Nicole Morrill Page 1 6/19/15Nicole Morrill Page 1 6/19/15

TRACKING COSTA RICA’S MAMMALS

EARTHWATCH 2015

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MESSAGES FROM EARTHWATCH DEAR EARTHWATCHER, Welcome to the Tracking Costa Rica’s Mammals expedition. You will be joining a scientific team that is working to understand how conservation laws created by the Costa Rican government are protecting mammals in biological corridors. You will be collecting mammal and vegetation data within the beautiful cloud forest region in the central mountains of the country. The data you are collecting for this project is essential to the study of these conservation laws. Because of your dedication and commitment, our team can work towards conservation goals in the biodiverse tropics.

We will be living in the community of San Isidro de Penas Blancas, in an active Texas A&M University research station with other researchers and students. The field station is located directly adjacent to one of the largest private protected areas in the country, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Hiking trails into the reserve start directly at the station. The small community of San Isidro is located down the hill from the station, and has a small high school with a soccer field 15 minutes down the road. The EcoLodge Finca Luna Nueva is also a short walk from the station with excellent bird watching opportunities.

We look forward to meeting you, and we cannot wait to share our research and our love for this beautiful tropical country. Great ready to explore the lush jungle forests and meet some wonderful people!

Margot Wood, Thomas Lacher, Eugenio Gonzalez, Soltis Center researchers & staff

DEAR EARTHWATCHER, Thank you for joining this expedition! We greatly appreciate your decision to contribute to hands-on environmental science and conservation.

As an Earthwatch volunteer, you have the opportunity to create positive change. And while you’re out in the field working toward that change, we are committed to caring for your safety. Although risk is an inherent part of the environments in which we work, we’ve been providing volunteer field experiences with careful risk management and diligent planning for over 40 years. You’re in good hands.

We hope this expedition will inspire you to get more involved in conservation and sustainable development priorities—not just out in the field, but also when you return home. We encourage you to share your experiences with others, and to transfer your skills and enthusiasm to environmental conservation efforts in your workplace, community, and home.

If you have questions as you prepare for your expedition, contact your Earthwatch office. Thank you for your support, and enjoy your expedition!

Sincerely,

Larry Mason President and CEO, Earthwatch

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL INFORMATION ................. 4

TRIP PLANNER ............................ 5

EXPEDITION PACKING LIST .............. 6

THE RESEARCH ........................... 7

DAILY LIFE IN THE FIELD ................ 9

ACCOMMODATIONS AND FOOD ......... 10

TRAVEL TIPS .............................. 11

PROJECT CONDITIONS ................... 12

SAFETY .................................... 14

PROJECT STAFF .......................... 15

RECOMMENDED READING ............... 16

LITERATURE CITED ....................... 17

EMERGENCY NUMBERS .................. 18

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GENERAL INFORMATION TRACKING COSTA RICA’S MAMMALS

EARTHWATCH SCIENTISTS

Margot Wood

Jessica Gilbert

Dr. Thomas Lacher

RESEARCH SITE

San Isidro de Peñas Blancas region, Alajuela province, Costa Rica

EXPEDITION DATES

Team 2: Jun. 21–Jun. 30, 2015

Team 3: Jul. 5–Jul. 14, 2015

Please refrain from booking flights until you receive your complete rendezvous information, which will be sent to you

upon request

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TRIP PLANNER TRACKING COSTA RICA’S MAMMALS

TRIP PLANNER

IMMEDIATELY □ Make sure you understand and agree to

Earthwatch’s Terms and Conditions. □ If you plan to purchase additional travel insurance,

note that some policies require purchase when your expedition is booked.

90 DAYS PRIOR TO EXPEDITION □ Log in at earthwatch.org to complete your

volunteer forms. □ Pay any outstanding balance for your expedition. □ Book travel arrangements (see the Travel Planning

section for details). □ If traveling internationally, make sure your

passport is current and, if necessary, obtain a visa for your destination country.

