The document summarizes a student trip to Costa Rica to learn about ecotourism and sustainable development. It describes visiting Earth University to learn about sustainable agriculture projects involving banana and composting. It also discusses staying at Rios Tropicals and participating in their reforestation and community projects. The trip involved learning about Costa Rica's ecosystems by visiting a serpentarium and butterfly garden, as well as examining local streams.

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Costa Rica 2011
Ecotourism and
sustainable development

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Table of Contents
 Purpose of trip
 Earth University
 Rios Tropical's
 Sustainable Projects
 Ecosystem and animals

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Purpose of trip
“Students actively participate in the Algonquin Rain
Forest Project by completing a week-long field trip to
Costa Rica to explore its ecosystems and the rich
biological resources found in its humid tropical
climate. Hands-on experiential learning
is supported by online learning activities,
as well as, independent and group
learning projects. Students appreciate
the biological resources of the rain
forest, the humid tropics, and the
variable characteristics of the rain
forest habitat, as well as, examine
sustainable agriculture and other
environmental management practices”
(Course Outline, Algonquin College).

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Earth University
Escuela de Agricultura de la Region Humeda
Their mission
“EARTH University is an international institution created out of a deep
conviction that the environmental and social challenges confronting the
planet can be resolved through education that promotes
science, technology and entrepreneurship while focusing on essential
human values, leadership and a commitment to social and
environmental service”

5. + EARTH University
During our stay at EARTH
University we spent a lot of time
visiting the area and learning about
the projects that students were
working on.
One of these included the banana
plantation. Students were trying to
make a more sustainable
plantation. They started using all
the bananas even the bruised ones
for baby food. Instead of getting rid
of the stem they use it to make
authentic paper. And they were
using recyclable bags to keep the
bugs off.

6. + EARTH University
Another group of students were
focusing on creating a more
environmentally sustainable
farm. This included using two
major biodigestors – The gas
produced by the fertilize and
using it for energy. And using
worms to break down the
compost.
Last of all we visited a group called Karibu.
These individuals have been
experimenting with different strategies to
grow plants. They proved that all a plants
needed to live is the 5 elements;
sun, water vitamins, air and subtracts
(support). They used subtracts like
charcoal, pop cans and sand to test and
prove this theory.

7. + Rios Tropical’s – Sustainable
Projects
 Rios Tropical’s is a leading Rafting Operator in Costa Rica. They
are well known for more than their rafting but also their
sustainable projects that evolve around, sustainable
tourist, reforestations’ and sustainable communities. During our
stay with Rios Tropical's we were given the opportunity to take
part in these projects.

8. Sustainable Projects
Sustainable tourist – visiting
and learning about the eco-
lodge and what makes it
sustainable.
Reforestation – 2000 Acres
+ Protected and Over 50,000
trees to planted to date.
Sustainable communities –
Helped pain a school, and clean
up the area.

9. Ecosystem and Animals
During our time there we also learned allot about the
ecosystem and its animals. We visited a
serpentarium and a butterfly garden (another one of
Rios Tropical’s Project).
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We were also working on one of our
own projects when we were there.
This involved taking water samples
Of several streams and examining
the results for diverse bacteria.