Please re-post the following ad 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]>
