Notes from the field

MASTATAL (Puriscal) We motored across the mountains down out of the coffee valleys and into Puriscal canton, where we settled in for a week-long stay at Finca Siempre Verde , a sustainable farming and learning center in the rural village of Mastatal. Nestled at the edge of La Cangreja National Park , Mastatal has around 100 residents, and is home to many small farms as well as spectacular forests, rivers, and abundant wildlife. Here students had a chance to check out sustainable building projects (including outdoor showers and composting toilets) as well as local efforts to increase biodiversity through sustainable agroforestry and agricultural production. View of La Cangreja rising above Mastatal Fiery-billed aracari ( Pteroglossus frantzii ) In addition to bird watching outings each morning, students took part in some hands-on exercises working with different taxonomic groups, including ubiquitous epiphytes and insects. Over a period of several days, we c...

CENTRAL VALLEY We started off the 34-day expedition with several days of orientation in the bustling metropolis of San Jose. Lectures & discussions on experimental design, statistics, taxonomy, and sociocultural issues were interspersed with outings in the nearby central market and stately downtown buildings. Rooftop classroom in San Jose, learning about statistical analyses Papaya overlooking rooftops of San Jose After four days in San Jose, we headed up into the coffee highlands, settling into cabins in Santa Maria de Dota. There we collected and analyzed data (a chance to practice freshly-learned statistical methods for testing hypotheses!)  on coffee yields as a function of proximity to forests. Students also toured the local coffee mill ( CoopeDota , which has created a special emphasis on carbon neutral production), and engaged in some nice discussions about carbon sequestration and global initiatives such as REDD+  based on their visit an...

The 2017 CSU-LSAMP research experience runs from 20 June to 24 July -- this year more than a dozen students from eight different CSU campuses will participate in the 34-day program. Stay tuned for updates as we conduct research in tropical rainforests, the coffee highlands, the coast, and cloud forests!