Improvement of Facilities at the Palo Verde Biological Station

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The Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) has three biological field stations in Costa Rica that are used by a broad spectrum of the international scientific community. Both La Selva (wet lowland rainforest) and Las Cruces (wet mid-elevation site) are developed and well along the way to achieving their respective training and research potential. Palo Verde (seasonally dry lowlands), on the other hand, is a diamond in the rough with primitive facilities that have been stressed beyond capabilities to service the demand. This project is designed to meet the need for improved facilities that can accommodate the many researchers who wish to investigate dry forest ecosystems and their derivative landscapes, with direct implications for the management of the vast zone centered on the Tempisque Conservation Area and Moracia irrigation project will expand and remodel the station to: (1) ameliorate overcrowding and accommodate a broader range of research projects; and (2) provide access to communications, databases, and utilities to support long term research. Palo Verde was originally singled out in 1969 for use in comparative ecosystem studies because of the stark contrast between its seasonally dry forest and the tropical wet forest of La Selva that is at the same latitude but has more than twice the rainfall. The site is appreciated as much now for the diverse mosaic of forests and wetlands in pristine, disturbed and regenerating states that interface with farms and fisheries. With the extension of the long-term agreement with the Costa Rican Park Service and the recent inauguration of a Ph.D.-level station director position, and a husband and wife team in place, OTS is now ready to move Palo Verde into the mainstream of international tropical science. In addition, the project will include support for the establishment of full Internet connectivity in a configuration appropriate to conditions in Costa Rica.