Estimulando el pensamiento científico en San Luis // Stimulating scientific thinking in San Luis

Durante el mes de diciembre 2017 y enero del 2018, niños y niñas de la comunidad de San Luis acudieron a los talleres de Biodiversidad que se realizaron en el campus de UGA Costa Rica. Sarah Currier actual naturalista residente  fue quien lideró la actividad como parte de su pasantía. Sarah se graduó de Biología de la Universidad de Westfield State de Massachusetts y desarrolló dos diferentes talleres, uno acerca de insectos y el otro acerca de mamíferos.

During the months of December 2017 and January 2018, children from the San Luis de Monteverde community attended Biodiversity Workshops held at UGA Costa Rica. Current resident naturalist, Sarah Currier, led the activity as part of her internship. Sarah received her B.S. in biology at Westfield State University in Massachusetts, and developed two workshops, one about insects and the other about mammals.

Martha Garro (izquierda) y Sarah Currier (derecha) presentándole a los niños y niñas de la comunidad de San Luis el taller de insectos
Martha Garro (left) and Sarah Currier (right) giving the Insect Workshop to boys and girls in the San Luis community

Dentro de los objetivos del primer taller fue importante que los y las participantes pudieran hablar acerca de las partes del cuerpo de los insectos, introducirles los roles e interacciones ecológicas de los mismos en el medio ambiente.

El grupo de los insectos es abundante y diverso, representan el 70% de los animales conocidos en el planeta. Juegan un rol importante en el ecosistema, entre las funciones que realizan se encuentran la polinización, la descomposición de materia orgánica, el reciclaje de nutrientes, como también sirven de alimento para otros organismos.

One of the goals of the first workshop was for students to be able to recognize how insect and human anatomies differ and to be able to define some of the ecological roles that insects play in the environment.

Insects are an abundant and diverse group, representing 70% of the animals on the planet. They play important roles in the ecosystem, performing essential functions such as pollination, decomposition of organic matter and nutrient cycling, as well serving as food for other organisms.

José Montero recolectando la mariposa de la trampa y mostrándola a los niños y niñas //
Jose Montero collecting a butterfly from a trap and showing it to the children 

Se realizaron diferentes actividades como la creación de un diccionario de naturaleza en el que se practicaron conceptos sobre su anatomía o partes del cuerpo, su recolección a través de diferentes técnicas, su visualización mediante un estereomicroscopio, y se finalizó con un experimento con hormigas.

During the workshop, the students were able to create their own field dictionaries, enabling them to put their knowledge of insect anatomy into practice. They also learned different methods of insect collection, practiced using a stereomicroscope, and ended the workshop with an ant experiment.

 

Recolectando insectos con diferentes metodologías, en este caso un aspirador de insectos //
Collecting insects using different methods, in this case using an aspirator

Opsiphanes tamarindi, larva de mariposa diurna capturada durante el taller //
Opsiphanes tamarindi, a butterfly caterpillar captured during the workshop

En el laboratorio de UGACR niños y niñas observando insectos vivos y disecados mediante estereomicroscopios //
In the UGACR laboratory the children observing both live and dried insects using a stereomicroscope

Según Sarah “fue importante aclarar diferentes cosas acerca de los insectos porque se tenían ideas que no eran correctas, además se practicaron los términos en inglés y en español.”

According to Sarah “it was important to clarify concepts regarding insects because the children had some ideas about them that were incorrect. They were also able to practice terminology in English and Spanish.”

Ejemplo de diccionario de insectos creado por una participante, mostrando los dibujos de una hormiga corta hojas y una larva de Opsiphanes tamarindi // A sample insect dictionary created by one of the students, showing a drawing of a leaf-cutter ant and a caterpillar Opsiphanes tamarindi

El segundo taller realizado en enero del presente año estuvo enfocado en mamíferos. Costa Rica cuenta con un clima tropical que provee un hábitat con gran variedad de plantas, insectos y comida para los mamíferos, cuenta con el 6% de los mamíferos del mundo. UGACR ha realizado diferentes proyectos como estudios de cámara trampa, muestreo y observaciones para entender la diversidad y movimiento de los mamíferos de la zona de San Luis.

