Name: Edgardo Arévalo, Ph.D.
Position: Resident Lecturer in Tropical Ecology and Sustainable Development
Program: Sustainable Development Studies, Costa Rica

After six days of field work at four different locations in Costa Rica, the students returned to the SFS campus to begin the analysis and interpretation of the data collected. Each student chose a specific topic within the general project lead by each of the professors. Last week, the group dynamic shifted away from supervised data collecting and into a mode of independent time management, with the students working on the variety of tasks needed to produce the final Directed Research report. Requiring lots of time and effort, this process is invaluable in that it provides students the opportunity to take an in-depth research project from its beginning as a research question, and following it through to completion. Being directly involved in the research every step of the way is an important learning experience, one that helps to prepare everyone for their future careers.

I personally enjoy the Directed Research course—particularly this project my group just conducted—as it represents new research in the most visited protected area in Costa Rica. Poas Volcano National Park receives about 300,000 visitors a year and has good infrastructure including roads, parking lots, a visitor center, viewpoints, and trails. Our task was to obtain baseline information on potential impacts from the highly trafficked roads, viewpoints, and trails on the plants and animals that inhabit the park.

Thus, my students examined topics like forest edge effects adjacent to the road; traffic noise transmission through habitats and its potential effects on bird bioacoustics; damage on vegetation and animal feeding induced by visitors; traffic of visitors affecting bird diversity; and assessment of plant phenology and density of salamanders in areas used by park visitors. This mutualistic research effort between the SFS students and park administrators will definitively enhance future collaboration with our stakeholders and will help to inform the management plan of the park. All of the students in this spring program greatly contributed to generating knowledge to further improve the conservation of protected areas throughout Costa Rica.

Name: Heidi Hertler, Ph.D.
Position: Center Director
Program: Marine Resource Management Studies, Turks & Caicos Islands
SFS Alum: U.S. Virgin Islands Fall ’87

It hard to believe the students have just left. Reflecting back, this has been a memorable semester—up close encounters with migrating humpback whales, octopus and dolphin sightings, diving some of the most diverse reefs in the area, field trip to Provo, Saturday outreach, and Sunday bake-offs at the Center.

On the research front, Aaron Henderson, Marine Ecology Lecturer, and Megan Nash (Fall 2012) had a publication accepted in Marine Biodiversity Records documenting turtles hatching on South Caicos and the Center received a grant to measure and monitor erosion and accretion patterns on turtle nesting beaches around the TCI.

During the last week of the semester, students and faculty were busy working on Directed Research data analysis and preparing for their community presentations. Our Directed Research projects are designed to address resource management questions developed with local stake holders. This semester students studied eagle ray population dynamics, lionfish densities around South Caicos, worked with local community groups (citizen scientists) to document climate change on South Caicos, and assessed a local coral reef ecosystem as part of the Centers effort to identify local impact of development and climate change.

To increase community awareness about our natural resources, our students and SAM organized an Earth Day celebration. Activities at the Center included several “Featured Creatures” and discovery activities. This was followed by a parade with a band to the Conch Dock were the festivities continued.  This has definitely been a great semester and we will miss everyone.

Remember the TC SPCA is coming. South Caicos animals need your help. Please donate to support this effort: https://community.fieldstudies.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=184 (in the designation box, select SOS South Caicos Veterinary Services).

Name: David Bennett
Education: BS in Geographic Information Science, James Madison University; MA in International Development & Social Change, Clark University; MBA in Sustainable Business Management, Presidio Graduate School
SFS Program: Mexico Summer ‘97; SFS Intern Mexico Spring ‘98
Current Position: Green Team Operations & Innovations Lead at Google

Why did you choose SFS as a study abroad program?

I chose SFS because I was committed to having my study abroad experience be hands-on, one in which I would learn tangible research skills and methods. I also wanted to participate in a research effort where the outcomes would be applied to support the needs of a local community. SFS was a great fit for meeting these goals.

What is your most profound or lasting memory from your SFS program?

One of my most profound memories is helping Wallace J. Nichols record data from a green sea turtle that had been caught in a fishing net in Magdalena Bay earlier that day. I’ll also never forget the bioluminescents that we would see illuminate as the waves crashed in the distance during late night water sampling sessions in the field.

