costa rica - ecologyproject.orgcosta rica osa • program overview location the osa peninsula is...

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COSTA RICA OSA PENINSULA E C O L O G Y

COSTA RICA OSA • PROGRAM OVERVIEW

www.ecologyproject.org

LOCATIONThe Osa Peninsula is located in the southwestern corner of Costa Rica, bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west, and the Golfo Dulce to the east. The peninsula covers an area of 700 square miles, roughly half the size of Rhode Island, but it contains 2.5% of the planet’s biodiversity. National Geographic called it “the most biologically intense place on earth.”

While conducting field work in the Osa, EPI students will visit two field sites. The first site is located in a forest reserve at the neck of the peninsula. The second research facility is located on the protected waters of Golfo Dulce, a major feeding area for Pacific sea turtles.

ACADEMIC CONTENTDuring EPI’s Costa Rica Osa Peninsula Ecology course, students complete 30 hours of coursework and 15 hours of field research in the following subjects:

• Sea turtle nesting and biology • Ecology of mangrove ecosystems • Field research investigation• Rainforest ecology • Biodiversity studies• Reforestation • Costa Rican culture

Osa Peninsula


COSTA RICA OSA • RESEARCH

SEA TURTLE MONITORING RESEARCHResearch Partner: LAST (Latin American Sea Turtles)

EPI students will work with LAST, a conservation biology nonprofit organization that has been studying turtles in the Golfo Dulce region since 2010. The in-water research project involves monitoring the feeding habitat used by sea turtles in different life stages and collecting data on population structure, genetic origin, health status and habitat use. This information will help LAST assess the types of threats that sea turtles are exposed to in the Golfo Dulce. The work focuses on hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and Eastern Pacific green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtles.

Data collection techniques:

Students will help LAST biologists deploy a 200m net to trap the turtles by boat. Students will wait on the nearest shore for the turtles to get entangled. When a turtle is caught by the net, the LAST staff will bring it to shore. Students will collect data on body measurements, weight, tag information (external and PIT Tags), and parasite load. In some cases, students will also take tissue and blood samples. Once all data is collected, students will help release the turtles back into the bay. If a turtle is found to have a high parasite load, it will be transported to a nearby rescue center to be treated. Finally, students will help untangle the net to ready it for the next day’s work.

Highlights:

• EPI students will support LAST’s research on sea turtle species that are found in the Golfo Dulce: hawksbill and Eastern Pacific green.

• Students will collect data on length, width, tag number, weight, parasite load and health status.• This study is the first of its kind in the region to focus on how turtles are using the Gulfo Dulce and to learn more

about their overall health.

Expected student contribution: 1 day (approximately 8 hours)

More information available here: www.latinamericanseaturtles.com

FIELD RESEARCH PROJECTSWe invest deeply in the communities where we work. Our in-country field offices, located at each of our program sites, allow us to form partnerships with researchers, national parks, and local communities. For us, local connections are central to our mission of strengthening conservation efforts around the world. For you, it means a deeper, richer course experience.

Every EPI program provides hands-on field experience. While each of our sites has a unique focus and theme, they share a common DNA: meaningful field science and thoughtful engagement in local issues.


COSTA RICA • ADDITIONAL RESEARCH

MANGROVE RESTORATION PROGRAMResearch Partner: LAST (Latin American Sea Turtles)

Mangroves play an essential ecological role for coastal ecosystems and, therefore, for sea turtles as well. Among their many benefits, mangroves provide shoreline protection, habitat for flora and fauna, nutrient filtration, and carbon sequestration. In the long term, LAST’s mangrove project will improve the health status of mangroves and water quality in the area.

Techniques:

EPI students will collect mangrove seeds and mud for planting, sow seeds to be grown in the nursery, and/or plant seedlings or propagules. They will also collect information on growth and survival rate.

Highlights:

• EPI students will collect seeds and mud, plant seeds or propagules, and document their progress.• This study helps LAST improve the mangrove ecosystem of the Golfo Dulce.• Students will learn about the importance of mangroves.

Expected student contribution: Half day (approximately 5 hours)

More information available here: www.latinamericanseaturtles.com

www.ecologyproject.orgwww.ecologyproject.org

COSTA RICA • LODGING

While on course, EPI students will stay in rustic, but comfortable accommodations. Rooms are separated by gender, and students typically stay 3 to 4 to a room.


EPI CAMPUSThe Center for Education in Conservation and Science (CECC) is the Costa Rica program’s office and hosting facility. Located near the airport in San Rafael, Heredia, it’s surrounded by the mountains of the Central Valley and is an ideal starting point for your course.