Dentro de los objetivos principales del taller se destacó que los y las participantes pudieran hablar acerca de las características principales de los mamíferos, su importancia y su rol en el medio ambiente, así como aprender algunos de los nombres comunes de los mamíferos locales.

The second workshop was held in January of this year and focused on mammals. Costa Rica has a tropical climate that provides habitats with a wide diversity of plants, insects, and food for mammals. A total of 6% of the world´s mammals are found here. UGACR has developed various research projects which implement methods such as camera trapping, sampling, and observation to understand the diversity and movement of mammals in San Luis.

Some of the objectives of the workshop were for participants to learn to identify the primary characteristics of mammals, understand their importance and roles in the ecosystem, and learn the common names of some of the local mammals.

Identificando huellas de mamíferos mediante comparación con la literatura disponible // Identifying mammal tracks by comparison with the available literature

Se empezó con una charla de los mamíferos, los roles que juegan en el ecosistema, la importancia de la cadena alimentaria y diferentes métodos para estudiarlos. Una de las actividades fue el identificar huellas, por lo que se les facilitó una guía sobre mamíferos del área de San Luis con el objetivo de ayudar a los niños y niñas a identificar y dibujar las huellas en el campo.

The workshop began with a lecture discussing the roles that mammals play in the ecosystem, their importance in the food web, and the different methods to study them. One of the activities involved learning to identify and draw mammal tracks in the field and the students were given a field guide to the mammals of San Luis for this purpose.

Aprendiendo como instalar correctamente una cámara trampa para estudiar mamíferos del sotobosque // Learning to correctly install camera traps to study mammals of the understory

Durante la práctica de cámaras trampa, Sarah Currier explicando cómo configurar los parámetros de la cámara, como fecha, hora, tipo y tiempo de grabación // During the camera trapping activity, Sarah Currier explaining how to configure the camera parameters, such as the date, time, and type and length of recording

 

Martha Garro Cruz líder naturalista y facilitadora de programas académicos expresa lo importante que es para ella trabajar con su comunidad, comenta que la mayoría del material facilitado y las actividades realizadas tuvieron el objetivo de dar herramientas para que los niños y niñas “cuando se encuentren en algún espacio, inmersos en el bosque tengan herramientas y puedan identificar un animal, o una huella, que puedan hacerlo solitos, interactuar independientemente”.

Martha Garro Cruz, head naturalist and academic programs facilitator, expressed how important it is for her to work with her community. The objective of the majority of the activities was to give students the tools so that “when they find themselves immersed in the forest they are able to identify an animal or a track on their own, interacting independently.”

Algunas huellas de mamíferos encontradas en el sendero durante la práctica en el bosque de UGACR // Some mammal tracks found on the trail during the walk in forest at UGACR

Identificación e interpretación de datos obtenidos de las cámaras trampa //
Identifying and interpreting the data obtained from the camera traps

Escrito por Mariela Vásquez González pasante de fotoperiodismo/ photojournalism intern

Revisión científica por José Joaquín Montero Ramírez

 

Una alternativa importante para restablecer la salud de los ecosistemas / An important alternative to restore the health of ecosystems

En enero del año 2008 la Universidad de Georgia, Campus Costa Rica (UGACR) comenzó con el Programa de Compensación de Carbono. Este surgió como una iniciativa para compensar las emisiones de CO₂ que se liberan a la atmósfera generadas por el transporte de estudiantes de programas académicos de la Universidad de Georgia. Por cada participante del programa se deben plantar cuatro árboles para secuestrar el carbono liberado en dichos viajes.

In January 2008, the University of Georgia, Costa Rica Campus (UGACR) began the Carbon Offset Program. This emerged as an initiative to compensate the CO₂ emissions released into the atmosphere generated by the transportation of students from academic programs at the University of Georgia. For each participant of the program, four trees must be planted to sequester the carbon released in those trips. 

