Highlighted Areas of Study:

  • In-depth immersion into Costa Rican culture
  • Wildlife Migration Corridors
  • Sustainable agriculture
  • Interaction with the indigenious Cabecar people
  • Global warming effects on rainforests
  • Preservation of rainforests and natural resources
  • Eco-tourism based economies
  • Tagging, patrolling and release of endangered Pacific Sea Turtles through the World Wildlife Fund at Junquillal Beach


Goal of the program: 
The goal of the program is to assist key research and preservation efforts through both the
physical work of participants and through monetary funds donated as part of the tuition
and lodging. These tours are designed to expose students to ecological issues while immersed in a range of experiences where nature and modern society intersect, and to make them aware of
the complexities created and the choices that must be made.

Leatherback Turtle Project

Leatherback Turtle in Costa Rica

Six of the seven marine turtles are listed as endangered or critically endangered, and in
the Pacific the Leatherbacks may be headed
for extinction.  Until recently Junquillal has been overrun and the eggs taken by locals to sell for income or as a delicacy.  The WWF efforts have been focused on educating the local population on the advantages of protecting the turtles and developing an eco-tourism based economy.
The result has been the establishment of an environmental program involving local schools
and a Community Livelihood improvement plan
in Junquillal.  The WWF and the community have petitioned the government for a “Preserve” status, but this has not yet been granted.

Costa Rica's Amazing Biodiversity

Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse countries in
the world.  The variety of ecosystems and unique
natural features of this country has transformed the Costa Rican economy, inspired and influenced its development and impacted its cultural roots. For many years the country has led the way in ecological based tourism and environmental preservation while continuing to struggle with third world development issues. The small nation of Costa Rica compactly captures a complex interplay of 21st century human and ecological forces
that are impacting our planet.  These factors help thrust Costa Rica to the forefront of new issues including global warming, sustainability, species preservation and wildlife migration corridors. 

 

Ocoee Adventure Travel

 

Eco-Learning Tour

This course offers opportunities to assist with authentic research, participate in conservation efforts and interact with a unique culture.

This experiential program brings students to Costa Rica to expose them to a series of conservation, cultural, ecotourism, and ecological experiences. While acting as both observers and participants, the students will gain greater insights into the issues, struggles and opportunities of the country.

Sample Itinerary - Changes can be made to the following itinerary based on the focus of the group

Basilica de Los Angeles in Costa RicaDay 1
Arrival at San Jose's International Airport. Our trip guides will meet you outside the baggage claim area where you board our comfortable tour bus for the trip to the small city of Turrialba.  In route, we will stop at the most famous cathedral in Costa Rica, the Basilica de Los Angeles. 
The major religion is Catholic and the Basilica is the site of a famous miracle and a good introduction to the cultural base of the country.

learning at CATIE research centerDay 2
In the morning we visit CATIE (Centro Agronomo Tropical de Investigation), one of the world’s leading tropical agricultural research stations.  The focus at CATIE is on sustainable agriculture and research with over 300 varieties of tropical plants.  CATIE is one of the primary facilities working to develop a Central American tropical wildlife migratory corridor.  Part of the process is to establish forests in regions where the land has been denuded to link into a continuous corridor for wildlife migration.  After learning of the importance of wildlife migration and the work of CATIE, we join Costa Rican students in their work planting trees for the new corridor forest.  If time allows we will visit the Guayabo National Park and see the ruins of an ancient indigenous settlement.

amazing scenery on the Rio PacuareDay 3
Costa Rica is known for its rivers and the Pacuare River is considered one of the top ten most beautiful rivers in the world.  Waterfalls tumble into the river as we course through a deep rainforest.  It is a great place to view the forest canopy from the river with its exuberant flora and fauna and a opportunity to see toucans, sloths and other forest wildlife.  After lunch this day we will hike off the river to our overnight lodging with the indigenous people, the Cabecar.  We will learn of village life in the rainforest and how encroaching civilization and global warming are affecting these native people of the forest.

Day 4
We rise in the morning, say goodbye to the Cabecar, and hike back to our rafts to continue the remainder of our Pacuare River rafting trip.  At the end of the river trip we travel to La Selva and the lowland Sarapiqui rainforest.

naturalist led boat trip on the Rio SarapaquiDay 5
Today we visit La Selva biological research station.  The station is run by OTS (Organization for Tropical Studies), which is an international education consortium of 63 universities and museums developed to foster understanding of the rainforest and natural resources in the tropics.  Here we will have a naturalist guided hike into the La Selva preserve to learn of the efforts to maintain the rainforest.  In the afternoon we will board flat bottom boats for a fun trip on the Lower Sarapiqui River. The Sarapiqui runs through a classic rainforest with lowland marshes, and along the way we will see iguanas, toucans, caimans and many tree frog species.

Day 6
It is volcano day! Our trip moves to the area of the Arenal Volcano, which is the most active volcano in the Western Hemisphere. Hopefully we will get to view the small eruptions as the volcano spews lava boulders that tumble down the mountainside. In the afternoon we can choose to take a hike into the lava fields on the dormant side of the volcano or, for the adventurous, the treetop canopy tour where you can play Tarzan and fly through the canopy on 150 foot high zip lines.  Late in the afternoon we will visit wonderful hot springs for a relaxing soak.

Day 7 - 9
Our group travels to the Nicoya Peninsula and the Pacific Coast, and on the way we will experience the transition from the rainforest to the dry forest of the northwestern Guanacaste Province.  For three days we will play, learn and experience one of nature’s most incredible wonders, the giant Leatherback Turtles. Junquillal Beach is a nesting place for the Leatherbacks and a WWF (World Wildlife Fund) critical preservation area. 

In our project the group will be involved assisting the WWF with the nesting and hatching of sea turtles.  As opposed to the Green Sea Turtles, Leatherbacks do not come on shore in mass, but mostly one at a time from October until March. The beaches are maintained year around and must be patrolled for a full six months rather than for a few weeks as with the Green Turtles. During the day the group will have various opportunities to help, including patrolling and cleaning the beaches, and at night we will seek nesting mother turtles. When a turtle is found it must be tagged and measured and the eggs gently collected for safe transfer to a hatchery. If the timing is right, the group will have the opportunity to participate in the release of hundreds of tiny hatchlings into the sea! While at the beach we will also take time to learn to surf or snorkel.  

Day 10
Today we return to San Jose for the trip home.