shufordr@palmbeachstate.edu

Through travel we can experience some of the greatest educational opportunities; Costa Rica is one of those opportunities that should not be missed. This paradise abounds in natural diversity and beauty. Experiencing these relatively untouched areas and understanding their value toward global sustainability is an educational treasure. This course involves taking Palm Beach State College students to Costa Rica to examine native biological structure and to compare biodiversity among pristine and disturbed habitats. Students may also participate in efforts to provide hydrologic and environmental baseline data about the ecosystem or evaluate habitat quality in several locations of country. These spatial comparisons can be used to support future studies and would be shared by managers in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica has twelve distinct ecological zones, more than in all of North America. Costa Rica is home to 5% of all known animals on this planet. It is home to over 9,000 species of vegetation. There are volcanoes, some active, some not (112 craters). No other country in the world has devoted so much of its territory to environmental protection. Costa Rica is a tropical paradise with hundreds of beautiful waterfalls and crystal clear rivers and streams. Wildlife abounds with the diverse bird life and numerous mammals.

Understand how tropical ecosystems function in terms of nutrient cycling, energy flow, habitat connectivity, and the influence of climate and hydrology on ecosystem structure. Identify anthropogenic and natural impacts of ecological features that sustain the rainforest. Provide data benefits for Costa Rica managers of El Zota Biological Field Station. Examine biodiversity of coastal, montane, and upland ecosystems within Costa Rica.

Students will experience an 8 day and 7 night educational tour of Costa Rica s flora, fauna, and natural habitats. Tours include visits to Tortuguero, Braulio Carrillo National Parks, and extensive surveys of the primary and secondary forests of the El Zota Biological Station. Tortuguero National Park Braulio Carrillo National Park

Two night accommodations at Vista al Mar Night Turtle Hike Canal Tours Meals Lodging: Students and faculty are housed in separate cabins with twin beds, running water, and air conditioning. Meals are provided in a communal dining area and include a varied sample of local cuisine.

Host to more than 100,000 visitors each year, Tortuguero National Park is the fourth most visited national park in Costa Rica. Created in 1975, it teems with wildlife, both aquatic and land-based, including many species of waterfowl and three species of monkey. It is also a key nesting site for the endangered green sea turtle and, to a lesser degree, the leatherback, loggerhead, and hawksbill turtles. This park has eleven different habitats, including rainforest, swamps, beaches, and lagoons. It is located in a tropical climate, is very humid, and receives up to 250 inches (6,300 mm) of rain a year. There are three aquatic trails: the Harold (most popular), Mora, and Chiquero. Activities in Tortuguero include: comparing diversity along established monitoring transects between Primary and Secondary Forest Communities. A 1920 meters long hiking trail called the Gavilan Trail is availabletoexperiencethisuniqueecosystem.

Named after Costa Rica s third Chief of State, Braulio Carrillo, who proposed the construction of the Guapiles highway, the park is one of the country s least explored and most beautiful. Misty hillsides are home to shy quetzals and boisterous howler monkeys; Caribbean lowlands hide colorful parrots amid lush vegetation. In these two extremes, Barva Volcano (2906 meters above sea level) sits proud and mighty, Cacho Negro Volcano watches over the valley, and the Dirty River (Rio Sucio) meets with the clear Hondura River. The Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo (as it is officially known) protects many of the streams that flow through the Central Valley, as they originate from here. With rugged high mountains, lush primeval forests, two extinct volcanoes, beautiful waterfalls, meandering rivers, and a stunning cloud forest, this park is a nature lover s delight.

El Zota is a rain forest biological field station located in the northeast part of Costa Rica, in Tapezco; La Rita district, Pococi, Limon province. It is positioned exactly between Guapiles and Tortuguero National Park, near the Barra Del Colorado. The station includes over 2470 acres of lowland forest that is diverse in native flora and fauna; it is one of the largest of its kind in Costa Rica. Habitats include lowland rainforests, lowland swamp forests, pasture lands, and reforested areas. A small river and several freshwater lagoons are found within the boundaries. These hydrologic features provide unique habitats which host species that otherwise might not be present. Students will assess the biology and land use within this region. Although agricultural activities have been curtailed, evidence of encroachment on these lands remain, providing a model of anthropogenic impact on the biology, hydrology, and water quality of the rainforest ecosystem.

Four night accommodations and meals at El Zota Round trip vehicle transfers to/from El Zota Cooks to prepare meals at El Zota Field Keys and Identification Sheets Lodging: Students and faculty are housed in separate cabins with bunk beds and running water. Flush toilets are available and electricity is provided by a generator for at least 6 hrs per evening. Meals are provided in a communal dining area and include a varied sample of local cuisine.

Prior to departing for Costa Rica students will be given assignments relative to rainforest and estuarine biogeography, structure, and function. Field observations are an important component of the Costa Rica experience. Students will visit a variety of ecosystems and document observed differences. Students will use bioassessment tools to quantitatively demonstrate anthropogenic impacts on the landscape of primary and secondary rainforests.

Participants must be a student or employee of Palm Beach State College. A passport and insurance are required for this course. Additional paperwork and other documents are required by Palm Beach State College. Students MUST complete ALL assignments and attend all classroom sessions prior to travel and upon return from travel. Deposits will be due prior to the start of the semester. All students must follow the Student Code of Conduct found in the Student Handbook, Student Responsibilities, Section 5. under: www.palmbeachstate.edu/catalog/studenthandbook The college reserves the right to repatriate (at the student s expense) any student per the Assumption of Risk Agreement. This includes conduct as it relates to: Prohibition for the possession of alcohol, narcotics and illegal drugs. Possession, sale, use, transfer, purchase or delivery of drugs (including drugs not prescribed for the user) or alcoholic beverages. Possession of drug paraphernalia. Public intoxication on campus or at a College-related site or activity (includes International travel).

Food: Snacks and bottled water are easily accessible in all the larger towns. However, purified water is not sold in the villages, and snack variety is limited. Cold, bottled soft drinks are sold in most villages. Don t drink beverages with ice. Don t handle animals (monkeys, snakes, dogs, and cats). Always carry your money and passport on your person when traveling. Although we have never had any incidences of thievery at El Zota, your instructor can keep your passport and money under lock and key when you arrive at the station, if you so desire. Make a photocopy of the photo page of your passport and keep this in a separate place from your actual passport. This can aid in getting a new passport should you lose yours. Leave your driver's license, school ID, and unnecessary credit cards at home. If it is difficult to replace, if you don't need it, if you can't afford to lose it, leave it at home. The only necessary documentation needed in Costa Rica is your passport. If you take medication for any reason, be sure you have an adequate supply. Bring plenty of plastic bags (i.e., Ziplocs, etc.). The air is humid at the station and you may wish to protect some items from the moisture. Many electronic devices do not work well in the humidity (including many laptop computers, electronic cameras, video cameras, etc.). Be particularly careful with cameras and binoculars. Bring plenty of insect repellant with deet, but remember, deet dissolves plastic and 100 percent deet isnot recommended for direct contact with skin.

For More Information contact Professor Robert Shuford Shufordr@palmbeachstate.edu 561 886-3992 ext 23017 or visit us at: www.palmbeachstate.edu/programs/environmentalscience