Please post the following add on your Ecolog-l list serve. Thanks! Dr. Joachim
TREE FIELD STUDIES FIELD COURSES IN COSTA RICA Tree Field Studies is a small organization specializing in providing world-class educational and research experiences to students from all over the world. Tree Field Studies, has been dedicated to the education of students in tropical ecology, conservation and animal behavior. Our teaching faculty has extensive experience teaching and doing research in the Tropics. Over the years Tree Field Studies has taught classes in Costa Rica, Panama and Tanzania. Our students have seen what few people ever get to see: wild undisturbed rainforest. They have observed macaws at close range, collected Jaguar scat for Panthera, tracked monkeys, identified poison-dart frogs and caught glimpses of Tapirs. The founders of Tree Field School have a strong commitment to the local community; manifesting each year in community development projects, educational support for local students and aid to local and international researchers. In addition to providing excellent training for future scientists in the areas of ecology, conservation and animal behavior, Tree faculty and staff enable students to visit areas within country for both educational and recreational purposes. Students have visited volcanoes, cloud forests, coral reefs, and beaches. They have relaxed in hot springs, swum in water-filled extinct calderas, and sped through the forest zip lining. Please feel free to contact one or all of us if you are interested in attending one of our courses. Contact information: Dr. Lorna Joachim: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Tel: (505) 710-4007 Mr. Israel Mesen Rubi: [email protected] Dr. Grainne McCabe: [email protected] WEBSITE: http://treefieldstudies.wix.com/treefieldstudies Announcing Tree Field Studies summer 2014 course offerings in Cost Rica. Courses are listed below; though additional courses are in the works. For more information please go to our website at: http://treefieldstudies.wix.com/treefieldstudies COURSES & FACULTY FOR THE SUMMER OF 2014 1. PRIMATE BEHAVIOR & ECOLOGY (June 17 - July 17, 2014) Course Cost: $2895: Instructor: Dr. Lorna Joachim (Primate Behavior & Ecology course): Co-founder and principle instructor Tree Field Studies, Adjunct Professor of Research in Psychology University of New Mexico. Instructor: Dr. Grainne McCabe (Primate Behavior & Ecology course): Co-Director, Moka Wildlife Research Centre at Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program<https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bioko-Biodiversity-Protection-Program/107673299261496>, Equatorial Guinea. This month-long course is designed to teach undergraduate and graduate students the basic skills needed to study wild primates. Throughout this course, students will learn behavioral data collection techniques all through a series of field-based assignments. In addition, students will complete an independent study project on native monkeys living in the area. Monkeys like Black-handed Spider Monkey; The White-faced Capuchin and the Mantled Howler Monkey are common at El Zota. Students are free to construct their own research project or do one on a topic of our suggestion. Students may work as singles or in groups of any size - as they desire. Faculty members are happy to help students at any stage of project completion. Tree Field Studies faculty and staff will gladly help bring these projects to fruition. 2. TROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY (Dates: to be announced soon!) Course Cost $2895 USD: Instructor: Dr. Erica McAlister (Tropical Entomology): Collections Manager, Life Sciences Department Terrestrial Invertebrates Division, Natural History Museum, London. The aim of this course is to introduce students to the tropical diversity through topics including natural history, biogeography and ecosystem interactions. We will use the field experiences as a natural laboratory where students will gain experience in the scientific process as seen through the lens of ecology. Lectures and readings will provide the basis for field excursions, but ultimately students will devise their own questions and hypotheses to work on independently or in small groups. Additionally cultural, ethical, and conservation issues will be discussed. 3. TROPICAL HERPETOLOGY (July 22 – August 12) Course Cost: $2200: Description coming soon… Instructor: Dr. Tom LaDuke (Tropical Herpetology): Department of Biological Sciences, East Stroudsburg University 4. TROPICAL ECOLOGY (May 6 – June 4) Course Cost: $2895: Instructor: Dr. Brian Moskalik: Department of Biology, University of St. Francis, Joliet, IL. The aim of this course is to introduce students to the tropical diversity through topics including natural history, biogeography and ecosystem interactions. We will use the field experiences as a natural laboratory where students will gain experience in the scientific process as seen through the lens of ecology. Lectures and readings will provide the basis for field excursions, but ultimately students will devise their own questions and hypotheses to work on independently or in small groups. Additionally cultural, ethical, and conservation issues will be discussed. COURSE LOCATIONS: El Zota Biological Station, Costa Rica, Cana Palma, and Tortuguero, Costa Rica The El Zota Biological Station is a tropical wet forest site comprised of 2400 acres of primary, secondary and regenerating forest. The station is home to a diverse number of species native to the country. In addition, it seasonally hosts hundreds of migratory birds from all over the world. The station is located in Northeastern Costa Rica (10° 33' 26.21", -83° 44' 10.61") and is quite close to Tortuguero National Park and the Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge. El Zota is truly a wonderful place to learn about tropical flora and fauna. It is not unusual for everyone to see small cats like jaguarondis, or have a tapir run across the road in front of them. Great Green Macaws usually show up for a week or two in the summer - this is a treat as there are only a couple hundred nesting pairs left in the whole country. El Zota has its share of herpetofauna as well; students commonly see two of the three species of poison dart frog on each excursion into the forest. But El Zota is not just a forest; the camp is very nice with dormitory style or single rooms. Each dorm has its own bathroom and toilet area. The single rooms share facilities just down