Taught In English

There is no language prerequisite for courses at this language level.

An introduction to the natural resources conservation status in Costa Rica. This course
has a multidisciplinary approach to environmental issues that pertain to the new model of
sustainable development by the Costa Rican government. Costa Rica is well known for
its conservation through the National Parks System, although the new concepts of
conservation areas and sustainable development are as innovative.
OBJECTIVE:
By the end of this course students will have a general comprehension of the intricate
social dynamics involved in preserving tropical ecosystems in agricultural oriented
countries.
Course contents
1. Introduction
2. General Trends in Natural Resources and World Consumption: The Rich and the Poor
3. Global Warming: El Niño and Other Ocean Phenomena
4. Desertification and Food Supply: Land vrs Desert, Who is to Win?_
5. Deforestation: Are the Tropics going to hold?
6. Potable Water: More expensive than petroleum…scarcer also!
7. Solid Waste Disposal: Who wants it?
8. Sustainable Development: Is it possible?
For each of the topics to be studied, the professor will offer a formal lecture and the
student an oral presentation on issues related to the topic been analyzed. Student
presentations are expected to last at least 20 minutes but not more than 30. A Brief
abstract should be presented to the rest of the class participants prior to the oral
presentation. Class discussion will follow after each presentation.
The course will be graded based on class participation (student presentations), an
individual course turn paper (essay type) which also has to be presented orally to the
class participants (both the essay and the oral presentation will be graded), and a world
problem analyses (focused on tropical countries) turn paper to be developed as a group
report.
Theory. Grading.
Class Participation 30%
Individual Turn Paper 30%
Oral Presentation of Turn Paper 30%
Group World Problem Analyses 10%
Laboratory. Grading.
Field Trips Attendance 80%
Field Trips Report 20%
Students are expected to read several papers, to actively participate in class and to carry
out individual research on the INTERNET.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
JANZEN H., Daniel Costa Rican Natural History. University of Chicago Press,
USA, 1983
Tropical Science Center Costa Rica Country Environmental Profile, Trejos, San
José, Costa Rica, 1983
Evans, Sterling The Green Republic. Princeton. 1996
Series of scientific papers to be found in SINAC, FUNDECOR, INBIO, TSC and others
LAB FIELD TRIPS:
Places and projects visited will change depending on the season of the year and the
availability of the places.
Sarapiquí, Braulio Carrillo, visit FUNDECOR/ACCVC projects
Poas Volcano
Rara Avis, Sarapiquí
INBIO, SINAC, FUNDECOR