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Costa Rica Educator Expedition
Educators and teachers are invited to join a reduced price trip to work with sea turtles and much more. Arrive in the Central Valley of Costa Rica, home to 80% of the country's population and surrounded by mountains. This area boasts fantastic vistas and a perfect climate. Next, head to the Osa Peninsula, a remote and pristine wonderland. Here, work with biologists and staff in the Golfo Dulce on turtle monitoring and mangrove clean up.
Assist in the monitoring of sea turtles in the water and on a nesting beach. You will also participate in a mangrove reforestation project, visit an organic farm that grows cacao and many other fruits and vegetables, and visit an innovative plastic recycling project. Depart the coast and head up into the hills above the central valley. On your way, visit the indigenous Boruca community and participate in a mask-painting workshop.
*Please note, this course is open to both formal and nonformal educators and administrators currently working in a professional education setting. Participants will be expected to prepare work before the course, engage in and lead presentations while in Costa Rica, and create a project to bring back to their audiences. Participants in this course are eligible to earn 100 CEU credit hours. Contact us to learn about trips for the general public.
Customize Your Groups Trip
Sea Turtle Projects
Head out in a shaded boat with researchers from Latin American Sea Turtles (LAST) to help set nets in key turtle spots. You will have the opportunity to help bring in the turtles, measure them, and release them back to the water. You’ll be looking mainly for green turtles and hawksbills, which are both endangered. The staff will bring in the turtles when caught. Once the turtle is brought ashore, a variety of tasks will be split up among the staff and volunteers, including measuring the shell and tail, attaching a metal tag to the turtle’s front flipper, taking a tissue sample, and recording the data.
You'll also visit a sea turtle nesting beach to look for nesting green and olive ridley turtles and help collect data. During the day, you will visit an innovative plastic recycling project, and have some beach time.
Mangrove Restoration
Participate in LAST’s mangrove reforestation program by working in the nursery and planting young trees. Depending on the tide, the work can involve planting or working in their greenhouse. Mangroves are critical habitat for juvenile sea turtles, fish, and other ocean life and this area has lost much of its mangrove forests over the past few decades.
Finca Kobo Organic Farm
Visit the Finca Kobo organic farm to taste a variety of fruits from around the world and to learn about the origins of chocolate, which is native to this region. You will see the entire process of making chocolate, from growing cacao to harvesting, drying, fermenting and of course tasting, finishing up with a dark chocolate fondue.
Boruca Community/ Mask Painting Workshop
On the way to the cloud forest, you will visit the Boruca Indigenous Community. This community is famous for making beautiful masks and you'll have an opportunity to paint your own. That is followed by a ceremony by the creek and a traditional lunch with community members. The next day, you will have an opportunity to visit a farm or hike the cloud forest.
What To Expect
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Plan Your Group's Impact
Curious what a single trip can achieve? Use our estimator to see your group's total conservation contribution.
These estimates are based on our unique Conservation Impact Pricing model. Profits from your trip will support our local partners and global conservation programs.
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