60 DAYS PRIOR TO EXPEDITION □ Make sure you have all the necessary vaccinations

for your project site. □ Review the Packing Checklist to make sure you

have all the clothing, personal supplies and equipment needed.

30 DAYS PRIOR TO EXPEDITION □ Leave the Earthwatch 24-hour helpline number

with a relative or friend. □ Leave copies of your passport, visa, and airline

tickets with a relative or friend.

Read this expedition briefing thoroughly. It provides the most accurate information available at the time of your Earthwatch scientist’s project planning, and will likely answer any questions you have about the project. However, please also keep in mind that research requires improvisation, and you may need to be flexible. Research plans evolve in response to new findings, as well as to unpredictable factors such as weather, equipment failure, and travel challenges. To enjoy your expedition to the fullest, remember to expect the unexpected, be tolerant of repetitive tasks, and try to find humor in difficult situations. If there are any major changes in the research plan or field logistics, Earthwatch will make every effort to keep you well informed before you go into the field.

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EXPEDITION PACKING LIST TRACKING COSTA RICA’S MAMMALS

EXPEDITION PACKING LIST

GENERAL □ This expedition briefing □ Photocopies of your passport, flight itinerary, and credit

cards in case the originals are lost or stolen; the copies hould be packed separately from the original documents

□ Passport and/or visa (if necessary)

□ Certification of vaccination (if necessary)

□ Documentation for travel by minors (if necessary)

CLOTHING/FOOTWEAR FOR FIELDWORK NOTE: Bring clothes you don’t mind getting very dirty and potentially ruining.

□ Earthwatch T-shirt

□ 2-3 lightweight, quick-drying, button-down long-sleeved shirts

□ 2-3 pairs of quick-drying long pants

□ Wide-brimmed sun hat or baseball hat □ Hiking boots with ankle support, already broken in,

OR rubber boots (rubber boots are really great for this environment – this is what the researchers wear in the field)

□ Light weight raincoat or poncho

□ Thick hiking socks

□ Bandana

□ Leather or cloth and rubber garden/work gloves

CLOTHING/FOOTWEAR FOR LEISURE □ At least one set of clothing to keep clean for end

of expedition □ Sandals (preferably ones that can get wet, as it is

the rainy season)

□ Jeans

□ Shorts

□ T-shirts/tank tops

□ Bathing suit

□ Sweatshirt / light jacket

□ Tennis shoes / casual shoes

FIELD SUPPLIES □ Medium-sized daypack

□ Two one-liter refillable water bottles

□ High-SPF sunscreen □ Insect repellent spray, recommend Natrapel with active

ingredient Picaridin

□ Headlamp with extra batteries □ Drybag or plastic sealable bags (good for protecting equipment

like cameras from dust, humidity, and water)

□ Water proof cover for day pack or larger plastic garbage bag

BEDDING AND BATHING NOTE: Sheets, blankets, pillows, and towels are provided by the accommodations.

PERSONAL SUPPLIES □ Personal toiletries (NOTE: only biodegradable soaps

and shampoos are allowed at the Soltis Research and Education Center)

□ Hand wipes or sanitizing lotion (good for cleaning hands while in the field)

□ Personal first-aid kit (e.g., anti-diarrhea pills, antibiotics, antiseptic, itch-relief, pain reliever, bandages, blister covers, etc.) and personal medications. Non-drowsy motion sickness medication is recommended for those who are susceptible, due to the long drives on winding mountain roads.

MISCELLANEOUS □ Spending money (approximately US$200)

OPTIONAL ITEMS □ Camera, film or memory card(s), extra camera battery

□ Laptop □ Hardware for sharing digital photographs at the end

of the expedition

□ Travel guide

□ Books, games, journal, art supplies, etc. for free time

□ Binoculars

NOTE: Do not bring more luggage than you can carry and handle on your own. If traveling by air and checking your luggage, we advise you to pack an extra set of field clothing and personal essentials in your carry-on bag in case your luggage is lost or delayed.

