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 It
may not be Ty Pennington and the ABC film crew moving in to tear down
and renovate the place, but Estacion Las Tortugas, a sea turtle
conservation project on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, received a
beautiful paint job courtesy of DePauw University WTIS (Winter Term in
Service) students and other volunteers from EcoTeach.
Twenty students plus two staff members from DePauw University’s WTIS
program spent a week painting the dormitories at the turtle station as
part of their 21-day EcoTeach expedition.
The WTIS program is one of DePauw’s oldest and most popular
service programs. This is
DePauw’s sixth EcoTeach expedition to Costa Rica and their itinerary was
packed with service work, cultural immersion and opportunities to work
alongside local people on vital community projects – all key components
of the WTIS program.
This is the off-season at Estacion Las Tortugas and turtles will not
begin nesting until late February or early March.
While the DePauw students won’t patrol for nesting turtles or
release hatchlings, their contribution will be enjoyed by the hundreds
of students who will visit the turtle station this spring and in years
to come. After leaving
Estacion Las Tortugas, the students traveled to Cerro de la Muerte where
they spent a week building clean burning bio-stoves for migrant coffee
workers and their families.
Hundreds of EcoTeach travelers visit Estacion Las Tortugas each year to
participate in the vital conservation work being done there.
Participants spend 2-3 nights at the station where they patrol
the beaches at night for nesting turtles, participate in population
studies, clean the beach of debris, collect eggs and place them in a
protected hatchery and release hatchlings.
A huge THANK YOU to DePauw University WTIS students & staff members,
Greg Enright, co-owner of EcoTeach and Joyce Becker, EcoTeach volunteer!
Pital Farm Visits and Reforestation Project
 The road to Pital divides coffee plantations in the mountains and banana
plantations on the sprawling coastal plain.
This northern Caribbean plain of Costa Rica was once the biggest tract of
lowland rainforest in the country.
Now, less than 10% is covered by pristine rainforest.
Fortunately, Pital
and the surrounding communities have joined forces to protect their
land. The Pital communities
protect 294 acres of primary forest and rely heavily upon
volunteer support. The
communities believe reforestation and environmental education are vital
to this conservation effort.
The Pital visit allows EcoTeach travelers the chance to
participate in a hands-on reforestation project managed by cooperating
local communities. EcoTeach
volunteers plant sapling trees, particularly almond trees, in a
protected area and then go on a guided tour of residential farms and
secondary and primary forest. Along the way, they may spot many
fascinating birds, insects, plants, sloth or paca.
Planting trees and learning the importance of reforestation are just a
part of the Pital experience.
The real cultural exchange takes place when EcoTeach travelers
are welcomed into the home of a local host family.
Three to four travelers will stay with one family along with an
interpreter provided by EcoTeach. It’s
typical in Costa Rica for at least three generations of a family to live
in the same house, so travelers can benefit from the perspective of
multiple generations. The
family will share a dinner of Costa Rican specialties such as gallo
pinto, platano maduro and yucca.
Some lucky travelers get to participate in the meal preparation
and take the recipes home to their own families.
The Pital Farm Visit and Reforestation Project is a consistent favorite
amongst EcoTeach travelers.
Through personal contact with the people of the area, you get an
insider’s look at their work, their homes and their future.
“My favorite place was the family stays and
I love your program because it's local and not touristy. Everyone I know
who's gone has had their lives changed and I even want to study abroad
in Costa Rica.”
– Student Traveler
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Connect, Share & Stay Informed
Want to stay connected to EcoTeach? Get inspired about our destinations here!
Join a Summer 2011 Trip
Check out our Educator Trip for only $995 (airfare not included) or our
Volunteer Vacations for adults and families!
Educator Trip
Volunteer Vacation
Family Adventure
College Student Trip
Did You Know?
 Costa
Rica has the ambitious goal of becoming the world’s largest carbon
neutral country by 2021 to celebrate its 200th birthday.
While some have called this goal too ambitious, Costa Rica is already
one of the greenest countries in the world. More trees are planted per
capita in Costa Rica than anywhere else in the world and 95%+ of their
current energy is renewable (78% hydroelectric, 18% wind & geothermal.)
Whether or not Costa Rica can reach this incredible goal, it will go a
long way as an example of how a country can indeed put the environment
at the forefront of policy.
Costa Rica Trip for Educators: $995
Work with sea turtles, hike in the rainforest, meet researchers from the
National Institute of Biodiversity, observe the active Arenal Volcano,
raft the Sarapiqui River, fly through the air on a canopy zipline tour,
visit an organic farm, soak in hot springs, and more!
Here’s what our educators from last year had to say about their trip:
“This was a trip of a lifetime for me. I went as an educator looking
to enhance my experiences with the things I teach my students. I came
back enriched professionally and personally. From the very start, the
Eco Teach staff were awesome in efforts to make it a great trip.”
This trip is specifically geared towards educators, but you are welcome
to bring a spouse, partner, or friend with you at the educator rate. The
cost includes accommodations, meals, activities and entrance fees, local
guide and private transportation – basically everything! For details,
please visit our webpage at
www.ecoteach.com/2011/educators or contact Stephanie Hall at
800-626-8992, ext. 10 or email at
stephanie@ecoteach.com.
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