 

Plántulas de Manilkara chicle
Seedlings of Manilkara chicle 

UGACR es una de las instituciones fundadoras del Corredor Biológico Pájaro Campana (CBPC), éste se ubica en la vertiente del Pacífico de Costa Rica, abarcando desde la Cordillera de Tilarán hasta la costa. Los corredores biológicos proveen conectividad entre ecosistemas, buscando proteger la biodiversidad. Una característica de los corredores biológicos es que no excluyen la presencia de poblaciones humanas. Las prácticas agrícolas intensivas y el desarrollo de infraestructura no planificado son ejemplos de degradación del medio ambiente, por lo que la reforestación es una alternativa importante para restablecer la salud de los ecosistemas dentro de un corredor.

UGACR is one of the founding institutions of the Bellbird Biological Corridor (BBC), which is located on the Pacific slope of Costa Rica, from the Tilarán mountain range to the coast. Biological corridors provide connectivity between ecosystems, seeking to protect biodiversity. A characteristic of biological corridors is that they do not exclude the presence of human populations. Intensive agricultural practices and the development of unplanned infrastructure are examples of environmental degradation, so reforestation is an important alternative to restore the health of ecosystems within a corridor.

 

En orden de aparición de izquierda a derecha: Martha Garro, Riley Fortier y Lucas Ramírez buscando frutos en los árboles durante la recolecta de semillas mensual.
In order of appearance from left to right: Martha Garro, Riley Fortier, and Lucas Ramírez looking for fruits in trees during the monthly seed collection.

El programa de reforestación de UGACR ha donado más de 40 000 árboles de 130 especies que han sido plantados en más de 150 fincas, distribuidas en el CBPC. El objetivo del proyecto es reforestar con árboles nativos, además se busca restaurar los bosques perdidos de la vertiente del Pacífico, aumentar la conectividad entre parches de bosque, enriquecer y mejorar los márgenes de ríos y quebradas, establecer cercas vivas, disminuir erosión, conservar la biodiversidad, y desde luego, secuestrar las emisiones de carbono que se liberan a la atmósfera por la operación del programa UGACR.

The UGACR reforestation program has donated more than 40,000 trees of 130 species that have been planted in more than 150 farms, distributed throughout the BBC. The objective of the project is to reforest with native trees, seeking to restore the lost forests of the Pacific slope, increase connectivity between forest patches, enrich and improve the margins of rivers and streams, establish living fences, reduce erosion, conserve biodiversity, and of course, to sequester the carbon emissions that are released into the atmosphere by the operation of the UGACR program.

 

En orden de aparición de izquierda a derecha: Lonchocarpus minimiflorus, Hymenaea courbaril, Hura crepitans, Cedrela salvadorensis, Swietenia humilis, Manilkara chicle.
In order of appearance from left to right: Lonchocarpus minimiflorus, Hymenaea courbaril, Hura crepitans, Cedrela salvadorensis, Swietenia humilis, Manilkara chicle.

La persona que ha estado encargada de la parte operativa desde el principio del proyecto de reforestación es Lucas Ramírez. Él se incorporó al personal de UGACR en el año 2003. Antes formaba parte del Departamento de Reserva Forestal y Protección, y ahora pasó a ser parte del Departamento de Investigación, Enseñanza y Pasantías; sus principales funciones conllevan el mantenimiento y atención del jardín botánico y medicinal, el programa de reforestación y la atención de grupos académicos.

The person who has been in charge of the operative tasks since the beginning of the reforestation project is Lucas Ramirez. He joined the UGACR staff in 2003 as part of the Forest Reserve and Protection Department, and has now become part of the Research, Teaching, and Internship Department; Its main functions involve the maintenance and care of the botanical and medicinal garden, the reforestation program, and serving academic groups.

