Tropical Ecosystems 543
George Mason University - Costa Rica
Primary Field Sites
Manuel Antonio National Park
Manuel Antonio National Park contains a combination of coastal forests, beaches, mangroves, and coral reefs. The coasts are said to be the most beautiful in the country, lined with lush forest and an impressive environment for snorkeling. The forest is home to sloths, iguanas, squirrel monkeys and various species of crabs - all that thrive in this coastal habitat. The park is easy to reach, south of the town of Quepos.
Palo Verde National Park
Palo Verde National Park has a uniquely dichotomous character. It is simultaneously a spectacular wetlands and one of the best examples of tropical dry forests remaining anywhere in the world. This dual nature is a result of the Río Tempisque flooding over land located in a relatively arid climate region. Here it is easy to see various waterfowl, herons, and hawks. The Tempisque River basin is home to the largest population of crocodiles in Costa Rica.
Monteverde National Park
The experience of walking through the Monteverde cloud forests is hard to forget. It hosts more than 100 species of mammals including 5 species of cats, over 400 species of birds, including 30 kinds of hummingbirds, tens of thousands of insect species (over 5000 species of moths) and 2,500 species of plants (420 kinds of orchids). The area is acclaimed as one of the most outstanding wildlife refuges in the New World Tropics.
Selva Verde Lodge
In the North-Central Lowlands of Costa Rica, Selva Verde’s private reserve protects over 500 acres of primary and secondary rainforest. Less than a 2 hour drive from San José and Arenal Volcano, Selva Verde is an ideal rainforest experience. Situated in the increasingly popular “green county” of Sarapiquí, the scenic drives to this region are in itself awe inspiring. Committed to conservation, Selva Verde carries and supports the Certification for Sustainable Tourism.
La Selva Research Station
At the confluence of two major rivers in the Caribbean lowlands of northern Costa Rica, La Selva comprises 1,600 hectares (3,900 acres) of tropical wet forests and an integration of disturbed lands. This tropical environment provides a home to one of the world's leading authorities on tropical biology - The Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS). OTS scientists come to La Selva from over 60 universities and publish over 240 peer-reviewed scientific papers per year.
Volcan Arenal and Poas
The Arenal Volcano is the only volcano in Costa Rica constantly active since it woke after 400 years with the big 1968 eruption producing huge ash columns, explosions & glowing red lava almost every day. It is considered one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world. photo: http://arenal.net