Summer 2026 International Environmental Issues & Globalization

 

Diving into course themes while getting oriented to Costa Rica through exploratory 

visits around San Ramón (above) and discussions with University of

Costa Rica students at a local park (below) 

 

 

 

 Learning the history of a sustainable ecotourism business at one of our field sites in the 

La Fortuna (above), where we also participated in Deep Ecology activities (below)

 

  

Various tropical rain forest visits (above) and a water 

quality field activity in a private reserve (below) 

   

 

Field visits included a local water collection facility involved in conservation and 

environmental education (above) and a hydroelectric power plant (below)

 

 

 

 

 Volunteer work during the course: 

Planting and butterfly garden 

maintenance (above), mural 

artwork design (right), and 

planting 220 native trees for 

watershed restoration and 

to offset our carbon 

footprint (below)

 

  

Learning about the ecological importance of mangroves and discussing possible 

climate change impacts and solutions in Puntarenas (above and below)

 

Highlights of some of the flora and fauna we encountered during the course (above and below).  
Note: All pictures taken by us!

 

Spring 2026: Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty Education Abroad Field Seminar

 The Dean and faculty from five academic departments at a private 
ecotourism reserve in the Northern Zone of Costa Rica where 
they sampled a typical student field experience. 

 

 

 

 

 Visiting the University for Peace and University of Costa Rica to meet with colleagues 

and explore possible future field 

site opportunities.

Faculty meetings to identify multidisciplinary principles associated

with study abroad and with long-time local partners.

  

 Trying a rare tropical fruit (Chirimoya) from a tree that past students planted four 
years ago during their volunteer service-learning work at our partner's farm.

 

A view of the 'city of presidents and poets' (San Ramón) from a park 

that serves as a field site for student learning and reflection. 

 

Summer 2025: International Environmental Issues & Globalization

Testing river water quality in a private ecotourism reserve (above & below). 

An introduction
to the tropical
rainforest at the local university
demonstration
forest (above
& right).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Learning about Costa Rican culture
and history at different local museums
in the town of San Ramón
(above, right & below).

   

 

 

An organic farm in Grecia where we planted herbs, made aloe vera gel & visited a small-scale sustainable coffee processing facility (right).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discussing sustainability in Costa Rica and beyond in a park overlooking the city (left).    

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 A sample of the wildlife we saw during
the course that represents the high biological
diversity of the region (right & below).
Note: All pictures taken by us!

 

  

Volunteer service-learning work included reforestation at different locations (above)
and working in a butterfly garden (below).

  

The hydroelectric power plant we visited in Costa Rica's Northern Zone (above)
and field presentations at two private reserves in the area (below).

 

 

 Learning about mangrove ecology (right) and potential climate change impacts in the beach town of Puntarenas (below).

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!