What did you gain from your SFS experience?

Looking back on my experiences with SFS, there are two key take-a-ways that I still rely upon in my work today:

First, I learned to work closely in teams with people that had different perspectives than my own. Living and working in close quarters, on boats and in the heat required a significant amount of collaboration and patience in order for us to be effective as a student research team. At times, our viewpoints differed on how to execute our work but the close-knit environment that SFS fosters truly teaches students how to work with diverse viewpoints to design shared solutions that a large team can support.

Second, I learned the value in bringing all stakeholders to the table and creating a forum for the knowledge of all parties to be heard. The way in which SFS brings the local community and the many constituent groups inside that community into the conversation about designing environmental and social solutions is remarkable. Through SFS, I learned first-hand the value of incorporating local knowledge into the process of defining the problem and exploring solutions. I’ll never forget the many times that I saw diverse groups ranging from local fishermen to policy regulators to NGO representatives visiting our site and helping to shape a pathway towards a more prosperous economy and environment for Magdalena Bay.

What advice would you give to a prospective SFS student?

If I had to pick one piece of advice, it would be to develop a full understanding of the ecosystem that you are working within during your research.  Although you need to be focused on the specific piece of the puzzle that you are trying to solve, it’s also critical that you understand the bigger picture – the macro level issues that your work addresses. So, don’t just focus on studying the water quality of the hydrologic systems. Instead, be sure to also understand why those water bodies are important to the economy of the local community and what role that water body plays in the historical ecology of the region.

What do you do for work?

I work in Google’s Real Estate & Workplace Services organization as the Green Team Operations & Innovations Lead. In my role, I’m responsible for managing a global program to support green building practices across roughly 30 Google offices around the world. I also review emerging technologies for the built environment (which are human-made surroundings) as a way of identifying innovative solutions that we might want to adopt in Google offices.

What that means on a daily basis is that I have to ensure that my team has the tools and resources they need to support facilities managers throughout the world. So, I do a good bit of video conferencing with teams throughout the US, in Europe, and beyond. I also conduct meetings with entrepreneurs and academics to learn more about emerging technologies that we may want to adopt.

Did your SFS experience contribute to where you ended up?

Definitely. It was during my summer semester in Baja that I was able to realize the initial path that I wanted my career to head towards. I gained this clarity through the on-the-ground experience that SFS provided. I learned that I wanted my environmental career to be science-based, data-driven, and applied. It became clear to me that I didn’t want to research conservation issues just for the sake of doing research – I wanted my work to benefit communities. I also realized how important is it to me that the environmental strategies I propose be evidence-based. Through my time at SFS, I clearly saw the value in providing the right data to the right decision makers at the right time in order to achieve the best possible outcomes. I’ve kept these lessons with me ever since and still embrace them today, nearly 17 years later!

What advice do you have for other SFS alumni looking to get into your field?

Pursue work that you truly love doing. There’s so much good work that needs be done in the world and there are endless industries that you can be a part of in order to effect the change that you want to see in the world.

Someone once asked me, “what is it that you can’t NOT do?”  I think that asking yourself that question is one good way of figuring out your passions because that question forces you to examine the things in life that you feel compelled to accomplish in life. Once you know what those pursuits are and can begin working towards them, I think you’ll find a great sense of accomplishment personally and professionally.

Name: Chrissy Lamendola
Position: Waterfront Intern
Program: Marine Resource Studies, Turks & Caicos Islands
SFS Alum: TCI Spring 2010

South Caicos may have never before seen an Earth Day celebration quite like the one we pulled off this past Saturday. The event was the accumulation of three weeks of hard work and planning by Kimbrough, the Student Affairs Manager, and a member of the Soroptomist women’s service organization named Beggitta. It was decided that Beggitta would supply the DJ, microphone, and the bouncy castle on the day of the event, while the Center for Marine Resource Studies (CMRS) would market the event as well as facilitate the day’s fun activities.

On the day of the event, the work began early for the students and staff at CMRS — setting fish traps and catching creatures while snorkeling. These organisms were featured at the special Earth Day-oriented Community Outreach. This week’s outreach had a station for a biology-based board game, edible seagrass beds, and hermit crab races, in addition to our weekly swim lessons and games. Our “Earth Squad” used this time to prepare for the parade downtown where we would continue the fun and games. The group created sashes to lead the parade and popped popcorn for the 45+ youth that were present.

