Cuban Environmentalist Wins CFVI’s 2023 Judith A. Towle Environmental Studies Fund Award

The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) has proudly selected Ailén Anido Escalona, a Cuban conservationist, as the 2023 beneficiary of the Judith A. Towle Environmental Studies Fund Award.

The award, initiated in 2003 at CFVI, aims to bolster studies and initiatives that confront crucial environmental challenges within the insular Caribbean. Ailén Anido Escalona, hailing from Gibara, Cuba, and currently affiliated with the Museum of Natural History in Gibara, Holguín, Cuba, brings an impressive two decades of expertise in bird conservation to the table.

Escalona emerged as the top choice among eight compelling proposals from across the Caribbean, including entries from St. Kitts, St. John, St. Croix, and St. Thomas. Her winning project, which secures her a $5,000 grant, is dedicated to crafting and executing solutions to curb the illicit trapping and trade of wild birds in Cuba—a pressing ecological issue that has widespread ramifications in the Caribbean.

CFVI commends Escalona’s proposal for its direct adherence to the Towle Fund’s objectives, particularly in addressing a critical cross-boundary environmental concern. The fund’s namesake, Judith Towle, along with other reviewers, praised the proposal for its thorough and holistic approach.

The project, under Escalona’s guidance, proposes to engage local communities and governmental bodies, underscoring the importance of education and training at multiple levels. It also underscores the urgency of policy reforms in this field.

This year’s distinction is noteworthy as it represents the first Towle grant allocated to a Cuban initiative, marking the 15th such grant dispensed by the Towle Fund at CFVI. The project will focus on Gibara, a crucial migratory passageway and one of the three primary sites in Cuba for bird capture and trafficking.

Ailén Anido Escalona, who possesses a Master of Science degree in Environmental Management, is lauded for her strong academic and professional background and the well-structured design of her project.