Costa Rica beckons. Renowned for its lush rainforest, abundant wildlife, and friendly people, Costa Rica is the ecotourism jewel of Central America. Agroecology and Education in Costa Rica is a spring break field class (March 11-19, 2006) with a service learning component and lots of action. From a zipline canopy tour to whitewater rafting, from horseback riding to a nocturnal rainforest hike, this will be an unforgettable experience. We will visit a medicinal garden, a butterfly farm, a school, a university dedicated to sustainable development, a banana plantation, and a tilapia farm. We will view a volcano, swim in hot springs, and learn about the tropical ecology and culture of this mountainous country. Our community service will center around a community environmental education program in a remote rainforest. On our last visit, we helped with the construction of the center... and saw 8 sloths!
We will be staying in a hotel in San Jose and eco-lodges for the remainder of the trip. We will have our own bus, driver, and an experienced local guide, expert at spotting and identifying wildlife. The field class, round trip Chicago-San Jose-Liberia-Chicago, with all meals included is $2,195 including university insurance. Undergraduate or graduate credits are available at additional cost. The class will be led by Gary Lake, Director of Agriscience Education, here at UW-Madison. Dr. Lake is an advisor for National Geographic Television and has been on teams that have won 5 Emmy Awards. Amongst his publications is a book on rainforest education.
The class is limited to 12 people. Contact Dr. Lake at gglake@... or at (608)265-2136. The deadline is fast approaching.