Room type Students per room Running water Hot water Electricity

dormitory 4-8

HACIENDA BARUHacienda Baru’s 330 hectares rest along the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. You’ll have the opportunity to explore the lodge’s walking trails, butterfly garden, and pristine beach.


cabin 2-4

FUNDACION NEOTROPICAFundacion Neotropica addresses environmental issues in Costa Rica through research, sustainable development, education and training. At their Osa field station, students will enjoy day hikes and learn more about Fundacion Neotropica’s research projects.


cabin or dorm 4

PIRO RESEARCH STATIONOsa Conservation works to operate in harmony with the environment around it by using renewable energy sources and natural building technique at its research station in the Osa Peninsula.


cabin 4

HOTEL LOS DELFINOSThe Osa region is one of the top 25 biodiversity hotspots of the world. Here, your work will focus on hawksbill and Eastern Pacific green sea turtles, through in-water studies and a rescue/rehabilitation center.


cabin 4-8

COSTA RICA • RISK MANAGEMENT


Risk management and student safety always come first on an EPI course. EPI operates all programs to minimize the risk of injury or illness. Our goal is to provide a physically and emotionally safe environment on course. Risk management is addressed at every level in our organization from participant preparation, instructor selection and training, program design, and administration.

PROGRAM DESIGN• Program activities are selected with careful consideration of risk. • EPI hires professional outfitters to guide us during certain higher-risk

activities. We contract outfitters with excellent safety records.• Third party vendors (transportation, lodging, food services, etc.) are

reviewed to ensure quality of service and appropriate attention to safety.

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT• Medical protocols, first aid kits, and emergency action plans are

developed in consultation with a U.S. based physician, a wilderness medical advisor, and our local partners. These processes are evaluated and revised every year.

• We have an established Emergency Response System which is reviewed and updated annually.

• Instructors carry a communication device in the field, and each program location operates a 24-hour contact phone while participants are in the field.

• An additional 24-hour contact phone is operated by our U.S. headquarters staff throughout our operating season.

• EPI has a Child Protection Policy that is built from internally recognized standards based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

INSTRUCTORS• At a minimum, all instructors are trained and certified in Wilderness first

aid and CPR.• All courses have at least one instructor with a higher level of training,

either Wilderness Advanced First Aid or Wilderness First Responder.• Instructors are trained in risk management on-site, with program-

specific training prior to each season.• Each instructor’s performance is reviewed after each course and at the

end of each season.• All staff and adults in a leadership role with groups must pass a

background check.

PARTICIPANTS• All participants are required to provide a detailed medical form signed

by a licensed medical professional which is then reviewed by EPI’s medical review team.

• Participants are provided with a risk management briefing before activities.

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KNOWLEDGE

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the environment and the circumstances and conditions affecting it, particularly in relation to biodiversity and ecosystems

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of society’s impact on the natural world (e.g., population growth, population development, resource consumption rate, etc.)

DISPOSITIONS Demonstrate the interest, sensitivity, responsibility, and intention to act for the sustainable use of natural resources

COMPETENCIES Demonstrate the skills and abilities to investigate and analyze environmental issues and make accurate conclusions about effective solutions

BEHAVIOR Take individual and collective action towards addressing environmental challenges (e.g., participating in global actions, designing solutions that inspire action on environmental issues, etc.)

INCREASING ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACYIn order for our participants to become stewards of conservation, they need to understand and value nature, have the necessary and relevant skills to take appropriate actions, and have the right dispositions to guide their behavior. In other words, they need to be environmentally literate.

While there are many definitions of environmental literacy, EPI draws upon the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) original concept and the North American Association of Environmental Education (NAAEE) revision to define an environmentally literate person as someone who demonstrates

the knowledge, dispositions, competencies, and behavior to actively engage, individually or as a group, in addressing environmental

challenges. The EPI curriculum is built around addressing these four components to increase environmental literacy in youth:

EPI’S FOUNDATIONTo build our educational framework, we researched best practices, lessons learned, and the latest developments in environmental and science education. Our framework integrates and builds upon components from:

• UNESCO Belgrade Declaration on Environmental Education (1978) • Framework for Assessing Environmental Literacy from the North American Association of Environmental Education (2011) • Framework for K-12 Science Education from the National Resource Council (2012) • Framework for 21st Century Learning from the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (2012) • North American Conservation Strategy from the Association of Fish and Wildlife Services (2011)

WHAT MAKES EPI UNIQUE:While there are many initiatives that contribute to gains in knowledge and shifts in dispositions towards conservation, there are very few that contribute significantly to these attributes in addition to the development, application, and transfer of competencies. This approach is exactly what sets EPI apart. Our curriculum places a strong emphasis on competencies related to scientific inquiry as a process to increase critical thinking and creativity in our participants.

COSTA RICA • ACADEMICS

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