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THE RESEARCH TRACKING COSTA RICA’S MAMMALS

THE STORY In many places, developed land intertwines with wilderness. Farmers clear trees to plant crops, or use pesticides that can harm nearby forests. So any meaningful effort to protect wild landscapes requires their help.

There are few better places in the world that have figured out how to enlist the help of farmers in conservation like Costa Rica. This beautiful, biodiverse country has lots of forward-thinking environmental policies to curb deforestation, protect wild plants and animals, preserve access to clean water, and encourage carbon sequestration. One such policy is the Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) program. Through this program, the government encourages farmers to maintain these swaths of land by paying them to plant trees among their crops.

Farmers that live in designated biological corridors—stretches of land that connect national parks and other protected areas— get funding priority under PES. This is because these biological corridors are very important to

Costa Rica’s wildlife: they allow isolated animal populations to mingle and move freely between the places where their natural habitat remains healthy and relatively undisturbed. The corridors in Costa Rica feed into a multi-national network, linking North and South America.

By interviewing farmers and monitoring camera traps and hair traps, you’ll track ocelots, tapirs, foxes, and other mammals in the Paso de Las Nubes Biological Corridor to learn how many different species, and how many individuals in each species, are using the corridors. If these numbers show use of the landscape between national parks and other protected areas, Costa Rica’s policies are working. If they don’t, the data you collect will help researchers recommend strategies for corridor improvement. This is your chance to make a concrete impact on all who depend on forests in Costa Rica—plants, animals, communities and the global climate.

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RESEARCH AIMS This research will help all kinds of people—farmers, landowners, government officials, NGOs, scientists—work together toward one common goal: conservation. Your work will help open a dialogue about national biodiversity and people’s livelihoods, and how these two seemingly separate issues coexist in the biological corridor. And at the end of the day, Costa Rica’s mammals could benefit immensely.

To get this dialogue going with the best information possible, these researchers are exploring three questions:

1. How have PES policies already influenced the way land is used and conserved in Costa Rica? Researchers will study the types and distribution of vegetation throughout the corridor. They expect to find that, since PES polices have taken effect, there’s more forested land in the corridor than there once was.

2. How well is the Paso de Las Nubes Corridor working for mammals? Researchers will track the presence or absence of mammal species to determine where the corridor is facilitating their movement, and where it’s not. They’re looking at “sensitive” and “less-sensitive” species: sensitive species are defined as “near-threatened” or “endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and less sensitive species are considered “least concern.”NSensitive species include the Baird’s tapirs, jaguars and white-lipped peccaries. Less sensitive species include ocelots, collared peccaries and coatimundis.

3. What should the future of PES look like? The findings from the first two questions will help illuminate how well PES policies have increased the forest cover and made the corridor a hospitable place for forest mammals. This knowledge can point the way to changes that could make PES even more effective for mammals and the farmers who own the land. For example, researchers think that new forms of payments for natural regeneration could work better than simply increasing payments for the current land uses.

HOW YOU WILL HELP This is a rare opportunity to help out the mammals that live in Costa Rica’s wilderness, many of which are endangered. At the same time, your work will have a concrete impact on farmers and other local community members in Costa Rica. Here’s what you’ll do to help:

MAMMAL SURVEYS. You’ll help scientists set hair and camera traps throughout the corridor, on land being used in different ways, to gauge the presence of mammals in each area. You’ll hike through farmland and tropical forest guided by GPS units to reach camera traps—tree-mounted cameras with infrared sensors that animals trigger when they pass by—you’ll download images and check that they’re in working order. You’ll also check hair traps, which attract animals by scent. The team will collect any hair snagged in the traps and take it back to the lab for analysis.