At the end of the Earth Day Community Outreach, we gathered outside to begin the parade. We had been told that the brass band from the local school was going to lead the parade downtown… but we were all surprised when the only 18-wheeler flatbed truck on South Caicos pulled into the CMRS driveway to carry the band and lead the parade. The band members ecstatically climbed onto the truck and warmed up their instruments while the crowd grew behind them. SFS students, staff, and children of all ages eagerly waited for the band to begin. The music began and the smiles were out as we all began to march along the road to downtown. Everyone was cheering and bystanders were waving as we marched and danced down the road.

Once the parade ended, we kept the fun and energy going. The DJ had great music playing and one of our SFS students emcee Maddie led the events on microphone. The CMRS students ran skipping, jump rope, bicycle, and frozen t-shirt competitions. When not competing, the kids enjoyed tie dying, face painting, and jumping on the bouncy castle.  Even one of the local dogs, Fluffy, joined in on the bouncy castle party! As the day winded down, it was obvious that a fantastic time was had by all! Kids collected their goodies and prizes while the CMRS students happily cleaned up knowing that the celebration was a success. “It was awesome to see the hard work turn into such a big outpouring of support. My smile during the parade was so big my face hurt,” said a proud Kimbrough.

The most fulfilling part of the day was watching everyone head home with smiles on their faces and excitement in their eyes. I don’t think anyone could believe that Earth Day would have been celebrated so magnificently. It turned out to be such an exciting day full of education, hands-on learning, community togetherness, and, most importantly, fun!

Wow! Those 3 months went by way too fast. Since arriving, my expectations for my experiences have only been exceeded exponentially. Not only has my Spanish speaking seen serious improvement through interactions with the local people, my eyes are now wide open to the complexity of the cultural and social dynamics throughout the archipelago. Being a materials science & engineering major, this program has imbued within me a critical ecological perspective that I hope to incorporate in my future studies, and my upcoming entrepreneurial & career-based ventures. Oh, and have I mentioned how much I love snorkeling now? – Nathan Freedman (University of Connecticut)

It has been an amazing three months here in Panama. When family and friends have asked me to describe my experience thus far, it has been nearly impossible to sum everything up in just a few sentences. Everything we have done here – lectures, field exercises and trips, guest speakers, etc. – has contributed to a more inclusive understanding of the environmental, cultural, and social issues of the Bocas del Toro region; but all I have learned is not just applicable to the small world of southern Central America. Being in Panama has allowed me to develop more informed opinions about many of the issues faced everyday, whether those are relative to Panama, the U.S., or the world as a whole. I will always remember speaking with indigenous people about their livelihoods, assessing carbon stocks while considering local resource use, and documenting the progression of the red lionfish invasion and what it means for the future of local ecology. As I look out at the natural beauty surrounding me, I feel inspired to use what I’ve learned here in Panama to help address the environmental and social issues at large today… even if I can only contribute a small part. – Jeff Baldock (University of Washington, Seattle)

There’s Spanish music playing from the dining room’s speakers, and everyone’s reveling in the bittersweet happiness of finishing our very last assignment, two days before we leave our island. This morning we gave scientific presentations of our research projects, and this evening we offered an informal talk to members of the community. A surprising number of them showed up, and we had a wonderful time with the friends we met over the past three months. Nothing really compares to sharing these last moments together. There’s laughter and a few tears as we reminisce about those blissful days spent at hidden coves, struggling to get our projects done on time, cooking with the community, trying (and failing) to surf. The beauty of this area isn’t just in the reflection of sunsets on smooth waters, it’s also in the people that inhabit the archipelago and whose stories, more than anything else, give Bocas its magic.  – Niko Alexandre (Vassar College)

