Over 40 years ago, researchers from La Selva and the Costa Rican’s Government established a unique altitudinal transect linking La Selva Research Station with Braulio Carrillo National Park. Spanning 51–kilometers and reaching nearly 2,900 m. a.s.l. at the Barva Volcano, the transect and the shelters along (such as “Refugio 2000”) are designed to facilitate long-term research.
Nowadays this scientific facility is at a crossroads.
Long-term studies from the 1980’s, such as bird communities changes and forest dynamics, urgently need to continue, and so is restoring the infrastructure that makes them possible.
Orlando Vargas, a botanist and naturalist involved in the scientific- academic department at La Selva Research Station, reminds us of the historical and scientific significance of the connection between La Selva and the Braulio Carrillo National Park.
A recent visit to Refugio 2000 aimed to assess the shelter and trail conditions in preparation for installing acoustic recorders that will allow long-term bird monitoring and forest plots.
Refugio 2000 is not just a basic shelter. It’s a link across time — connecting us to historical data and most importantly, reminding that scientific infrastructure also needs care and investment to thrive.
Thank you so much for contributing to OTS’ effort to maintain robust facilities for our conservation technology equipment and support Transect and shelters maintenance. Your contribution helps a legacy of globally important data collection modernize to 21st century standards.
If you wish to make payment to OTS via check, please mail to:
Organization for Tropical Studies
408 Swift Ave.
Durham, NC 27705
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Organization for Tropical Studies is a nonprofit organization and public charity as defined by the United States Internal revenue codes 501(c)(3), 509(a)(1) and 170(b)(1)(A)(vi).
EIN 56-2125831