Because many of the mammals you’re tracking are nocturnal, or avoid humans, or are not very common in the study area, traps are the best way to measure species richness and the presence or absence of certain species. Mammal surveys will compose half of the field day, as checking the traps is quick, but location of traps with GPS units and hiking to traps can take some time. Mammal surveys will be conducted in small groups of 3-5 people.

VEGETATION SURVEYS. Once trap data collection is completed, you’ll turn to the vegetation. In marked-off plots near the traps, you’ll measuring the height and number of trees greater than 10 centimeters in diameter at breast height. You’ll also collect canopy measurements at different distances from the trap sites. This will provide quantifiable measurements of vegetation in the various trapping locations. This will comprise the other half of the field day. We will work in groups of 3-12 people on the vegetation measurements.

INTERVIEWS WITH LANDOWNERS. The team will visit landowners and ask them how they use their land and other basic information related to the research. Then you’ll use pictures of mammals to ask them which species they see signs of on their property, and how often. While most of the interview will be conducted in Spanish, volunteers who don’t speak Spanish can still participate in the mammal segment, since it is guided by images. One to two interviews will be conducted per team, and interviews will be conducted in 2-3 person groups.

DATA ENTRY AND ANALYSIS. Back at the Soltis Center, you’ll sort through camera trap images to see who’s afoot in the forest. You’ll also help enter data and do microscopic hair analysis on the samples collected from the hair traps. This is individual work, and will comprise a few hours each eveningMafter fieldwork.

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DAILY LIFE IN THE FIELD PLANS AND POLICIES

On fieldwork days you may rise early for an optional guided bird walk through the cloud forest or a little later for breakfast at 7:00 a.m. Then your team will drive to the Paso de Las Nubes Biological Corridor. The drive will be between 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the part of the corridor you are working in that day. The team will be able to cover one whole property per field day. If an interview has not yet been conducted with the landowner, one will be done to understand how the property owner uses the land and what wild creatures frequent it.

After the interviews, it’s into the wild. You will hike to the lands registered in the conservation program. There, you will place and check camera and hair traps. Then you will start a vegetation grid and collect tree measurements. In the mid to late afternoon the team will return to the field station to analyze data or relax. Dinner at the field station will be held at 6 p.m. After dinner you can enjoy lectures from the research staff, watch a movie in the classroom, or simply recline in the rocking chairs on the balcony with a book. The day may end with an optional hike to look for snakes, frogs and other nocturnal creatures in the forest.

There will also be a day (or two, if there’s lots of data) in each team dedicated to data analysis at the research station.

THE SOLTIS RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTER POLICY ON ALCOHOL AND SMOKING: Alcohol abuse and use of illegal drugs is strictly forbidden while at the research station. The director or manager on duty has the discretion to stop alcohol use at any time. No smoking is allowed on the property.

ITINERARY

Weather and research needs can lead to changes in the daily schedule. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding

DAY 1: Arrival, welcome, field station tour, project information lecture.

DAYS 2–4: Field Work.

DAY 5: Data analysis at the field station.

DAY 6: Recreation Day

DAYS 7–9: Field Work.

DAY 10: Departure.

TYPICAL DAILY SCHEDULE Time of Day Activity 5:30 a.m. Optional guided bird walk available every

day, depending on the schedule of the resident naturalist.

7:00 a.m. Breakfast 8:15 a.m. Travel by car to the biological corridor 10:00 a.m. Arrive at Property: Vegetation, Hair, Camera

Trap. Interview when possible. 12:00 p.m. Lunch break in the field 12:30 p.m. Continue data collection 4:00 p.m. Return to the Soltis Center 4:00-6:00 p.m. Free time for resting or hiking, or data

analysis/entry, assisting with small mammal trapping

5:30 p.m. Nightly group meeting, main lobby 6:00 p.m. Dinner 7:30 p.m. Free time or optional lectures from visiting

researchers, or data analysis/entry 8:30 p.m. Optional guided night walk for snakes

and frogs (some nights)

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ACCOMMODATIONS AND FOOD ABOUT YOUR HOME IN THE FIELD

SLEEPING AND BATHROOMS Teams will stay at the modern and comfortable Soltis Research and Education Center, a Texas A&M University field station. You couldn’t ask for a more beautiful spot: the center sits in the middle of more than 120,000 acres of protected forest.

