wide consultations and discussions, the first set of scholarships was distributed in July 2006. Thirteen families with students in junior and senior high school and graduate/technical school received scholarships to pay for tuition, books, uniforms and transportation. The recipients’ families provided statements pledging their commitment to protecting the turtle nesting beach and forest habitats. The villages installed demarcation signs in the protected areas in mid 2006 and are now in the process of developing methods to control predators such as wild boars on the beach, and applying for official endorsement of the village protection ordinances.

Community consultations regarding the villages’ agreement of the protected areas, their determination of the distribution of the scholarships, and meetings with schools to set up the scholarship process were to take place April through July 2006. The first of three years of scholarships are scheduled to be distributed in July 2006 to start the 2006-2007 school year.