Purchase College SUNY offers a three-week winter program in Costa Rica studying the balance between conservation and human use in a diverse set of tropical ecosystems, centered on the goal of long-term sustainability.

Students enroll in a four credit course cross-listed in Environmental Studies and Latin American Studies, exploring the diversity of tropical ecosystems, the history of conservation in Costa Rica, and the current balance between land protection and economic development. We will visit natural areas to learn about biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, and visit agricultural areas and human-modified ecosystems to get a first-hand view of how human activity affects living systems. Learn where your coffee, bananas, pineapples, and cane sugar come from, and how local farmers are integrating crop production and wildlife conservation. Most of the course activities will be field-based, often guided by Costa Ricans to offer a local perspective.