Region: Latin America
Jorge A. Jimenez
Director, Costa Rica Organization for Tropical Studies
The Costa Rican Network for Long Term Ecological Research was established in January 1998, with the support of the Ministry of Science and Technology. The Network was initiated with the participation of four academic institutions: Organization for Tropical Studies, University of Costa Rica, Tropical Science Center and National University. These institutions have selected five field sites as the founding sites. The network is administered by a Coordinating Committee with representatives of each site within the network.
The Costa Rican LTER Network was originated as an inititative of the involved academic institutions, with the political support of the government. Currently in its formative stage, the network is working toward consolidation through meetings with administrative authorities within each institution and involvement of researchers associated with this effort. The network is about to establish a web server with specific information about the sitesDescription of Program
The Costa Rican Network is currently composed of five sites: a) The Marine Research Station at Punta Morales, operated by the National University; b) The Biological Reserve Alberto Ml. Brenes at San Ramón, operated by the University of Costa Rica; c) The Cloud Forest Reserve Monteverde, operated by the Tropical Science Center; d) The La Selva Biological Station, operated by the Organization for Tropical Studies; and e) The Las Cruces Biological Station, also operated by the Organization for Tropical Studies.
The network has taken advantage of the experience of the Organization for Tropical Studies in the area of data management at field stations. A recently developed system for making datasets and metadata available on the web is being incorporated at each site. This highly flexible system has a search engine that browses through unstructured and structured text, numeric tabular datasets and relational datasets.
The network is also well along in the establishment of minimum standards for metadata generated at each site.
While continuing work on the definition of core areas, the sites are reaching a common ground on climatic data, site specific collections and permanent plot data.
The ECMAR-UNA is a scientific and technological station that, due to the quality of its infrastructure,allows the execution of research, teaching, extension, and productive activities related to the scientific, technological, social and economic development of the coastal, marine zone, and adjacent terrestrial areas.
The ECMAR-UNA is located at Punta Morales in Costa Rica, Central America. It can be accessed by the Interamerican Highway. The ECMAR-UNA is 135 km from the country’s capital city of San José, and it is located 120 km to the northwest of the Santamaria International Airport. It can also be reached by a small boat in a 40 minutes trip from the port of Puntarenas.
ECMAR-UNA is located in the Gulf of Nicoya, the Costa Rican most important estuarine zone, it is surrounded by mangroves, and suffers the effects of dense human population. Close to the Station are the fishing towns of Chomes, Costa de Pajaros, Chira, and Puntarenas. About 5,000 fishermen live there, and 15,000 people are dependant to the natural resources utilization.
Thematics that could be developed in the ecmar-una include: Biodiversity studies, marine, coastal and continental; Management of marine, coastal and continental resources; Ecotourism; Social and economic impact, including anthropology, economy of the coastal zone, and food availability; Distribution of physical and human resources; and rural, adult, environmental and ecological education.
THE ECMAR-UNA Objectives are to: (1) Provide infrastructure for execution of projects and activities in the field of Coastal, Marine Sciences and Tropical Ecology, which have been approved by national and international institutions, and; (2) Facilitate the vinculation between institutions and organized groups which are interested on the integral development of the coastal, marine zone and adjacent areas.
Pacheco, O. 1998. Integración de los actores e integralidad de las acciones en las políticas de desarrollo para la Región del Golfo de Nicoya. UNICIENCIA 15-16 (1) 119 - 129.