 

Lucas durante el tratamiento de semillas: separando la semilla del fruto Swietenia humilis
Lucas during the seed treatment: separating the seed from the fruit of Swietenia humilis

 

Fruto y semilla de Hymenaea courbaril// Fruit and seed of Hymenaea courbaril

Fruto y semilla de Swietenia humilis //Fruit and seed of Swietenia humilis

Semilla Lonchocarpus minimiflorus (Fabaceae) // Seed of Lonchocarpus minimiflorus (Fabaceae)

 

Su trabajo con relación al proyecto de reforestación consiste primero en la ubicación de diversas especies de plantas, tanto de especies que habitan en zonas altas como bajas, adaptables a lugares rocosos, quebrados o a lo largo de los ríos. Posteriormente se recolectan los frutos, para así llevar a cabo el tratamiento de las semillas, para esto se separan del fruto, se lavan y se secan. El siguiente paso consiste en germinar las mismas, dentro de camas de germinación (las cuales contienen tierra, arena, hojas, ramas), luego las plántulas son trasplantadas a una bolsa de almácigo para poder ser donadas y transportadas a las personas, fincas y organizaciones amigas del programa de reforestación. Lucas es quien ha mantenido un contacto con las y los interesados en adquirir árboles, además de proporcionar información acerca de las diferentes especies y cuidados.

His work with the reforestation project consists of locating a variety of plant species, including those that inhabit high and low elevation areas, are adapted to rocky places, or occur along rivers. The fruits are collected and treated by separating the seeds from fruits and then washing and drying them. The next step is to germinate the seeds in germination beds (which contain soil, sand, leaves, branches), and then transplant them to soil bags which are donated and transported to people, farms, and other organizations. Lucas maintains contact with people interested in acquiring trees, in addition to providing them with information about the care of different species.

 

Lucas trasplantando plántulas de Manilkara chicle “Zapote lechoso” en bolsas de almácigo // Lucas transplanting seedlings of Manilkara chicle “Zapote lechoso” into soil bags.

 

Actualmente se producen de cuatro a cinco mil árboles en el vivero forestal para ser donados. Algunas de las especies que tienen mayor demanda son: Montanoa guatemalensis (Asteraceae) “Tubú”, Croton niveus (Euphorbiaceae) “Corpachí” y Diphysa americana (Fabaceae) “Guachipelín”. Las diferentes especies de la zona tienen diversos usos y beneficios, como por ejemplo ser maderables, atraer biodiversidad, tener frutos comestibles, para cercas vivas y rompe vientos, para embellecimiento escénico, contener la erosión, restaurar márgenes de ríos y quebradas, entre otros. Por temporada se manejan entre 15 y 19 diferentes especies de árboles en el vivero forestal de UGACR, algunos ejemplos son:

Currently four to five thousand trees are being produced in the forest nursery to be donated. Some of the species that have greater demand are: Montanoa guatemalensis (Asteraceae) “Tubú”, Croton niveus (Euphorbiaceae) “Corpachí” and Diphysa americana (Fabaceae) “Guachipelín”. The species found in the area have a variety of uses and benefits: some are used for timber, to attract biodiversity, for edible fruits, to serve as living fences and wind breaks, for scenic aesthetic, to contain erosion, and to restore margins of rivers and streams, among others. During each season, between 15 and 19 different tree species are managed in the UGACR forest nursery, some examples are:

 

• Cedrela salvadorensis (Meliaceae) “Cedro”

Arbolito de Cedrela salvadorensis en bolsa de almácigo.//
Sapling of Cedrela salvadorensis in a soil bag.

 

Arbolito de Cedrela salvadorensis en bolsa de almácigo. // Sapling of Cedrela salvadorensis in a soil bag.

Usos y beneficios: Especie en peligro de extinción, maderable, su hábitat es de bosque denso, sin embargo, pueden encontrarse como árboles solos en potreros o cercas, crece en tierras bajas.

Uses and benefits: Endangered species, timber, their habitat is dense forest, however, they can be found as single trees in pastures or fences, grows in low elevation sites.

 

• Hymenaea courbaril (Fabaceae) “Guapinol”

 

Arbolito de Hymenaea courbaril  en bolsa de almácigo.
 Sapling of Hymenaea courbaril  in a soil bag.

 

Arbolito de Hymenaea courbaril  en bolsa de almácigo. //
 Sapling of Hymenaea courbaril  in a soil bag.

 

Atrae biodiversidad, crece en tierras bajas y medias, su madera se utiliza para artesanía y construcción, la parte carnosa del fruto es comestible y su resina se utiliza como barniz. Las semillas se utilizan en la elaboración de bisutería en general. Se preparan bebidas con el almidón del fruto.

