If you’ve been to Selva Verde Lodge you may well know about the Sarapiquí Conservation Learning Center, commonly known as the Learning Center. Perhaps you enjoyed a charla or visit with a local community member at their home during a trip with Road Scholar, or perhaps you planted a tree at a local farm while visiting with your high school.

We are excited to announce that in late August or early September of 2023, Selva Verde Lodge will be inaugurating eight new rooms. The location of these new rooms is near the bridge crossing the Sarapiquí River. This will bring the total number of Sarapiquí rooms to 48.

Left to right: María del Mar Villarreal Zamora, Wilson Huertas and Valery SalasGlobal Big Day (GBD) 2022 was on October 8. For those who aren’t familiar with it, this is a celebration in which large numbers of people across many countries observe as many species as they can in a 24-hour period to give a picture of the current state of bird populations from around the world. This data helps to inform policies and to protect birds in their habitats.

The bird migration has started, and hundreds of species have begun to take flight mainly from North America down to Central and South America. The migration is a movement that birds engage in to seek food, better climate conditions, and even reproduction. Out of the 929 bird species in Costa Rica, approximately 250 are migratory birds. The geographic location of Costa Rica makes the country have a great diversity of flora and fauna, especially avifauna.

A new project of the Sarapiquí Conservation Learning Center (CECOS) aims to protect critical habitat for the endangered Great Green Macaw and other wildlife while also providing sustainable income to local residents.

Award-winning nature photographer Krisztina Scheeff led a free photography workshop at the Sarapiquí Conservation Learning Center tailored especially for naturalist guides to provide them with the opportunity to learn or improve their photography skills. The workshop was open to all skill levels, with a main focus on wildlife and nature photography, as the growing popularity of nature photography in the travel industry has made it a valuable skill for those working in this tourism specialty.

Just off the coast of Costa Rica, amidst the clear blue waters lies an often overlooked and under-protected natural phenomenon: the Costa Rica Thermal Dome. Discovered in 1948 by American scientists, it’s only recently — decades later — that research is beginning to understand its importance in regards to marine biodiversity and climate. 

Just off the coast of Costa Rica, amidst the clear blue waters lies an often overlooked and under-protected natural phenomenon: the Costa Rica Thermal Dome. Discovered in 1948 by American scientists, it’s only recently — decades later — that research is beginning to understand its importance in regards to marine biodiversity and climate. 

Dr. Carlos de la Rosa, the director of the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) at La Selva Biological Station, wrapped up the inaugural Costa Rica International Birding Conference (CRIBC) with that lasting message.  During the previous three days, participants at the conference had met with experts, explored the rainforest, and came away with a greater understanding of conservation in Costa Rica – and the important role that ecotourism plays.

Today, 27% of Costa Rica’s land is protected by law, and the country is a world leader in conservation initiatives. But it wasn’t always this way: in the 1980s, Costa Rica had the highest deforestation rate in Latin America, posing a huge threat to its own rich biodiversity living among the trees.

So how has Costa Rica become a conservation success story?  Many people think about the concept in terms of planting trees and protecting endangered species, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. Costa Rica’s conservation landscape connects business, science, agriculture, economics, and tourism, and all elements are factors in the progress the country has made since the 1980s.

As nature lovers, many of us already take measures to protect the environment—we recycle, carry reusable shopping bags, and plant pollinator-friendly gardens—but we sometimes overlook a daily habit in our own home. If you’re ready to take the next step toward protecting your favorite wildlife, look no further than your morning cup of joe.

It’s estimated that Americans consume approximately 400 million cups of coffee every day; worldwide, the beverage is a $100 billion industry. However, the environmental implications of conventional coffee farming can include deforestation, soil erosion, runoff, and pollution.

As a result, some coffee drinkers are turning to an option that's friendlier to the planet, and specifically birds and wildlife: shade-grown coffee.

Cacao's Comeback | Costa Rica

New developments prove promising for the future of the cacao plant in Costa Rica

Chocolate, nature’s gift to sweet-lovers everywhere, comes from the beanlike seeds of cacao plants, which grow in abundance on the pacific inlands of Costa Rica. After an arresting halt in prosperity for nearly three decades, new breakthroughs in plant breeding show a potential comeback for cacao in Costa Rica.