Summer 2024: International Environmental Issues & Globalization

 

A visit to the Children's Eternal Rain Forest
in the Tilaran Moutain Range where we enjoyed
the view (top), hiked (right) and learned about
the unique history as well as flora and
fauna of the reserve (below).

In and around the town of San Ramón:
A visit to an ecotourism reserve with a
gorgeous waterfall (above) and learning
about Costa Rican natural and cultural
history at different locations in town (left).

 

Holistic experiential learning activities included
scientific study (e.g., tree-core sampling) and
personal reflection (right), in addition to web
of life modeling, ethnographic research
and a mangrove reforestation field
visit in the Gulf of Nicoya (below).

 

  

 

Learning about tropical beetle diversity from a (passionate) expert at
the Biology Laboratory at the University of Costa Rica.

 

Field visits that provided real-world examples of our discussions about sustainable energy systems included a solar photovoltaic ecotourism business (top left), a historic hydro-mechanical workshop (top right) and a modern hydroelectric plant involved in watershed management reforestation (below).

 

Experiencing the rain forest canopy first-hand (above), the view of Arenal Volcano from the reserve and the town of La Fortuna (right)
and the rustic ecolodge where we stayed,
learned and were immersed in Nature
day and night (below). 

  

Service-learning took place at two
different sites during the course
and included reforestation and
other miscellaneous work at
our ecolodge in Northern
Costa Rica.

 

Wildlife we were especially lucky to see included a sampling of
amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles!

Second Summer Session 2023: Systems Change for Health & Sustainabiity

The group visited a number of farms near Seattle, Washington during the first part
of the course prior to arriving in Costa Rica.  This provided an excellent
opportunity to compare and contrast farming practices.   

 

 

Once in Costa Rica the group visited local organic farms and planted
little known native fruit trees (Chirimoya) and other pollinator
(e.g., hummingbird & butterfly) favorites.

 

We also learned about Costa Rican culture and its natural & political history,
as well as assisted in an grade school environmental education
project about the importance of bees for ecosystem services.  

 

Visits to local farmer's markets where we learned
about (and ate) various tropical fruits! 😋

  

Exploring our personal values (above), and our connection with Nature

through various Deep Ecology exercises and activities (below).

 A visit to the beautiful University of Costa Rica campus in San Ramón
where we made time for personal reflection. 

 

Some of the flora and fauna we encountered during the course.

 

Summer 2023 Int'l Environmental Issues & Globalization (by Robyn Stallman)

 

Summer 2023: International Environmental Issues & Globalization

 

Hands-on experience tree coring in a tropical forest reserve (above) after
learning about different types of
forests and techniques in
the classroom (right).

 

 Visiting a fossil and minerals exhibit (above) and learning
about Costa Rican history at a local museum (below)

Learning in the field: Ecotourism in practice (left) and personal reflection & ethnographic research (below)

Volunteer service at La Fortuna Butterfly Garden (above)
and planting herbs on the grounds (below) 

 Visiting an organic herbal health care products cottage industry run by a woman's cooperative in Grecia 

Watershed reforestation in the Western Central Valley town of Palmares

 

 

 Hiking in the Children's Eternal Rainforest 

 

 

Also see Robyn's course video here. 

 

Summer 2022: International Environmental Issues & Globalization

 

Outdoor learning & volunteer work in La Fortuna:

Learning the history of the ecolodge we stayed at from the founder (left top),

a Deep Ecology field activity (left bottom),

and making wild bee traps to establish colonies for honey production (below).

 

 

 

The course included field visits to a premontane forest, cloud forest, and lowland rain forest (left & below).

Some of the wildlife we encountered along the way...

 

 

Learning about indicators of water quality in rivers and streams (right) before applying that knowledge in a stream (with a gorgeous waterfall) near San Ramon (below).

 

A reforestation activity with a community water administrator in Palmares
(left & below).

  

Learning about marine ecology of the Pacific Coast: Commercial fish and shrimp production research, and social-cultural impacts on marine ecosystems.