Uses and benefits: Attracts biodiversity, grows in low and middle elevation sites, its wood is used in handicrafts and construction, the fleshy part of the fruit is edible and its resin is used as a varnish. The seeds are used in the manufacture of jewelry in general. Drinks are prepared with the starch of the fruit.

 

• Hura crepitans  (Euphorbiaceae) “Jabillo”

 

Arbolito de Hura crepitans en bolsa de almácigo.
Sapling of Hura crepitans in a soil bag.

Arbolito de Hura crepitans en bolsa de almácigo.
Sapling of Hura crepitans in a soil bag.

Usos y beneficios: Para restaurar márgenes de ríos y quebradas, atraer biodiversidad, contener la erosión, su madera es utilizada en construcciones y ebanistería y los frutos para elaborar artesanías. La savia es tóxica. Crece en tierras bajas y medias de ambas vertientes.

Uses and benefits: To restore river banks and streams, attracts biodiversity, contains the erosion, its wood is used in cabinetmaking and construction, and the fruits to produce handicrafts. The sap is toxic. It grows in low and middle elevation sites.

Para más información información llamar al / For more information at (506) 2645-7363 extensión/extension: 109

O al correo electrónico/ or to the email : ugacrheadnaturalist@gmail.com

 

Escrito por Mariela Vásquez González pasante de fotoperiodismo/ photojournalism intern

Revisión científica por José Joaquín Montero Ramírez

 

Desempolvando la historia de San Luis Unearthing the History of San Luis

 

El sábado 5 de agosto la Asociación de Desarrollo de  San Luis de Monteverde convocó a su comunidad para presentar el folleto San Luis y su historia.

El folleto fue posible gracias al trabajo de la comunidad en conjunto con estudiantes de la Universidad de Costa Rica liderado por Yossette Sojo.

 

 

 On Saturday, August 5, the San Luis Development Association summoned its community to present the San Luis y su historia  brochure. The booklet was made possible thanks to the work of the community in conjunction with students from the University of Costa Rica led by Yossette Sojo.

 

 

El proceso empezó el año pasado y culminó con la presentación del folleto en el centro comunitario de San Luis, lugar donde según Sojo se realizaron la mayor parte de los talleres. Utilizando herramientas como creación de árboles genealógicos, líneas de historia, recolección de fotografías e información se esclareció la historia de este pueblo.

The process began last year and culminated with the presentation of the brochure in the San Luis community center, the place where most of the workshops took place. Collecting photos and information and using tools such as genealogical tree creation and timelines clarified the story of this town.

 

 

San Luis fue fundado en 1918 y la primera familia que la habitó estuvo constituida por don Ramón Leitón Montero y Doña Florencia Méndez Bolaños. El estipular la fecha de origen de este pueblo fue uno de los pilares esenciales del proyecto de investigación. La recolección y selección de imágenes fotográficas fue de importancia para recorrer la historia, desempolvando el quién, el por qué y el cómo, que en algún momento sucedió. El folleto es un recorrido cronológico con la descripción de acontecimientos importantes. Empezando por establecer la primera llegada hasta eventos de mayor importancia de la comunidad.

San Luis was founded in 1918 and the first family that inhabited it was Mr. Ramón Leitón Montero and Mrs. Florencia Méndez Bolaños. Stipulating the date of origin of this town was one of the essential pillars of the research project. The collection and selection of photographic images was essential to explain the history, unearthing the who, the why and the how that occurred. The brochure is a chronological timeline of significant events, beginning by establishing the first arrival into San Luis followed by events of greater importance of the community.

 

La Asociación de Desarrollo Integral de San Luis constituida en 1974, lidera el avance de la comunidad en sus diversas facetas, desde educación hasta infraestructura comunal. Esta entidad ha llevado a cabo distintos proyectos como la construcción del centro comunitario, puentes, una plaza de fútbol y un proyecto de turismo rural comunitario. La Asociación de Desarrollo Integral ha venido recuperando la historia y cultura de la comunidad.

    The San Luis Development Association, established in 1974, leads the advancement of diverse aspects of the community, from education to community infrastructure. The association to executed various projects including the construction of the community center, bridges, a soccer field, and a rural tourism project. The Development Association has been recovering the history and culture of the community.

