Plan II in Costa Rica, Summer 2010

This Maymester course, offered by The Plan II Program to students who are interested in understanding he complex issues surrounding the conservation of some of the worldʼs most treasured natural resources, has three components: preparatory lectures during spring semester; field work and group projects in Costa Rica during May-June, and an individual report due t the end of the summer. This course is designed by the Plan II program with a focus on interdisciplinary tudies. The issues of land use in Costa Rica have global implications and are quite complex. This sort of concern is well-suited for study by a diverse group of students from across the campus.

The course is designed to expose students to many of the concerns that must be addressed when establishing public policy regarding conservation and sustainable land use, both locally and at a national scale, in a country renown for its biodiversity and its extensive system of public and private reserves. Students in diverse disciplines (including business, political science, economics, anthropology, sociology, environmental science) will find a direct application of their interests in this course. The course provides hands-on experience as well as immersion into the context of the question. Students will be interacting with the local population and governmental agencies, as well as with visiting international students and researchers. This course would also lay the ground work for subsequent in-depth study abroad and for some of the studentsʼ honors theses. During the course, students will gain a real-world and applied understanding of ecological research, agricultural and ecotourism development, and the complexity of conservation issues in a field setting. The range of topics covered include: sustaining tropical ecosystems and agricultural systems, economics of tourism and land usage for renewable resources and conservation, societal implications of cross-cultural “ownership” of world heritage lands, and commercial applications of natural resources.

 The itinerary will include:

• San Jose, the capital of Costa RIca
• Cerro de la Muerte
• The Mangrove Swamps of Sierpe
• Parque Nacional Corcovado
• Golfito, Osa Peninsula
• Parque Nacional Palo Verde
• The Pacific beaches of Guanacaste
• Parque Nacional Santa Rosa
• P.N. Rincon de la Vieje
• Monteverde Cloudforest Reserve
• Volcan Arenal
• Refugio Cano Negro
• Turrialba
• Tirimbina Rainforest Center

Course Objectives:

The course is designed to expose students to many of the concerns that must be addressed when establishing public policy regarding conservation and sustainable land use, both locally and at a national scale, in a country renown for its biodiversity and its extensive system of public and private reserves. Students in diverse disciplines (including business, political science, economics, anthropology, sociology, environmental science) will find a direct application of their interests in this course. This experience could also lay the ground work for subsequent in-depth study abroad and for honors theses.

During the course, students will gain a real-world understanding of ecological research, agricultural and ecotourism development, and the complexity of conservation issues in a field setting. The range of topics covered include: sustaining tropical ecosystems and agricultural systems, economics of tourism and land usage for renewable resources and conservation, societal implications of cross-cultural “ownership” of world heritage lands, and commercial applications of natural resources.

Prerequisites:

This course is recommended for students who have completed either Bio 301E (Problems in Modern Biology) or Bio 311D (Introductory Biology II). We welcome students with broad academic interests who can collaborate in group work and enjoy walking in forest or fields and willing to tolerate mosquitos, belligerent monkeys, and rain.

A small list of suggested readings:  This will expand throughout the school year.

• T. T. Ankersen, K. E. Regan, S. A. Mack. 2006. Towards a bioregional approach to tropical forest conservation: Costa Rica’s Greater Osa Bioregion. Futures 38 (2006) 406-431.
• Celia A. Harvey, O. Komar, R. Chazdon (and nine others). 2008. Integrating Agricultural Landscapes with Biodiversity Conservation in the Mesoamerican Hotspot. Conservation Biology 22 (1): 8-15.
• Martha Honey. 1999. Ecotourism and Sustainable Development: Who Owns Paradise? Island Press.
• John Kricher. 1999. A Neotropical Companion, 2nd edition. Princeton University Press.
• J. Langhholz, J. P. Lassoie and J. W. Schelhas, 2000. Incentives for biological conservation: Costa Rica’s private wildlife refugee program. Conservation Biology, 14, 1735-1743.
• R. O. Lawton, U. S. Nair, R. A. Pielke, R. M. Welch. 2001. Climatic Impact of Tropical Lowland Deforestation on Nearby Montane Cloud Forests. Science 294: 584-587.
• S. M. Whitfield, K. E. Bell, T. Philippi, M. Sasa, F. Bolaños, G. Chaves, J. M. Savage, and M. A. Donnelly. 2007. Amphibian and reptile declines over 35 years at La Selva, Costa Rica. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 104 (20): 8352-8356.