Exciting Excursions in Costa Rica
The first few weeks of our time in Costa Rica have been field trip central! In our three short weeks here, we have already gone on four awesome expeditions.
First, we were off to the Caribbean side of the country. We explored the rainforest and juxtaposed two different kinds of farms: a family-run sustainable farm and a Dole banana plantation. It was interesting to compare and contrast the two farming models and hear the advantages and the disadvantages of each model from people who work at each type of farm.
Photo courtesy of Olivia Won
Next, we headed to Santa Rosa National Park where we camped in the dry forest. We saw a lot of wildlife there, including carablanca (or capuchin) monkeys! We also did our first field exercise in the park. My partner, Nora, and I did an experiment on the pollinators of morning glory flowers.
Photo courtesy of Quinn Griffin
Third, we went to Carara National Park. We took a boat ride to the mangrove forests and saw alligators. Then we headed to the Tarcoles River Basin, one of the most polluted rivers in Latin America. Finally, we hiked through a transitional forest, an interesting in-between of the rain and dry forests we have already explored.
Finally, we went to the Poás volcano. We surveyed the park to learn more about the habits, opinions, and perspectives of the tourists, both national and foreign.
Photo courtesy of Katherine Linares
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