It is nearly impossible to encompass the entirety of my three months spent in Panama in just a few sentences. I could talk about the amazing field trips to the Zapatilla Cays, watching sea turtles lay their eggs, and of course the delicious cacao plantation, but I would still fail to express the little things that made daily life here so special. Little things like the smell of fresh warm johnny cakes brought to the porch of the Center by the cutest children from the local community. The taste of the delicious homemade food and fresh fruit we are fortunate enough to have here every day. The feeling of  the sun’s strong rays on your skin in the early afternoon. Seeing dolphins jumping past your boat after a long day of Directed Research in the field, or the layers of mountains beyond mountains in the distance just across the sea on the mainland. The sound of the birds in the forests chirping and calling every morning as the sun rises. This semester has not only taught me academic things about biodiversity, ecology, and the social issues that exist in Panama, but also to live life using all five senses.  We have finished our last full day in Bocas del Toro, and there are still so many things I wish I could do one more time, but for now I will just have to look back on all the great memories I have made my first time here. It was definitely one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, and I am glad I had the opportunity to spend it here with so many amazing people.  – Nina Rembert (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Name: Jess Bechhofer
School: Franklin and Marshall College
Major: Biological Foundations of Behavior
Program: Marine Resource Management Studies, Turks & Caicos Islands

In three days it’s ending: the most wonderful study abroad experience I could have asked for. It sounds rather cliché to say, “It feels like just yesterday that I arrived (all pale and pasty) at the Center.” But in fact, that is exactly how it feels. So much has happened in so little time that I’m definitely going to be that girl that talks nonstop about her abroad experiences until her parents and friends scream at her to stop.

I’ve learned so much in my three months here: how to identify underwater creatures, how to be a better diver, and how to conduct field research, just to name a few. I loved my classes, the afternoons exploring, the weekend nights out, and time that I got to simply hang out with my friends. Speaking of friends, those I made here are going to last a lifetime.

What was my favorite part? I don’t think I could pick a single instance. I adored my Directed Research project (working with Christmas tree worms), loved the weekend recreational dives, and got a chance to do all sorts of unique things like cliff jumping, turtling, and sharking. So instead I’ll tell you about the last dive we took, which falls into the category of “my amazing adventures”. We went to a site called the Grotto, one of the deeper sites on South. We saw three spotted eagle rays, one porcupine fish, a hawksbill turtle, a couple of ocean triggerfish, a scrawled filefish, a spiny lobster, and garden eels (which are just SO cute!). Although it had rained that morning, which made everything a little colder, it also made the water glassy calm, making our dive extremely nice. As we finished the dive we waved goodbye to the sloping edge of the wall, and then headed back to the Center. It was an unforgettable end to a semester underwater.

I’ll miss this place and wouldn’t change it for the world. It was the perfect decision to finish up my junior year on the shores of South Caicos!

What did you like most about the SFS experience?
I couldn’t pick one thing, but I loved my Directed Research. It made it clear to me that field research is what I want to pursue in a career.

You’ve been in the country for a full semester – tell us your impressions of it now.
It’s a beautiful place—it’s not grand—but you learn to love it. I’ll definitely miss being here.

What is life at the field station really like? What are the best and the most challenging parts of living at a remote field station?
Best Part: Being outside all the time, being barefoot and running around. Being able to go snorkeling whenever I want. Worst Part: No quiet space. I’m an only child, who is definitely looking forward to her own bedroom.

What ended up being your biggest challenge this semester both academically and culturally?
Culturally, fitting in. I was never the type of girl to just insert myself into the community, and it took me a really long time to start meeting people here. Academically, just getting everything done in such a short amount of time. This semester both challenged and improved my time management.

What is the best memory you have from the semester? Give some highlights.
I described my last dive in the blog post I wrote, which is definitely one of the highlights. Another one would be catching a turtle and a shark in the same day and getting picture with both!

Give three adjectives that best describes how you are feeling right now.
Happy, Enthusiastic, Content

Name: Simmi Patel
School: Muhlenberg College
Major: Anthropology and Biology
Program: Wildlife Management Studies, Tanzania

What did you like most about the SFS experience?
During my three and a half months in Tanzania, SFS has provided a well-rounded and diverse experience. From spending time in the national parks to visiting the Hadzabe and immersing ourselves in the cultural phenomena, SFS has given me an experience of a life time. What I love most about the SFS experience is the feeling of family. Growing up with twelve people, family is pretty important to me. SFS provided another home to each and every one of us, a place that may always be our second home. From the understanding professors, our great staff, drivers, and wonderful SAM, SFS has provided an experience that encompasses family, culture, and wildlife.

