This course immerses students in the dynamics of a tropical rain forest and the complexities of conservation. We are hosted by the Monteverde Institute (MVI) www.mvinstitute.org/, located in the Tilaran mountain range of Costa Rica in the cloud forest community of Monteverde. We are surrounded by the rich biodiversity of the region and have easy access to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve, the Santa Elena Reserve and the Bosque Eterno de los Ninos (The Children’s Eternal Rain Forest). Over one-third of Costa Rica’s flora can be found in the Monteverde Zone, and MVI offers excellent opportunities to gain appreciation and knowledge of this environment.

Keying Out In field and classroom work we explore patterns of species diversity, life zones, altitudinal gradients, coevolutionary relationships and mutualisms, and adaptations among tropical plants and epiphyte communities. We compare the forest preserve with nearby fragmented zones and discuss forest dynamics in fragmented and unfragmented landscapes. We benefit from lectures and discussions with scientists conducting research in Monteverde. We examine the conservation efforts in the region, with visits to specific research projects, artisan cooperatives, and ecotourism activities. A visit to INBio is scheduled, the non-governmental organization devoted to cataloguing all biodiversity in Costa Rica.

Exploring Santa Rosa National Park Finally, we explore Santa Rosa National Park in Guanacaste Province, one of Costa Rica’s most important historic areas. This Park protects some of the last remaining tropical dry forest in the world and has more than 155 species of mammals, more than half of which are bats. There are also 253 species of birds, 100 of amphibians and reptiles, and over ten thousand types of insects, including some 3,140 species of butterflies and moths.

lance_bosque Section A: Rachel Thiet

Meeting Times:
Pre-trip: Wednesdays, January 25, February 1 & March 8, 5:00 - 8:00pm

Trip Dates:March 11 - 26
Maximum: 12
Credits: 3

(Limited scholarship money is available to support students attending field study trips. If you are interested in applying for scholarship assistance, please see the ES department for eligibility guideline.)

Group Outing Lance and his binoculars Thumbs Up

Last Updated: 11/10/08