 

Parte importante de la actividad fue el brindar un especial reconocimiento a las personas mayores que han forjado la historia y que han visto crecer a este pueblo. A mano izquierda don Carlos Badilla, que fue un vecino y agricultor por muchos años y que al final de su permanencia en San Luis tuvo una lechería en la finca en donde hoy día se encuentra UGA Costa Rica y a la derecha don José Vargas, que fue el segundo maestro del pueblo en la primera escuela que existió en la comunidad ubicada al costado norte del cementerio.

An important part of the activity was to give special recognition to the elderly people who have forged history and who have seen the growth of San Luis. On the left is Mr. Carlos Badilla, who was a farmer in San Luis for many years and who, during his last years living in San Luis, owned a dairy farm where UGA Costa Rica is today. On the right is Mr. Jose Vargas, who was the second teacher in the first school that was established in the community, located north of the cemetery.

Para más información acerca de la comunidad  / For more information about the community:   http://sanluis.or.cr/es/inicio/

Mariela Vásquez G. pasante de fotoperiodismo/ photojournalism intern

 

UGA Costa Rica Carbon Offset

A video that follows our carbon offset program created by resident naturalist and independent researcher Ernest Minnema and photojournalism intern Charles Austin Boll.

Fit4Earth: From Grey Water to Garden

Fit4Earth continued their impactful service in our community by creating the third biogarden (biojardinera) in San Luis de Monteverde. An extra-muddy pat on the back was greatly deserved for their diligent work through unpredictable weather conditions.

This year’s group included 69 students from Colegio Humboldt, a German international school located in Pavas, San Jose. Excited to facilitate more fellowship with education in Costa Rica, this project filled a special spot. The service work was organized at the community center playground, where the group cleared an area and flattened out all of the land, preparing it to be a grass area for kids to play around the swings.

The second installment of the recent project was to build a biogarden in the front yard of the Puesto de Salud (Health Post). The biogarden (biojardinera) is an environmental tool that has become implemented particularly in Central America with growing popularity in Costa Rica.

So, what exactly is a biogarden?

A biogarden is a way for localized groups, as big as a school or as small as a single household, to treat their grey water. Grey water is any waste water from a household that is not from the toilet. The residual water from the showers, sinks and laundry is funneled to a garden instead of being disposed straight into the side yard or a close stream.

There may be up to a few preliminary tanks that are planted in the ground in front of the garden. The tanks have two PVC pipes running through them that allow grease and soap residue to become trapped, being retained and collecting inside the tank. This is a way to filter the water before it runs through the garden.

Large rocks are placed on the bottom of the biogarden on top of a plastic floor, then the rectangular pit is filled the rest of the way with gravel. The plants need to be placed at least fifteen centimeters underneath the surface to be able to collect the water. The plants that are used for a biogarden are species that are usually found in riverbanks and have long roots, like Coix lacryma-jobi, or Tears of San Pedro as they’re called in Costa Rica. There is no soil in the garden – just different sizes of rocks.

Much of the residual toxins and bacteria are trapped between the rocks before the water travels through the plant system. The water is slowed as it runs through the rocks and is then absorbed by the plants, as they demand more water and nutrients to continue growing. The remaining waste will be absorbed and processed by the plant tissues. Check out this video for an articulate account of how Costa Ricans put it together.

Our biogardens are located at the Escuela Alto San Luis, Finca El Nino (campus farm) and now the Puesto de Salud San Luis, pictured in order here. All three projects were contributed by the Fit4Earth program. The end product, seen top-right at our campus farm, is incredibly inconspicuous. The Tears of San Pedro will grow tall to cover most of the rocks and plastic, blending in with surrounding grass.

The new garden was proudly planted in the front yard of the community health center. Bringing this technology into fruition stimulates questions as to why sustainable practices are important on a family level. Imagine if every family used a biogarden to treat water before entering the watershed, the community’s water source could be left unpolluted.

