Monteverde Biological Station

What’s unique about the Monteverde Biological Station is that it lies at the convergence of two biological life zones – that of premontane wet forest and lower montane wet forest —and is surrounded by mostly primary forest. Because of this environment, we were able to catch the greatest number of different small mammal species so far: Oryzomys albigularis, Heteromys desmarestianus and nubicolens, Peromyscus nudipes, and Didelphus masupialis. On the transect located along edge forest, where a grass field met the trees, we had the most trapping success—on our first day, we had a 70% capture rate on that transect. On the other two transects within the dense primary forest, we had a good success rate but not near as high. We also had a more even ratio of males to females caught, as opposed to other areas where we’ve caught significantly more females than males; this could imply greater promiscuity amongst the species in this area, rather than polygamy (which we have observed in other areas).

While walking on the trails and setting traps, we could discern several features attributable to the areas’ dual life zones. Characteristic of the lower montane wet forest and premontane wet forest, the slopes over which we walked were constantly slick with mud, a sign of great amounts of precipitation in the form of rain and mist. This made hiking difficult, and landslides were a common sight throughout most of the transects as the unstable soil would give in to the weight of epiphyte-ridden trees. On one trail, we came across a massive landslide that had cleared a significant portion of the forest, and which residents at the station sworn to have heard occurring during a particularly rainy night.

Another factor typical of these life zones was the additional sighting of a small mammal caught on transect’s two camera trap (a Dasyprocta punctate, or Central American Agouti) along with other small mammals previously mentioned, mostly along the stream. Curiously enough, bird sightings were the only factor that decreased in number, something uncharacteristic of either ecotone; however, this might have been due to the weather associated with our hikes (cold and rainy/misty) which results in lower bird activity.

While the amount of physical activity at the station was minimal in comparison with our previous stops, the sense of adventure was as high as ever. Since the trails were mostly carved out by us (especially along the stream on transects two or three), we felt like true adventurers on the hunt for some rare specimen. The energy was high amongst everyone in the group, and we had fun watching each other undergo the occasional mud-covered fall, although these occurred more often than many of us would’ve liked. It was a truly enriching experience, and it set the bar for adventurous hikes at our next stop: San Gerardo.

Pura Vida!

Response to "Working Paradise"

Is it really a paradise?

Friday's presentation done by Maddie and Berni was titled "Working Paradise" and it talked about the misconception of Costa Rica being this perfect and unending resource of exotic rainforest. Some of the main points: the government's failed attempt to better the ecosystems, the use of a pesticide containing copper sulfate ultimately destroyed many of the lands, and the misleading reforestation data.

During the question and answer phase we went more in depth onto the presentation's main points. We discussed how a popular presentation map is based on deceiving government data, so called green washed. This data takes into account not just different types of forests but also counts coffee and some palm plantations which artificially inflates the percentages of forests. The more accurate percentages of rainforest in Costa Rica is 27% of the country's landmass, not 47% like the map makes you think. Another discussion centered on the recent decisions by the government to pave the roads into Monteverde and several of the national parks. This construction is a double edged sword as it increases tourism accessibility and boosts the economy but it invades the biological corridor crucial to animal and plant survival.

A spark of interest ignited when the topic of the government's participation in sustainable development was questioned. With Maddie and Bernardo's presentation and the help of our Tico friends we found out that the government is not as nice and helpful as they want people to believe looping back to the idea of green washing the country, the government wants to appear on the international level as a conservationist powerhouse. Costa Rica is the leader in legislating conservation and reforestation efforts but it remains an issue that the government wants to appear more advanced in these efforts than they currently are. Especially in comparison to the current American administration Costa Rica is leaps and bounds ahead in preserving the vast biodiversity of their country.

Monteverde Picture Link

Pictures from our time in Monteverde can be found here

Response to 'The Costa Rican Dream'

The economic boom after WWII and the Costa Rican civil war allowed for the expansion of Costa Rica's middle class. The economic boom created more capital for social service, justice, and infrastructure investments that improved middle class life. Pesticides and technological advancements allowed for agricultural expansion from small farms to larger plantations. This generated more wealth and consequently more spending money for Costa Ricans. Small pulperías, which were like local corner stores that served rural communities, were replaced by supermarkets. Due to investments from foreign countries, infrastructural improvements were made across the country. Small groups of families tied to transnational companies held great influence and power over production. Costa Rican students took issue with this foreign involvement, exemplified by their protests against ALCOA (Aluminum Company of the Americas). Students were concerned about the amount of power being handed to foreign countries, and their protests ended successfully with the cancelation of the Aluminum company's contract to build a plant in CR. The postwar boom came to an end in the 1980's with an economic crisis caused by Costa Rica importing more than they were exporting. There was a crash in both industrial and agricultural production, causing CR to fall into debt and effectively ending the "Costa Rican Dream." After the presentation we discussed the differences of student activism around the world and how it reflects on our government. For example, protests in Costa Rica seems to be much more influential than those in the U.S., were te government is much larger and hard to have influence over. We talked about how foreign companies saw Costa Rican government as easy to manipulate as the government is less likely to regulate large, rich corporations. The government actually wanted them to invest their money on the country to bring income, as they didn't really care about natural resources or the environment at this time.