The Soltis Center consists of a main lodge with cabins up the hill from the lodge, each of which has four bunk beds, a shower (with hot water), a conventional toilet, and two sinks. Up to four volunteers of the same gender could end up sharing a cabin. The center may be able to accommodate requests for couples cabins, depending on availability.

ELECTRICITY There is electricity and wireless Internet throughout the field center.

INTERNET AND COMMUNICATIONS The Soltis Center has wireless Internet and cell phone service throughout. There are approximately six shared computers, to be used primarily for research. If there is availability and the computers are not needed for research, the computers can be used for personal activities. There are phones at the Soltis Center, for emergency use only.

FACILITIES AND AMENITIES Laundry is available every day of the week at the Soltis Research Center for a fee of US$7. Learn more about the Soltis Center at soltiscentercostarica.tamu.edu/.

DISTANCE TO THE FIELD SITE The Paso de Las Nubes Biological Corridor starts 8 km (5 mi) from the Soltis Research Center. The furthest boundary of the corridor is approximately 55 km (34 mi) from the Soltis Research Center. You will be working throughout the corridor, visiting farms on dirt roads far into the mountains. Some properties are only accessible by foot, and you will need to hike 20 minutes to 1 hour to access these properties. You will be traveling by car to access these remote properties daily for 30 minutes to 2-3 hours, depending on the road conditions and area of the corridor you will be collecting data.

SERVICES AND RESTAURANTS IN WALKING DISTANCE The center of San Isidro de Penas Blancas is located approximately 5 km (3.1 mi) from the research station,

downhill on dirt road. If you feel like getting out for a walk and having a great workout (coming back up the hill is rather strenuous), you can walk one hour downhill on the dirt road to the village center. In San Isidro de Penas Blancas you can find a mini-panaderia, a very small grocery store, a fruit stand and a hardware store. There are no restaurants located in this village.

FOOD AND WATER The cooks at the Soltis Center provide three meals a day, at 6:30 a.m., noon and 6 p.m. Meals are served family style in a screened-in cafeteria. Foods you might find in the field (please be flexible):

TYPICAL MEALS

BREAKFAST Juice, coffee, tea, gallo pinto (rice and beans), maduros (fried sweet plantains), protein (sausage, hotdogs, eggs, fried cheese), fresh fruit, natilla (a sour-cream-like condiment), cereal, toast with jam and peanut butter, pancakes, empanadas.

LUNCH & DINNER

Juice, rice, protein (chicken, fish, beef, fried egg, black beans, fried cheese, avocados), steamed vegetables, salad, pasta, lasagna, dessert (e.g., ice cream, cake).

SNACKS Snacks are not regularly offered at the field station. You can purchase ice cream bars for approximately US$1. Occasionally, cookies or baked goods are provided in the afternoon. Please bring granola bars and other snacks of your choice.

BEVERAGES Coffee and hot water for tea are available at all times. Juice is available at meal times. There are no sodas or alcoholic beverages at the research station.

WATER All tap water is potable throughout the field station, and is also potable in that region of the country. Water used at the research station, and in San Isidro de Penas Blancas, is collected from the streams in the protected reserve behind the station. The water is routinely tested and has been found to be some of the best and cleanest water you can find. Personal water supplies should be replenished each day at the research station before heading into the field.

SPECIAL DIETARY REQUIREMENTS Please alert Earthwatch to any special dietary requirements (e.g., diabetes, lactose intolerance, nut or other food allergies, vegetarian or vegan diets) as soon as possible, and note them in the space provided on your volunteer forms.

