Riha in Costa Rica: 2012 Trip: Into the Jungle!

Out of the Chicago heat and into the lowland Caribbean tropical evergreen rainforest bordering the northern edge of Braulio Carillo National Park.

Conservation International, Northrup Grumman, and the TEAM Network (Tropical Ecology Assessment & Monitoring) have teamed up to provide an exciting opportunity for 16 middle and high school science teachers - the first annual ECO Classroom trip. Check it out...

We will be learning from local scientists about field data collection methods for the study of biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and the impacts of climate change. The TEAM Network is a partnership between Conservation International, Missouri Botanical Garden, the Smithsonian Institute, and the Wildlife Conservation Society. They have developed the protocols for collecting this data. Here's their mission statement. Essentially they're saying we've got early warning systems for hurricanes and other catastrophic events. Why not have one for life on Earth?

We kicked off our exploration of flora & fauna with a 2.5 hr hike into some secondary then old-growth forest. Lanine (sp?) was our guide and he really came through for us! Already a few species of toucan, the collared aracari, woodcreepers, rufous-winged woodpecker, black-faced grosbeak, white-necked puffbird, kiskadees, passerini's tanager, and lots more...

Great Curassow