Puede leer esta página en español aquí.
OTS thanks the citizens of the United States of America, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for the generous support given to the La Selva Research Station.
As a result of this project, OTS improved the La Selva Research Station campus by constructing sustainable buildings, adopting high-efficiency equipment, and installing solar panels for in-site clean energy production.
About OTS
Celebrating 60 years, the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) is a consortium of about 50 universities, colleges, and research institutions from five countries on three continents. OTS’ mission is to provide leadership in education, research, and responsible use of natural resources in the tropics.
Our purpose is to sustain our tropical ecosystems by driving scientific discovery and knowledge, by enriching human perception of nature and by enhancing worldwide policy actions in the tropics.
OTS has a global reputation for research-oriented field courses. Each year, OTS trains undergraduates, graduates, and professionals in tropical ecology and in specialized, advanced topics such as plant systematics, tropical medicine and global health, conservation genetics, protected area management, agroecology, global change, and field research methods.
OTS operates four research stations: Skukuza in South Africa and La Selva, Palo Verde, and Las Cruces in Costa Rica. The research stations provide exceptional research support and state-of-the-art facilities including herbaria, biological inventories, meteorological records, high-speed wireless internet, molecular and chemical laboratories, embedded sensor network, canopy towers, and global information system (GIS) laboratories.
La Selva Research Station
OTS established the La Selva Research Station in 1968 to become one of the first private nature reserves in Costa Rica. The reserve has grown to over 1,600 hectares and it is home to a wide variety of biodiversity that are unique to the region. Nowadays, more than 100 undergraduate and graduate courses are taught at La Selva, making it the perfect place to learn about tropical rainforests and the growing challenges that natural ecosystems are facing.
Thanks to USAID
This project was developed thanks to the generous support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through the American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) program. USAID is a program of the US Government that promotes international development and humanitarian efforts to save lives, reduce poverty, and help communities around the world.