Vegetarian, vegan, lactose-free, and gluten-free diets can be easily accommodated on this expedition.

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TRAVEL TIPS SUGGESTIONS FOR THE ROAD

YOUR DESTINATION LANGUAGE: Spanish. In San José and other cities, many people speak some English. The project will be conducted in English (interviews with landowners will be in Spanish)

TIME ZONE: GMT/UTC -6.

TELEPHONE DIALING CODES: When calling Costa Rica from another country, dial the home country’s international dialing code, then 506 and the number. You’ll need to add a 2 after the 506 for all Costa Rican landline numbers and an 8 after the 506 for all Costa Rican cellphone numbers. When calling within Costa Rica, omit the 506 and dial the eight-digit number (i.e., including 2 or 8 for landline and cellphone numbers respectively). When calling another country from Costa Rica, dial 00, followed by the other country’s code and the number. NOTE: Check with your cellphone provider to obtain any carrier-specific dialing codes you may need; many providers have dialing procedures that may differ from these directions.

MONEY MATTERS LOCAL CURRENCY: Costa Rican Colónes (CRC). U.S. Dollars are also often accepted. The approximate conversion rate is 500 colones to 1 U.S. Dollar.

PERSONAL FUNDS: An amount of approximately US$200 can be brought for spending money. Use your discretion as to how much money you would like to bring for spending within the country. You will have access to an ATM in La Fortuna during activity days. An ATM will not be accessible during research days or field station days. Credit cards are accepted in most of the country.

DEPARTURE TAX: Be prepared to pay the departure tax of US$29 in cash (U.S. Dollars or Costa Rican Colónes) or by Visa credit card (processed as a cash advance) at the airport upon checking in for your flight home.

PASSPORTS AND VISAS Passport and visa requirements are subject to change. Check with your travel advisor, embassy or consulate in your home country for requirements specific to your circumstances. Generally, passports must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry and a return ticket is required.

Citizenship Passport Required? Visa Required?

United States Yes No

United Kingdom Yes No

Europe Yes No

Australia Yes No

Japan Yes No

If a visa is required, participants should apply for a TOURIST visa. Please note that obtaining a visa can take weeks or even months. We strongly recommend using a visa agency, which can both expedite and simplify the process.

CONTACT INFORMATION You may be required to list the following contact information on your visa application and immigration form, or if your luggage does not make it to baggage claim at your destination:

The Soltis Center for Research and Education in Costa Rica Texas A&M University San Isidro de Penas Blancas Apdo 80-4417 Fortuna San Carlos, Costa Rica.

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GENERAL CONDITIONS Costa Rica is a tropical country with a wet and dry season. The wet season occurs from May through November, and the dry season from December through April. During the wet season rain increases, with on average 5–13 inches per month.

GENERAL CONDITIONS

CONDITIONS FROM JUNE THROUGH AUGUST HUMIDITY: 60%–100%

TEMPERATURE RANGE: 65º–85º F (18º–29º C)

ALTITUDE: Avg. 650 meters (2132.5 feet)

RAINFALL: 10–20 inches per month

ESSENTIAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: All participants must be able, independently or with the assistance of a companion, to:

□ Follow verbal and/or visual instructions.

□ Enjoy being outdoors all day in all types of weather, including rain, heat, and humidity, in the potential presence of insects, snakes and other wild animals. Field work WILL continue in rainy conditions.

□ Hike up to 5-8 miles total per day, over steep, slippery mountain terrain.

□ Watch footing through dense, tangled vegetation.

□ Collect data (images, samples, etc.) and search for animal signs (scat, tracks) on the ground while moving over uneven ground and steering clear of obstacles such as animal holes and sharp branches.

□ Get low enough to the ground to measure plants, collect samples, and access camera and hair traps.

□ Carry personal daily supplies such as lunch, water, and some small field equipment.

