APPLY TODAY!
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OTS offers courses for undergraduate students, graduate
students, professionals and the general public in English, Spanish and
Portuguese. In addition to traditional courses in tropical biology, OTS
also offers courses and training in conservation biology, environmental
policy, and in natural history.
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UPCOMING BIOCURSOS
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Inquiry in Rainforests: an in-service program for teachers
July 8-21, 2009 
This 14-day program provides teachers with both detailed information about
tropical natural history as well as the pedagogy of teaching students to do
research under field conditions. Held at the world famous La Selva Biological Station
in a lowland tropical rainforest and Ecolodge San Luis near the Monteverde
Cloud Forest, the course includes discussions of tropical ecosystems and their
conservation, research projects focused on ecological concepts and organisms,
and the development of teaching plans and evaluation techniques appropriate for
use in the teachers' home institutions. The program is open to all secondary
and college teachers, with preference given to those early in their careers. CE
or graduate credit is available. - Explore tropical ecosystems
- Examine and quantify
ecological concepts
- Discuss and evaluate
conservation in tropical countries
- Learn field research
techniques
- Carry out a research project
- Learn how to teach research
- Develop a teaching plan based
on inquiry and the processes of science
- Develop evaluation tools and
plans
- Become a member of a team of
qualified educators
- Develop programs to train
colleagues
Cost: $2450 Full scholarships are available for qualified
applicants. Tuition includes room & board, local transportation, and field
station use fees; excludes international air fare. Application Deadline: April 10 for priority consideration,
followed by rolling admission. Download Course Flyer  Course Description Schedule Application Form  |
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La Selva launches Fern Blog
Why a Fern Blog from La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica?
I live in the middle of a magnificent rainforest in Costa Rica,
surrounded by an amazing diversity of plants and animals. Although I am
a biologist, most of my work these days is administrative.
A
couple of years ago, two fern biologist friends (Robbin Moran and Eddie
Watkins) got me started on a fern collection to help keep me connected
to the forest. This back-yard hobby now encompasses more than 30 genera
of native La Selva ferns. I have also started a research project,
monitoring the production and longevity of fronds of three different
fern species in the forest.
All of you fern experts and
enthusiasts in other parts of the world may enjoy seeing these ferns,
communicating with me about fern biology, and suggesting topics and
video clips for inclusion on this blog.
We have prepared a series of YouTube video segments on various fern-related subjects and we will post one every week. Click here to view the blog and subscribe today!
Deedra McClearn
Director, La Selva Biological Station
Organization for Tropical Studies
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Citi Foundation Support Provides Naturalist Guide Training
Thanks to the support of Citi Foundation, a group of
rural young people from the Guanacaste province in Costa Rica
received training as naturalist guides.
 Over the past year, fourteen
young men and women from the Tempisque basin invested their weekends
receiving lessons in ecology, flora and fauna, basic English, computer
science and personal finances, at OTS' Palo Verde Biological Station. These
young men and women, between the ages of 18 and 25, participated in the project "Training for rural residents as naturalist guides to promote
ecotourism and conservation of the Tempisque River", developed by OTS. Given the project's success, 2009 training will continue in 2009 at Palo Verde and will also expand to La Selva, in Sarapiqui.
"This
project started in 2008 to give young people with economic hardships
the opportunity to train as naturalist guides in the area, by creating
an alternative source of income", said Lisandra Chaves, Communications Manager of Citi Costa Rica.
 According
to Cristian Zúñiga, OTS' Development Manager, the participants arrived
at Palo Verde every Saturday morning (some even by boat) and received
lessons all weekend long. They also received basic financial training
by a volunteer from Citi.
"It was a very
interesting course because we received training for new job
opportunities, but also because we were taught on how to preserve
nature", said one of the participants, Beymer Salazar. |
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