This program is only available to coordinated groups of 4 or more people.

Tropical Ecology and Sustainable Development in Costa Rica
Every morning students will take 3 hours of Spanish classes, emphasizing technical vocabulary and conversation about the environment. In the afternoon they will attend lectures, watch videos and interview professionals who work for the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and the Ministry of Environment and Energy. Students will have field trips to local farms.

Some of the subjects included in this program are:

1- Costa Rican culture and the roles of local people, government and private companies in the implementation of sustainable development models.

2- The ecological impact of human activity on agriculture including; water pollution, waste management and climate change.

3- The soil as a living organism.

4 - The environmental factors and your selective action on the fauna.

5- Soil restoration and preservation, basic field techniques and measurements (production of organic fertilizer, green fertilizer).

6- Biological control of plague and disease in some agriculture products.

7- Protected areas and national parks of Costa Rica. Planning and management. Endangered species.

Requirements: Applicants for this program must be 16 years of age and have completed at least their junior year of high school prior to starting this program.

- The minimum length of this program is 4 weeks.

- The students must have an intermediate level in conversational Spanish

Students who have a beginner level in Spanish may enroll in our regular Spanish programs. When the students achieve the intermediate level they may transfer to the environmental program.

Additional private tutoring hour: US$15

Prices include: Welcoming Lunch, tuition, cultural activities and class materials. In the home stay: private room, breakfast, dinner and laundry. The book is free for this program. You may enroll in this program or a combination of this and the other programs.