US-Costa Rica Workshop: Developing the Las Cruces Biological Station as a Center for Research on Tropical Forest Conservation and Restoration in Multi-Use Landscapes

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This award will support an international workshop, July 25 thru Aug 1, 2008 at The Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), Las Cruces Biological Station (LCBS) located in San Jose, Costa Rica. Co-organized by Dr. Rakan Zahawi, Director of LCBS and Dr. David Morales from Fundacion Neotropica, Costa Rica, the workshop will be a combination of lectures, field excursions to view research projects, and panel discussions. Panels will focus on discussions of past research on tropical forest restoration ecology in the region and globally, coordinating research among PIs, developing collaborations, and prioritizing future research directions. The workshop is expected to attract more than 50 participants, including students (U.S. and Costa Rican) who will be exposed to current issues in restoration ecology through hands-on learning in the field, as well as through lectures, poster sessions, and panel discussions. Fifteen undergraduate students from the NSF-funded Native American and Pacific Islander Research Experience (NAPIRE) program will participate in the workshop. Many of the workshop participants have ongoing research projects in the region and some have addressed similar questions elsewhere in Costa Rica or elsewhere in the world which will provide for a broader perspective and build new collaborations. This workshop is expected to further the science of tropical forest restoration ecology, and impact education and enhance regional conservation planning.