You’ve been in the country for a full semester – tell us your impressions of it now.
Tanzania will take your breath away. From the colorful skies, to the rolling lush hills, Tanzania has it all. In my life, I have never met such nice and happy people. It’s everything and more than what I expected. I came here confused, but spending the last three and half months in Tanzania, I found a place where I fit in. Tanzania has given me another home.

What is life at the field station really like? What are the best and the most challenging parts of living at a remote field station?
Okay, life at the field station is definitely not what I expected! Since you are always in close quarters with people, you essentially have no privacy. You have to share the space at the camp with 50 other people so it can get frustrating at times. Each banda has four people and they all are pretty close to each other. However, the camp itself is beautiful. It’s always breezy, never too hot. If you step outside of the compound, you have a breath taking view. You can see lush rolling hills, the corn fields, and a beautiful sunset. Even though you have no privacy, we still act like a family. Everyone helps each other. The best parts of living at the field station are that you feel like a part of the community.  Our living situation does not feel artificial, but genuine. You feel like you are in Africa. It can be hard sometimes. Because since we are living in a remote field station, it is hard to access things like shopping markets or food places, but that’s a minor detail in the grand scheme of things. If I had to go back and redo this, I’d keep the field station the same.

What ended up being your biggest challenge this semester both academically and culturally?
Academically I struggled with grasping wildlife management and techniques. I study humans-medicine and anthropology; I don’t know much about animals. I struggled with understanding the wildlife systems in Tanzania: how national parks work, different components of ecology and policies. Culturally, I struggled with learning Swahili. It’s such an important component in being immersed into the culture. I think the language barrier prevented me from learning more about the people and the way of life in Tanzania.

What is the best memory you have from the semester? Give some highlights.
My favorite memory from the semester was our visit to Oldupai Gorge. It may seem slightly bland, but I was in awe the moment the cars stopped near the edge of the Gorge.  My entire academic career, I’ve studied the evolution of mankind and what it means to be human. Well, all my questions were answered that day. The view was spectacular. You could stand at the edge of the Gorge, look down and know that this is the place where our ancestors originated. When you ask a person, what is your family lineage, people say, “my family is from India, or England, Russia, France, etc.” However, all our ancestors were once in Oldupai. The evolution of hominids is not only fascinating but a story that lies within each and every one of us.

Give three adjectives that best describes how you are feeling right now.
Reflective. Sentimental. Content.

Name: Alex Jandernoa              
School: Knox College
Major: Environmental Studies and Anthropology/Sociology
Program: Sustainable Development Studies, Costa Rica

What did you like most about the SFS experience?
I would have to say the Directed Research has been my favorite part of my term with SFS, alhough it is hard to choose. I came into the program wanting to get my hands dirty in the field and really hone my scientific writing while here. The Directed Research has allowed me to do just, that as I trekked through a local forest fragment for a week collecting samples which, with the help of the wonderful professors here, I have turned into a promising research paper.

You’ve been in the country for a full semester – tell us your impressions of it now.
Costa Rica is just as amazing as when I first arrived here. I feel as though I have done so much in my time here and it still holds so many mysteries. I have felt nothing but welcome in this country where I am very clearly a foreigner. Costa Rica has truly been the perfect classroom for learning about myself.

What is life at the field station really like? What are the best and the most challenging parts of living at a remote field station?
The best and worst part of living at the field station has to be the close quarters. There are 36 of us here and I enjoy every single person’s company, but sometimes it can be overwhelming with that many people. However, as the station is remote it allows me to escape to grab some personal time on campus by hiking in our protected forest or down in the orange and mango orchard, which is splendid.

What ended up being your biggest challenge this semester both academically and culturally?
I think the biggest challenge was keeping up with the program. We were always doing something new in the classroom or exploring some new aspect of the Tico culture. It was challenging, but in the best way possible. It made me just jump right in to whatever was happening and really enjoy the moment.

What is the best memory you have from the semester? Give some highlights.
I think my best memory from the program would have to be traveling during my spring break. I backpacked through Costa Rica to Panama with other students from the Center. I grew very close with my classmates and it was so much fun sharing our experiences with SFS with other travelers from all over the world. I already have plans to meet up with new friends on my next adventure.