Jean Carlo: nuestro nuevo amigo

I am going to introduce all of you to one of our Tico friends that will be accompanying us during all our travels and adventures in Costa Rica.  His name is Jean Carlo Rodriguez Perez and he is a 30 year old Biology student from the Universidad Latina.  He was born in Liberia, but grew up living near Monteverde in a town called Las Nubes.  He is an only child who was raised by his mother and grandparents.  He attended several different schools when he was younger before receiving a high school diploma from a technic school in San Rafael at 17.  Soon after he received certification as a naturalist guide.  Working as a guide has become one of his many passions.  He has worked at several different jobs including at hotels, different tours, and even in a call center.  In 2012 he moved to San Jose and decided to go back to school and he has been working on his degree in Biology ever since.  He doesn’t see himself working as a biologist, but hopes to use his knowledge and passion for birdwatching to have his own company for birdwatching tours.  He would love to eventually be in a place where he can work as a guide during the high season and spend the low season travelling, which is another one of his greatest passions.  He also enjoys riding his dirt bike and riding horses in parades in local towns to support his community.  We are so excited that Jean Carlo has joined us and we hope he enjoys our company as much as we enjoy his!

This is a link to his Trip Advisor page if you are interested in his tours!

https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g951347-d12204313-Reviews-Jean_Carlo_Tours-Monteverde_Province_of_Puntarenas.html

Todo Sobre Paola

Paola is a 23 year old student at the University of Costa Rica, where she studies ecological tourism. She has four younger siblings and has spent the last 9 years of her life in Monteverde, where she has cultivated a deep love and respect of nature. Her interest in biology began when she was very young when her school began a program in which students would find plants in the forest and cultivate them for culinary use at their school. In high school, she recalled a particularly impactful experience when her class took a field trip to Playa Grande, where leatherback sea turtles come to lay their eggs. The sight of these turtles left a lasting impression on her and contributed to her growing love of biology. Her goal in studying ecological tourism is to aid farmers and small tourist enterprises in developing sustainable business plans that retain a focus on farming and planting while still allowing for extra income from ecotourism. Paola’s favorite food is “seafood without mercury and other heavy metals.” We are so excited to have Paola as a part of our team and can't wait to keep getting to know her better.

Bienvenidos Paola and Pura Vida!!!

Response to the Democratic Enigma

A long time ago in a land far far away, there was a small country called Costa Rica. It had been settled by the evil Spanish Conquistadors in 1565. Although the evil Spanish came searching for gold and the treasures of the New World, they found themselves in a land without labor and without the promised bounty that they sought. Therefore, in 1823, the Central Americans gained their independence peacefully and formed the Central American Republic.

During Costa Rica’s early independence came a period of civil unrest and political struggle between the liberals and conservatives. In the midst of the political instability came the rise of the oppressive Tinoco brothers, known for their ruthlessness and cruelty. After years of military rule, however, Federico Tinoco stepped down from his throne following the assassination of his brother and mass protests by women and teachers alike. Soon after came an Amendment to the Constitution that ensured the popular election of public officials, leading Costa Rica down the road to democracy, which gained strength after the introduction of a social security system and labor code by the Communist Party and the Costa Rican Workers’ Confederation in the 1930’s.

However, not everything would be smooth sailing for Costa Rica. In 1948, Costa Rica endured a revolution after a scandalous and fraudulent election. In a nation divided, two sides appeared; the Figueristas and the Calderonistas. Eventually, Figueres won the war and dissolved the Costa Rican army, giving full voting rights to women and blacks and creating a system to ensure fair elections for everyone! YAY. This set the political standard that would follow in the years to come.

Since these times, Costa Rica’s democracy has grown and strengthened into the great nation it is today. Although it still has room for improvement, as do all nations, its system of democracy is well on its way to becoming a emblem of stability in Latin America.

Pura Vida!