Tropical Biodiversity and Environmental Justice
MONTEVERDE, COSTA RICA
Students will witness local biodiversity and gain in-depth understanding of sustainability issues and conservation techniques during the program. Every CIEE Faculty-Led & Custom program is a unique combination of high-quality academics and co-curricular activities and excursions that offer real-world experiences to enhance classroom learning.
Destination
Monteverde and its surrounding region is one of the most biologically rich and ecologically diverse cloud forests in the world. It offers students a living laboratory to explore complex ecological interactions, climate change impacts, and conservation strategies. Sustainability in Monteverde is deeply woven into the community’s identity, making it a standout example of how environmental, social, and economic goals can work together. The region has long prioritized conservation, with much of its land protected through reserves and local initiatives. Monteverde also champions eco-tourism, which supports the local economy while encouraging environmental education and stewardship. Its strong local conservation ethos and established research infrastructure provide a supportive environment for impactful scientific education.
Co-Curricular Activities
LECTURES
The Tropical Biodiversity and Environmental Justice program can include the following on-site lectures:
- Sustainable farming practices
- Costa Rican natural environment, biodiversity and conservation initiatives
- Climate change and CORCLIMA, The Monteverde Commission for Resilience to Climate Change, a citizen movement working to lower emissions and adapt to climate change in Monteverde
- A discussion with an artist or facilitator from a non-profit artisan cooperative dedicated to enhancing the economic and social well-being of local women artists
SITE VISITS
Here are just a few of the possibilities for co-curricular activities and excursions in Monteverde:
- A guided tour, coffee tasting and a farm-to-table meal at a Monteverde farm to learn aboutlocal Costa Rican coffee farming and sustainable agriculture.
- A guided hike in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve with its unique microclimate that supports an extraordinary range of biodiversity that attracts scientists and students from around the globe and a conservation success story through grassroots efforts by local and international communities.
- A guided hike and a discussion on tropical biodiversity in the Children’s Eternal Rainforest.
- A hands-on conservation project experience at Monteverde Institute, a non-profit educational organization founded in 1986 to guide the increased tourism in a sustainable way by integrating academic programs, research, and community initiatives into programs to benefit both visitors and the local community.
- Experience eco-tourism in Costa Rica on day trips and overnight excursions to places of natural beauty and adventure such as the iconic landmarks of La Fortuna with a visit to the Arenal Volcano, hot springs, and a cacao farm, and El Tigre Waterfalls.
What's Included
Every program is tailored to suit the needs of your academic goals – so every program has unique program inclusions and pricing based on your needs. In addition to the programmatic and cultural inclusions above, a standard CIEE custom program includes on-site orientation, 24/7 emergency support, in-country transportation, accommodations, some meals, classroom space, comprehensive insurance coverage and logistical support from our on-site CIEE staff. We also offer marketing templates and other valuable tools to help you get the word out to students.
Health, Safety, & Security
CIEE has over seven decades of experience creating engaging and reliable study abroad programs around the world, with an excellent safety record. Each of our sites is regularly assessed using international risk management standards and data to facilitate successful programs. In addition, our custom and faculty-led programs include pre-departure and on-site orientations, iNext travel insurance, the support of trained CIEE staff members on-site, and 24/7 emergency support in-country. Learn more at ciee.org/safety.