Give three adjectives that best describes how you are feeling right now.
Excited, Knowledgeable, Pleased

Name: Rosy Cohane-Mann
Position: Program Intern
Program: Sustainable Development Studies, Costa Rica

The two pigs run up to greet us as I walk down to the lower farm at the SFS Center For Sustainable Development Studies in Atenas, Costa Rica with students on the morning Pandilla. Seeing a pig running is wonderful; it is pure joy, better than anything from the movie Babe. I give Trygve and Karlyn (the pigs are named after our Student Affairs Managers) each a scratch behind the ears and a pat on the head as we continue on our way to the chicken coop to fill water containers and top off feeders. We say hello to our mama cow, Clover, and her three-day old calf, Ferdinand, water and weed plants, and collect some fresh mangos as we head up to breakfast.

Our farm here at the Center is an integral part of the students’ experience. The field station has been here, in Atenas, since 1993 and since then our farm has grown to about 2.5 hectares. In 2011, the farm was recognized as a Rainforest Alliance Certified™ sustainable farm. With cows, pigs, chickens, a greenhouse, mango and orange groves, bananas, raised beds, and forested areas with trails, it is a lot of work to keep it all running.

So, why do we even have a farm here at the Center? There are many reasons! First, it’s a great way to supplement our food — we are able to produce our own fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs, eggs, milk, and even meat. Agriculture also plays a large role in sustainable development, especially in Costa Rica where agriculture accounts for about 6.5% of the GDP, and 14% of the labor force by occupation. In addition, small-scale, sustainable agriculture methods can help Costa Rica achieve its goal of becoming the first carbon-neutral country by 2021.

For most students, coming to SFS is their first exposure to agricultural practices and life on a farm. Additionally, the farm is an important teaching tool and resource for our professors; it is often a setting for applied field exercises or real-world examples of integrated pest management.

At the Center, students are organized into small work crews called “Pandillas” (which, literally translated, means gangs). Each Pandilla helps with cooking, washing dishes, cleaning, and farm-work on a weekly, rotating schedule. As part of the farm Pandilla, students participate in the daily tasks of running the farm and, in the process, are able to understand what a sustainable, small-scale farm is all about. It often seems that in the U.S. we have lost our connection to the land and the food that sustain us each day. Through SFS Costa Rica, students not only learn about agriculture through academic courses, but also with their hands in the soil and boots in the mud.

Some people may wonder why we have animals on the farm. All too often we hear horror stories of animal agriculture: factory farms where chickens’ beaks are snipped off, fertilizer runoff causing algae blooms, and E. coli outbreaks; however, on the other end of the spectrum are the happy pigs at our farm, work horses that help us conserve fossil fuels, and nutrient-rich compost made from cow manure. Animals are a fundamental part of a sustainable agricultural system that focuses on diversity, harmony with nature, holistic management, and efficiency that will sustain us over the long term. Animals also provide manure, work as ruminants that can transform grass to protein, and are a source of power. They help work the soil, move equipment, and more — all without fossil fuels, which is quite satisfying from the closed-systems perspective. Livestock provide ecological, nutritional, economic, and cultural contributions, as long as animal welfare is not overlooked. The key to our consumption of animal meat is moderation, as well as transparency in the supply chain. We need a sustainable agricultural system where the BBQ chicken wings on your plate are produced in a way that considers the welfare of the animals, the workers, and the planet.

After the early morning Pandilla, with our arms full of fresh mangoes, we head to the kitchen for a well-deserved, big breakfast. A student picks up a mango that is slightly bruised on one side, with some black spots on the very bottom, and asks me if it is okay to eat. I tell the student to go ahead, and lo and behold, its absolutely perfect on the inside, golden and buttery smooth. There is nothing better than devouring a fresh mango straight from the tree, even if there are a few imperfections due to the fact that our orchard is managed organically.

During the semester, students visit other farms including El Progreso, another diversified animal and vegetable farm, El Toledo, a local organic coffee farm, and the gigantic Dole banana plantation. These visits allow them to compare various farming methods and to put our farm work into perspective. Ultimately, the world needs a system that provides adequate, healthy, and sustainable food by means that respect the rights and intrinsic worth of all participants in the food production system; however, people must care in order to begin making a change to our food system.