the hall. So, there is no wandering around at night looking for a bathroom here! El Zota also has a dining hall, lecture hall, laboratory, and a little store. The pulperia (store) sells basic toiletries, and snacks. There is a wonderful covered dance floor where Israel teaches students the basic steps necessary for salsa and merengue. In addition, we recently got a pool table from the owner Hiner Ramirez; making for lots of late night fun. Excursions to Tortuguero Costa Rica involve study and fun. This is the Caribbean coast so the flora and fauna of the area encompasses beach, ocean, mangroves, lowland forest, and pasture. Tortuguero National Park just adjacent to Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge is the largest sea turtle nesting site on the Atlantic Coast of Costa Rica. Tree arranges for accommodations in Cana Palma a lovely area right nearby. We rent a house or stay in a small hotel - right on the beach - it's not all work when we are here! There are lots of fun-in-the-sun activities planned from zip lining, to sea turtle observation. In addition, everyone loves early AM boat tours of the amazing canal system here. And as for work... students in the primate class census monkeys from kayaks - this is unusual and fun to boot! OUR APPLICATION PROCESS The application process for Tree Field Studies is simple, and free. You can access the course application forms on the "Apply" page on our website: http://treefieldstudies.wix.com/treefieldstudies. Forms can be downloaded to your computer and filled out electronically. If you have a digital signature go ahead and use it - otherwise type your signature or sign on the appropriate line. Here is a list of the application materials required for full admission to any of our courses: application, transcript, 2 references, liability form, and a signed medical form. Include a copy of your college transcript (official or unofficial) as an attachment along with your application. Please send your completed forms to Dr. Joachim at [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>. • Transcript: An official or unofficial copy of your college/university transcript sent to us as a pdf. • Your References: We require two references for each application we receive. Whenever possible, provide at least one academic reference along with your application. The other reference can be from an employer – or from someone who can speak to your motivation, work ethic, personality etc. • Tree Field Studies Liability Form: Please sign and complete our liability form located on our website. • Tree Field Studies Medical Form: Tree Field Studies requires that each applicant get his or her physician to fill out and sign the medical form. We understand that compliance may reveal some private information. Please keep in mind that our job is to keep you safe and to allow everyone in each class get as much out of each course as possible. Therefore, while we cannot require your physician to provide us with your medical details, we would like you to consider providing information to us that would help us care for you in case of a medical emergency. If your physician signs off on the medical form we will not deny you admission based on any information you provide on the form. But we would like you to present the information below to your physician so that both of you can make an informed decision Early admission due date: March 15th 2014. • Early admission applications must include all of the following application materials: application, transcript, 2 references, and the liability form. • Early admission applications are given priority enrollment for courses. • Deposit due within 1 week of your tentative acceptance. • The balance of your account is due by April 20th, 2014. Regular admission due date: April 1st, 2014. • Regular admission applications must include all of the following application materials: application, transcript, 2 references, and liability form. • Deposit due within 1 week of your tentative acceptance. • The balance of your account is due by April 20th, 2014. Emergency late admission due date: April 15th, 2014. • Late admissions will be considered only if a class is not already full. Late admissions must include all applications materials (application, transcript, 2 references, liability form, signed medical form) at the same time. • Deposit due within 1 week of your tentative acceptance. • The balance of your account is due by April 20th, 2014. Tuition and deposits: We will review your application and send you an email with a tentative acceptance or denial within a few days of its receipt. Following your tentative acceptance please let us know (via email) within 1 week whether or not you intend to attend the class. Keep in mind that to save a spot in a class requires a non-refundable $400 deposit. Your deposit is applied to your balance; which is due by April 20th, 2014. Please keep in mind that receipt of all application materials as well as tuition is necessary for full acceptance to the program. Please note that if you withdraw from any of our field school courses within 30 days of the start of the course both the deposit and a $700 fee will be assessed. We do this because Tree Field Studies has to pre-pay everything in country well before students arrive for their class. Understand that these payments are non-refundable, so please make sure that you are coming on the trip BEFORE you accept us. Please make your check out to: Dr. Lorna Joachim c/o Tree Field Studies. Please send your check to the following address... TREE: Tropical Research in Ecology and Ethology, LLC c/o Dr. Lorna Joachim P.O. Box 1252 Corrales, NM 87048 GRADING & COURSE CREDITS: Students may take this course for university credit through their own university, as an independent study, or through The University of New Mexico as an enrolled student. We are happy to help facilitate such credit; but it is up to the student to let us know well in advance of the course dates how they want to handle it. Of course many students take our course just to get field experience. So, we are glad to write letters of recommendation for graduate school etc., for all students completing the course in a satisfactory manner. CONTACT INFORMATION WEBSITE: http://treefieldstudies.wix.com/treefieldstudies EMAIL: Dr. Lorna Joachim: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>, Tel: (505) 710-4007 Mr. Israel Mesen Rubi: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Dr. Grainne McCabe: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
