Where the tropics speak and stories grow – from canopy to community.
Welcome to the Tropical Studies Blog that takes you behind the scenes of OTS fieldwork, told by students, researchers, staff, and communities on the front lines of discovery.
In News
Interactive Learning in Tropical Science: OTS and OCELOTS at CLAG 2026
From January 6–9, 2026, the Conference of Latin American Geography (CLAG 2026) took place in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, bringing together 150+ presentations exploring the role of geography in fields such as conservation, education, communities, and development. Beyond the sessions and...
In News
Pura vida mood activated: Chronicle of my OTS course
There are decisions that are made with an agitated mind and a beating heart. Mine began in Cuba, in the middle of the Latin American Congress of Botany. I wasn't sure if I would reapply to the legendary OTS Plant...
In News
In memory of William Bond
William Bond pictured with Deedra McClearn The OTS community is saddened by the passing of Professor William Bond, a global leader in savanna and fynbos ecology and key supporter of OTS in South Africa. As part of the team of...
In News
Exceptional experiences with OTS in South Africa
We knew we were in great hands from the moment Julissa and Phum picked us up from the tiny airport in the midst of Kruger National Park. We were immediately treated to professional spotting of wildlife from the open safari...
In News
The Legacy Behind La Selva’s Seedling Data
Long-term ecological data are among the most valuable resources in tropical forest science. They allow researchers to look beyond single field seasons and understand how forests change, recover, and persist through time. At the Organization for Tropical Studies, preserving this...
In News
From Field Research to Open Learning: OTS, TEC, and OCELOTS Connect Remote Sensing with Tropical Forest Education
The recently published OCELOTS module, “Smartphone-based LiDAR”, is now available in both English and Spanish, opening the door for a wider community of students, educators, and researchers to explore how accessible technology can support tropical forest science. The module was born from a...
In News
Announcements from Admissions
The OTS Admissions team was thrilled to welcome 15 students from across the United States and Guam, Costa Rica, and South Africa for our Tropical Biology on a Changing Planet and African Ecology and Conservation Fall 2025 undergraduate semester programs,...
In News
Welcome to the Restoration Corner!
In our last newsletter, we shared the vision for the new Center for Tropical Restoration Science (CTRS), an initiative created to strengthen the connections between restoration science, field practice, and community needs across the tropics. Over the past few months,...
In News
The Grandparents of the Dry Forest: New Guayacan Finds in Palo Verde
Some places don’t reveal themselves all at once. They ask for repetition—another walk, another set of eyes, another quiet moment where the forest decides what to show. After last year’s GIS field trip in Palo Verde, I kept thinking about the Guayacan trail—not only...
In News
Chasing Peccaries, Watching Monkeys, Becoming a Scientist
I’ve gone backpacking in the wilderness with my mom every year since I was eight. Those trips are where I learned resilience, adaptability, and a love for nature so deep it still makes my heart overflow with passion. Growing up,...