Here at SFS, we use education as a tool for change, and encourage students to think about how we can improve our systems. Students learn about the three pillars of a sustainable agricultural system — ecological, social, and economic. They also learn about food justice and the importance of considering local communities and traditions in the sustainability discussion. On a field trip to El Sur they get to experience Costa Rican agricultural traditions by milking the cows each morning and learning about sugar cane processing. Our hope for our students is that they will leave SFS with the means and motivation to be the agents of change in our agricultural systems and, as global citizens, make positive contributions to environmental sustainability.

After all, as Wendell Berry said, “Eating is an agricultural act.”

Name: Steven Whitfield, Ph.D.
Position: Resident Lecturer in Natural Resource Management
Program: Tropical Island Biodiversity & Conservation Studies, Panama

We set off in the morning for a remote corner of Isla Bastimentos, a 45-minute boat ride from our home on Isla Solarte. The sun is warm, but the ocean air keeps us cool. We pass by countless mangrove islands and scattered Ngöbe indigenous villages, their thatched-roofed huts nestled among the mangroves.  We’ll pass by several Ngöbe fishermen in their dugout canoes, carved by hand from the trunks of single rainforest trees. If we’re lucky, we’ll see a pod of dolphins on the way to our field site. Our boat ride ends with a 10-minute ride up the Salt Creek, a shallow stream that passes through dense mangrove forest before we arrive at the Salt Creek indigenous village.

At Salt Creek, we meet with the operators of a community-based ecotourism alliance – a coalition of indigenous Ngöbe men and women who have come together to promote ecotourism as an alternative to livelihoods based on exploitation of marine resources like conch or lobster, or forest resources like the increasingly scarce and slow-growing timber trees. These Ngöbe guides know the forest very well, so we discuss where the best places in their forest might be to find the frogs and lizards we’re looking for.

We pass through the indigenous village and enter increasingly dense rainforest with Alfredo, our guide for the day. Before we get to good frog habitat, Alfredo points to a nook in a tree where four furry heads peer down at us – Western Night Monkeys in their roost. We move along to a spot where Alfredo expects to find many frogs, so the seven students on our Directed Research (DR) project fan out to search the forest – eyes peeled and nets in hand. It’s not long before the students start to shout to each other, “I’ve got a poison frog here, come take the temperature!” or “It’s a rocket frog, I need backup!”

After about half an hour, we gather again on the trail to evaluate our catch – a pile of ziplock bags – each of which contains a frog or lizard. We have ten poison frogs, three rocket frogs, two anoles.  “Nicely done,” I say. “They’re not called ‘rocket frogs’ because they’re slow.” We take a moment to admire the poison frogs. These frogs are brightly colored in order to advertise their toxicity to predators and, here on the islands of Bocas del Toro, the color and pattern of these frogs varies remarkably from place to place. Here they are red with black legs, but we’ve seen orange, green, and blue morphs on other islands.

After a morning in the forest we return to the Salt Creek village with our many bags of frogs and lizards.  Today our improvised laboratory is a simple Ngöbe hut.  Our research objective is to estimate the “critical thermal maximum” for these species – the warmest temperatures they can tolerate before they start to show signs of mild stress. By comparing the critical thermal maxima to the temperatures of the habitats these animals use in the forest, we can make inferences about how the frogs and lizards will respond to a warming climate. Our experimental set-up is decidedly simple: a plastic tub of water and several plastic cups, water in various temperatures, and a thermometer. After a couple of hours of experimental trials, we’re ready to return to the forest to release the frogs and lizards – unharmed – in the sites where we found them.

A Directed Research project like this is a core part of SFS programs, and gives students a chance to get real hands-on experience – a chance gain skills in field research, group work, data collection, data management, and production of a scientific paper. It’s an opportunity to get in on the front lines of applied conservation research. Our students will return home tonight wet, muddy, and exhausted; yet knowing that what we’re doing is important for the conservation of unique and fragile island ecosystems, and that this is a jungle adventure like nothing we’ve ever experienced before.