□ Get themselves up into and down out of a four-wheel-drive vehicle, minibus, or car and ride, seated with seatbelt fastened.

PROJECT CONDITIONS THE FIELD ENVIRONMENT

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POTENTIAL HAZARDS TRACKING COSTA RICA’S MAMMALS

HAZARD TYPE ASSOCIATED RISKS AND PRECAUTIONS

Transportation We may encounter poor road conditions including landslides. Only qualified drivers will transport volunteers in project vehicles; we ensure project vehicles are well maintained. Seatbelts must be worn at all times. Volunteers are not permitted to drive.

Walking/Terrain You’ll likely traverse uneven terrain and hike uphill in humid tropical conditions; there’s a risk of sprains, strains, bruises or breaks due to falling or tripping. You should never walk ahead of the guide, and should follow the guide’s instructions. Wear appropriate footwear, with good treads and ankle support, while hiking. You will be provided with a walking stick to help with balance while hiking. You must be able to walk or hike in mountainous terrain to the camera trap /hair trap and vegetation sites, and be able to bend, kneel for extended periods of time while collecting data.

Animals/Plants Poisonous snakes are present in the area. We will always wear rubber boots or snake guards in the field, and under no circumstances will we be handling snakes. You’ll likely encounter many insects; wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants and apply insect repellent frequently to avoid bites. Those with insect allergies should bring the proper emergency treatment (such as an epi-pen) and inform staff of the problem and the location of the treatment; they should take special precautions while collecting field data. While hiking, we may encounter plants with irritating spines or sap. These plants are easy to avoid by not reaching out or touching plants while hiking.

Climate/Weather Dehydration, heat exhaustion, sunburn, and other heat-related illnesses can occur, but you can protect yourself by drinking sufficient water, wearing high-SPF sunscreen, and wearing appropriate clothing. Dehydration from sweating can be a problem; please bring your own water bottles that you can easily carry and refill them with electrolyte-replacing packets. Because of the high humidity, people who use a hearing aid device may find it doesn’t work properly. Consider purchasing a hearing aid dehumidifier. You must be able to stay outside in the rain for extended periods of time.

Personal Security Avoid areas designated as off limits by project staff.

Swimming Swimming at a local swimming hole is possible during recreational time, as long as volunteers are competent swimmers, as no lifeguard is present. You may only swim in known, safe environments. Do not swim alone. Teen teams or student groups will only be permitted to swim if they have a lifeguard certified facilitator, chaperone or staff member present.

Distance from Medical Care

It may take an hour to reach the nearest hospital or more to arrange transport and reach the hospital. If you have a chronic condition which could require immediate medical care (e.g., heart conditions, kidney problems, severe asthma, etc.), or if you are pregnant, please discuss your participation on this expedition with your physician.

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SAFETY HEALTH INFORMATION

PROJECT VACCINATIONS

REQUIRED: If traveling from countries or region where yellow fever is endemic, you must have a certificate of vaccination.

RECOMMENDED: Typhoid, hepatitis A, hepatitis B

EMERGENCIES IN THE FIELD PHYSICIAN, NURSE, OR EMT ON STAFF: Project staff members are not medical professionals.

STAFF CERTIFIED IN SAFETY TRAINING WILDERNESS FIRST RESPONDER: Jessica Gilbert

CPR: Margot Wood, Jessica Gilbert

FIRST AID: Margot Wood, Jessica Gilbert

NEAREST MEDICAL CARE: Ciudad Quesada.

For emergency assistance in the field, please contact Earthwatch’s 24-hour emergency hotline number on the last page of this briefing. Earthwatch is available to assist you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; someone is always on call to respond to messages that come into our live answering service.

IMMUNIZATIONS Please be sure your routine immunizations are up-to-date (for example diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella and varicella). Medical decisions are the responsibility of each volunteer and his or her doctor, and the following are recommendations only. Visit the Healix Travel Oracle website through the “Travel Assistance and Advice” page in your Earthwatch portal, cdc.gov or who.int for guidance on immunizations.