Teaching this traditional and simple method to children from the city gives them a practical solution. Biogardens use simple and available resources, and only require minimal yard space. Becoming accountable for personal waste water will grow into a part of the ecological culture of Costa Rica, and the growing popularity will open discourse on minimizing anthropogenic harm in the watershed.

Large-scale projects have been introduced to the region, such as this project conducted in Sardinal. As the biojardinera gains steam and recognition, it will offer a practical solution to offset personal footprint caused by drainage water. This uplifting group of kids has already opened community discussion about the rare structure in the front yard of the health post. Keep your eyes out for the expansion of this idea and Fit4Earth workshops to come!

Photos and words contributed by Photojournalism Intern Charles Austin Boll with graphics by Nelly López

Fresh Paint!

Augusta University had a full week of activities like zip-lining, coffee tours, home stays, and night hikes. In all the adventure they still made plenty of time to connect with the local community during their immersive experience here at UGACR.

They started on a Monday morning to paint the interior of the Alto San Luis primary school. With 29 students, the task was feasible within a few hours.

The team started out by mixing the paint and put a full layer down, dividing the students, school faculty and volunteers up between the rollers and the brushes. The group was surprised by fresh plates of various fruits being served by the teachers, keeping everyone glowing with healthy energy. It was feeling like “mucho brete,” or tough work, but with a light-hearted ethic that maintained patience, playfulness, and the spirit of giving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Students at the Escuela Altos de San Luis took advantage of the time their teachers were occupied. Primary and university students enjoyed an extended recess by playing soccer and riding bikes. The opportunity sparked interest in several of the kids to pitch in, freshening up their desks in the front lawn.

The inside of the classrooms and the desks were finished with orange after the first day. The design followed along the previous pattern of blue, with the bottom one-third several shades darker, leaving the top sections lighter. Teachers noticed that the orange allowed much more natural light to flow through the previously darker classroom.

Community pillar Geovanny Leitón continued his frequent volunteer service by organizing the supply of the paint and to allocate jobs to the students. Geovanny wins the superlative of class clown. He is the one to meticulously organize the event, but also the first to take a detouring moment, pretending to dump paint on a professor and poke at a smile.

Augusta University students had an amazing time crossing language barriers and laughing as some of the students practiced their basic Spanish skills, coming to familiarize themselves with how much more they still have to learn.

When the team returned to the school the following Wednesday to finish their service, they were pleasantly surprised with a performance the students were preparing for Dia de Juan Santamaría. A robust and talented band rang the room with percussion instruments, performing with a skill level that is usually is not achieved by this age group. It was one more way that the alto students demonstrated that they are an outstandingly connected group, always ready to give back.

A Promise of 13 Years Fulfilled

The Watts family returned last week to rediscover the sensation of campus, fulfilling a promise to an enchanted 10-year-old son that they would certainly return.

Marilyn and Doug Watts made their first visit to UGACR in 2004, when our campus was very young. Being from Anchorage, Alaska, they are no strangers to adventure. They fell in love discovering the natural environment off the beaten path and traveling further down a rugged road than many tourists see.

2004 was the first year that our current general manager Fabricio Camacho accepted his position. The Watts were able to see thirteen years of transformation as a result of the perseverance of people like Fabricio and the team of local staff members, several of which have been around since 2004. The main changes the Watts saw in the university were the addition and repositioning of many buildings. Doug, now 24, says the feeling has remained intact.

What makes our campus a must-return destination for all ages? It’s the way that the one-of-a-kind community and ecosystem keeps you on your toes – It’s the possibility of visiting campus for a week and catching sight of a species that naturalists have been waiting months to see. Around every corner is a chance to renew this childhood sentiment of discovery.

The entire community has developed exponentially since the opening in 2001, when the main mode of transportation was horseback. Farmers in the San Luis valley would hitch a ride with the milk truck into town; Now motorcycles line up in the employee parking lot. To learn more about how we came to be, check out our full length documentary here

Sendero Pacífico: Connecting Our Communties

The presentation of new improvements on the Sendero Pacífico called for a packed house at the community center on Saturday, March 4. The celebratory event was held in conjunction with the opening of a new cafe next to the community center.

