Conservation and Culture: The Costa Rica Project

  Costa Rica

• North Western Region: 
Guanacaste
• Monteverde: 
Monteverde

Term: Spring 
Dates: March 28 - May 8, 2007

Description: Our program will focus on biodiversity from forest canopies to coral reefs as we conduct field studies in three specific areas: reef environments; avian wildlife and after dark ecology. Please note that prior field research experience is not required. All necessary skills of data acquisition and analysis will be taught on-site in Costa Rica. At each of our study sites, we will be examining and comparing different tropical species and their relationships both to each other and to their surrounding environments.

Reef Check: In near-coastal waters we will learn the techniques and philosophy of reef check. A global reef-monitoring program, reef check is a methodology employed by professionals and students alike to monitor the world's major reef ecosystems. We will first receive training in reef check techniques and then apply this training to generate field observations. The information we collect will be reported back to academic databases. Reef check consists of identifying indicator species unique to the region and documenting the abundance of these species along a given transect. Our field work will follow the tides with morning and afternoon observations. In addition, we will extend our studies to nearby coastal areas where the biodiversity of mangrove ecosystems will be considered.

Avian Wildlife: Cloud forests and Caribbean slopes provide two of the great habitats to glimpse the bounty of the avian wonderland that is Costa Rica, with its 800 species of migrant and resident populations. Our field studies will focus on bird identification and habitat utilization. From warblers to toucans, we will celebrate, record, and identify Costa Rica's singing wilderness, as we examine feeding patterns, habitat preference and species dominance of key bird populations.

Night Ecology: When the howler monkey calls in the darkness and cicadas become the static through which kinkajous descent from the treetops, we will turn our studies and flashlights to the forest pathways. This segment of the program will focus on different topics in after dark ecology. With afternoons serving as a siesta for many rainforest species, nighttime is a second dawn for some of the most impressive animals including the three-towed sloth, kinkajou and puma. In addition to learning about these large animals, our studies will consider the spatial diversity of moths, territory of owls, and the secret world of other wildlife species.

Through a season of field exploration, each of us will gain hands-on field study experience and a new understanding of fascinations Costa Rica environments.

Highlights: The tropical forests of Costa Rica come alive during the spring and our team members will be there to discover both the successes and pitfalls of Costa Rica's ambitious conservation programs. Through extensive field study, seminars and forest travel, participants will gain firsthand knowledge of Costa Rica's diverse tropical ecosystems. Along the way, we will explore the cultural framework that underlies wildlife and wildland conservation efforts.

Costa Rica is a land of extremes. From the white sand beaches of Guanacaste to the verdant cloud forests of Monteverde, contrast is but a rain shadow away. As we will discover, Costa Rica is a wellspring for the ecologically-minded student and traveler. It is home to a wide array of unique ecosystems, including rare patches of tropical dry forest, tropical wet forest, cloud forest, mangrove and coral reef environments.

Our reef studies will take us to the Pacific coast and some of Central America's great coral ecosystems. Here, with snorkel and mask, we will field examine threatened oceanic environments and contribute our findings to scientific researchers. Our tropical forest studies will be centered in the Caribbean Lowlands, a region lauded by naturalists as Costa Rica's most diverse forest setting.

Both our reef examination and tropical forest studies provide examples of the trade-offs between economic expansion and the protection of natural areas. Successful park systems, along with privately owned nature reserves, occur within a matrix of ranching, farming and commercial agriculture. The contrasts between conservation and development will be a focus of our discussions.

Supplementing our field observations will be examinations of pressing environmental issues, in a country where colonization, and political history have strongly influenced its geography. Culturally and practically, Costa Rica is a land of fences. Humans and nature are often separated spatially and intellectually. And while many have looked upon Costa Rica as a model of success in the conservation of its natural resources, the past two decades has seen some of the world's highest deforestation rates. Habitat loss highlights the need for projects such as ours to help identify and understand the effects of development and economic expansion on the region.

By considering the tremendous diversity of Costa Rica's ecosystems together with the history and needs of its people, participants will gain a genuine appreciation for the complexities of tropical conservation. We will leave with practical skills in the observation and monitoring of Central American wild environments and, we will experience the creativity and compromise that are essential to the success of conservation.

Degree Level: Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Cost in US$: $1995 (plus $75 application fee)

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Institute for Cultural Ecology's Mission Statement: The Institute for Cultural Ecology was founded on the conviction that visits to exotic destinations imply a commitment to cultural sensitivity and environmental stewardship. Our programs match the interests, academic goals, and passions of the participant to select host organizations and researchers. Once you connect with a place and its people, they become a part of you. Forever.