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MARGOT WOOD, a Ph.D. candidate in the Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Department at Texas A&M University, has worked in Costa Rica since 2007. She graduated from the University of California, Davis in 2008 with a degree in Biology, emphasis in Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity. She is interested in tropical mammalian ecology in agricultural landscapes, and her dissertation focuses on governmental payment for ecosystem services programs, land use change, and influences on target conservation species within the biological corridor of Paso de Las Nubes in Costa Rica. Schedule: All Teams

JESSICA GILBERT is a PhD candidate in the Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Department at Texas A&M University, who is generally interested in conservation biology, endangered species ecology, biodiversity assessment and protected areas management in the tropics. She is a trainee in the NSF-IGERT Applied Biodiversity Sciences Program and a Texas A&M Merit Fellow. Schedule: All Teams

DR. THOMAS LACHER, a professor in the Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Department at Texas A&M University, researches conservation status in mammals and the analysis and monitoring of large-scale patterns and trends in biodiversity, primarily in the tropics. He was founding director of the Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring Network, based at Conservation International, and is also involved in the Global Mammal Assessment, done in collaboration with the IUCN Species Survival Commission, which has evaluated the conservation status of all species of mammals in the world. He is co-chair o f the IUCN Small Mammal Specialist Group. Schedule: not fielding with teams

DR. EUGENIO GONZALEZ is the director of the Soltis Research and Education Center. Born and raised in Costa Rica, in early nineties Dr. González came to the US to pursue his doctorate studies. In 1996 he completed his Ph.D studies in Forestry at Texas A&M University. He has much knowledge of international environmental research programs and holds numerous publications. Most of his research and publication work is related to reforestation and restoration of tropical areas, watershed management and sustainable eco-agriculture. He has coordinated and led pioneering projects on wetland and forest restoration in Costa Rica, and has organized and participated in multiple professional seminars on the conservation and restoration tropical ecosystems. Schedule: All Teams

ALBERTH ROJAS holds a technical degree in ecotourism and currently is the Director’s Assistant for Research and Academic Programs of the Soltis Center for Research and Education that Texas A&M University operates in Costa Rica. Also, at present Mr Rojas is attending the Technological Institute of Costa Rica, San Clara Campus, where he is pursuing a degree on management of rural sustainable tourism. Schedule: All Teams

NOTE: All staff schedules are subject to change.

PROJECT STAFF YOUR RESOURCES IN THE FIELD

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RECOMMENDED READING YOUR RESOURCES AT HOME

ARTICLES • Zbinden, S. and D.R. Lee, ‘Paying for

environmental services: an analysis of participation in Costa Rica’s PSA Program’, World development, 2005. 33(2): p. 255-272.

• Pagiola, S., ‘Payments for environmental services in Costa Rica’ Ecological Economics, 2008. 65(4): p. 712-724.

• Daily, Gretchen, ‘Countryside Biogeography of Neotropical Mammals: Conservation Opportunities in Agricultural Landscapes of Costa Rica’, Conservation Biology., 2003.

BOOKS • Lonely Planet, Costa Rica 2013 • Fodor’s Costa Rica 2013

FIELD GUIDES • The Wildlife of Costa Rica, Fiona Reid,

Twan Leenders, Jim Zook, Robert Dean

PROJECT-RELATED WEBSITE • Soltis Center for Research and Education

soltiscentercostarica.tamu.edu/ • The Biodiversity Assessment and Monitoring Lab

agrilife.org/biodiversitylab/

EARTHWATCH SOCIAL MEDIA Get to know Earthwatch better at:

• FACEBOOK: facebook.com/Earthwatch

• YOUTUBE: youtube.com/earthwatchinstitute

• TWITTER: twitter.com/earthwatch_org

17

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