lehighincostarica

Lehigh in Costa Rica

Program Overview:

This is a 17-day course on sustainable development in Costa Rica during winter break

(Dec. 26, 2008 to Jan, 11, 2009).

Professor Cutcliffe is a faculty member in history and directs Lehigh’s Science, Technology and Society Program. Professor Morris is a faculty member in Lehigh’s department of Earth and Environment Sciences and has lived and conducted research in the tropical moist forests of Venezuela for 2 years. Professor Morris currently has an active research program in the lake district of Argentina. Professor Weisman is a faculty member in Lehigh’s department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and has an expertise in water resource development and has worked and traveled in Costa Rica, Honduras, and Panama. Together they will lead students through a multidisciplinary investigation of sustainable development in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is a small (size of West Virginia) Central American nation which lies on a narrow strip of land separating the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Costa Rica’s tropical climate, geographic location, and evolutionary past have combined to provide a rich diversity of habitats and a spectacular array of biota. Habitats range from mangrove swamps to rain and cloud forests to seasonal dry forests, and alpine meadows situated near active volcanoes. This small strip of land boasts over 10% of the world’s bird and butterfly species, as well as over 1200 species of orchids!

Costa Rica is internationally recognized for its innovative approaches to conservation and sustainable development. At considerable economic cost, the country has preserved over 25% of its land area as national parks or private reserves. Costa Rican society is currently debating the trade-offs between economic development and environmental preservation. The Costa Rican experience provides numerous real world examples of the complex and diverse forces that threaten tropical ecosystems and various attempts to preserve these ecosystems and still grow economically.

Compared with other Central American nations, Costa Rica has been blessed with remarkable stability: few extremes of wealth and poverty, no standing army, and a proud history as the region’s most stable democracy. The country is a growing destination for ecotourism and hosts a number of university field courses on tropical ecology.

Course Description:

ES 122: Sustainable Development, The Costa Rican Experience (3 credits of social science)

The course is an examination of sustainable development and its implementation in Costa Rica. Students investigate sustainable agriculture and energy, ecotourism, land use planning and management, and the issue of biodiversity vs. resource exploitation in forests. Students also learn about Costa Rica, its social fabric, history, government, and culture.

Students and faculty will spend 17 days in Costa Rica during the winter break. The primary focus of the course will be case studies of specific sustainable development projects using a multidisciplinary approach. Students will visit the projects and learn about the goals and objectives, successes and failures of each. Various government and non-government agency representatives as well as local farmers and business people will describe and lecture on these projects.

The class is divided into small multidisciplinary teams of students each focusing on a particular facet of sustainable development. Students will write a report, which will include a broad view of that facet of sustainable development, how it affects the local, regional, and national economy. The paper should show an understanding of the legal and financial instruments created by the Costa Rican government that enables that facet of sustainable development to take place.

In addition to visiting and learning about specific sustainable development projects, students visit various cultural sites, including museums, and natural history sites such as volcanoes and rain forests.

Course Objectives:

Investigate the philosophy of and approaches to sustainable development.
Learn about Costa Rican political, economic, and social institutions, which influence conservation and sustainable development policies.
Learn the challenges associated with economic and social development in Latin America.
Learn about the unique attributes of tropical rain forests and understand the ways in which rain forests have been exploited.
Provide students with experience working in multidisciplinary teams to analyze and interpret information and solve problems.
Provide ample opportunity for students to write and speak.
Expose students to the richness of Costa Rican culture and natural history.

Possible Course Activities:

Lectures on various aspects of conservation, natural resource management, and sustainable development by government and NGO officials (e.g. Sistema Nacional de Areas de Conservacion, Ministrerio de Planification Nacional y Politica economica, INBio, FUNDECOR, etc).
Tours (and related lectures) of sustainable development projects which will form the basis for student group projects.
Tours of traditional and modern agribusiness operations (i.e. coffee, banana, etc).
Tours of renewable energy projects (hydroelectric, wind, geothermal, etc).
Field trips and lectures at La Selva Biological Station (rainforest ecology), and Palo Verde Biological Station (dry forest ecology), San Luis Biological Station (cloud forest ecology), Cabo Blanco Absolute Reserve (dry forest and Pacific tide pool ecology), Tortuguero National Park (Caribbean conservation area)
Visits to museums of art, culture, history, and natural history.
River trips and eco-tourist activities.

Pre-requisites and Requirements:

No pre-requisite other than sophomore or higher standing. We are attempting to attract students with diverse backgrounds from all 3 of Lehigh’s colleges. Spanish is not required, but if you do speak Spanish you will have ample opportunity to practice.

All participants are REQUIRED to attend 6 class meetings during the fall semester of 2008

(5:00pm on 10/7; 7-9:00 pm on 10/21; 10/28; 11/4; 11/11 and 5:00 pm on 12/2). These class meetings will provide an important foundation prior to our arrival in Costa Rica. These meetings will include:

1. discussions of assigned readings;

2. investigation and discussion of relevant Web sites and other resource materials;

3. background information and discussion of project subjects;

4. preparation for travel to Costa Rica.

If you have questions about the program, please feel free to contact:

Prof. Richard Weisman	Prof. Donald Morris	Prof. Stephen Cutcliffe
Civil & Environmental Engin.	Earth & Environmental Sci.	History
Email: rnw1@lehigh.edu	Email: dpm2@lehigh.edu	Email: shc0@lehigh.edu

Students interested in appying, may print out a Costa Rica Application (applications are also available in our office) and submit it to:

Lehigh University

Study Abroad Office

32 Sayre Drive, Coxe Hall

Bethlehem, PA 18015