The network of trails that starts at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve connects all the way down to Punta Morales and the Gulf of Nicoya, now with a completed inlet by the San Luis community center.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Workers from the Bruce Trail Conservancy in Canada stayed in UGACR housing as a base for their work on the Pacific Slope Trail. This sisterhood relationship between trail networks means that they will visit again in the future.

This trail connects several distinct ecological zones, showcasing the huge amount of biodiversity that can be seen in such a small area within Costa Rica.

“One of the things that makes it special is not just that it is within this wonderful natural environment of the Bellbird Biological Corridor, but also that it provides access to different communities along the way,” says Nathaniel Scrimshaw, Sendero Pacífico Coordinator.

Monteverde, San Luis, Veracruz and San Antonio, Guacimal, and the mangroves of Costa de Pájaros can all be accessed through this winding hike to the coast.

Public access roads and permissions given by private farms were integral to creating a trail network that will not charge entry fees. The participation of Banco Nacional were critical in the opening of the cafe and the signs to connect the trails.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Both of the events that debuted were funded by the Association de Desarollo Integral (ADI). Banco National helped to fund the community leadership in order to facilitate these two grand openings, promoting more rural tourism in San Luis.

Since this trail network has been left in the hands of the community and is not government controlled, the people of the communities are going to be responsible for the quality of the trail looking forward.

 

 

 

 

 

This is a critical model of communities supporting each other to preserve biodiversity in one of the most endangered areas of Costa Rica. Deforestation has created islands of forest that are parted by pasturelands. The areas preserved by the trail network are going to serve not only as a trial for humans, but as a trail for migrating wildlife and other species who need larger areas to roam.

The focal points of recreation, education, investigation, and community are converging goals of the Sendero Pacífico. These improvements will help travelers and locals to connect more with our outstanding natural environment. To see how you can volunteer with the trail or get more connected, visit the San Luis Community page!

Blog post contributed by Photojournalism Intern Charles Austin Boll

Feliz Cumpleaños, Denver!

Denver poses for a portrait after having her face painted at el Día de San Luis.

Today Denver Gordon, one of our resident naturalists, turns 24 years old! Here at UGA Costa Rica, our staff operates like a family (and not only because many of our local employees really are related). We love to celebrate birthdays together with cake, singing and sometimes a broken egg on the head!

For her birthday, we asked Denver a few questions. We hope you enjoy getting to know her as much as we do!

Denver holds her intricately-made farole, or paper lantern, before the Independence Day celebrations began. Photo by Rachel Eubanks.

Hometown: Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

Favorite color: Orange

Favorite animal: Sea turtle

Favorite part of living in Costa Rica: Seeing the sunsets

Best memory of working at UGA Costa Rica: Spotting an olingo (a furry, bushy-tailed arboreal animal) with fellow naturalists Molly and Ernest while climbing a tree at night.

Best aspect of being a naturalist: I like to be outside and teach people and the ecosystem [here in the cloud forest] has a lot going on. I like continuously learning about it while showing other people.

Blog post and photos by photojournalism intern Rachel Eubanks.

Costa Rican Independence Day

On Thursday communities all over Central America celebrated 195 years of independence from Spain. After Spain’s defeat in the Mexican War of Independence, news of the region’s freedom spread by a running of the torch, beginning on September 9th in Guatemala and continuing by foot through Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and eventually Cartago, Costa Rica, the capital of the country in 1821.

Costa Rican “independence was not gained as a result of warfare,” Julio Jurado Fernández from the Tico Times explains. “There was no war of independence. Costa Ricans became owners of their own destiny by simply ratifying Guatemala’s declaration” of freedom.

As a result, Independence Day in Costa Rica focuses less on military victory, especially since Costa Rica holds no standing army, and more on the value of education and a celebration of Costa Rican culture with comida tipica, traditional dress, music and dancing.

Young girls in traditional dresses march through the streets of Santa Elena.

Here in Monteverde, we celebrate el Día de la Independencia the traditional Tico way, with a lantern march the night before the holiday and a town parade on the 15th of September. Take a look at the photos below to celebrate Costa Rica’s independence with us.

      

       

Blog post and all images by photojournalism intern Rachel Eubanks.