What is COTERC?
What is COTERC?
The Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation (COTERC) is a Canadian non-profit.
Founded in 1991, COTERC oversees Caño Palma Biological Station in Tortuguero Costa Rica. The station’s purpose is to provide immersive experiences for young biologists.
Managed by an international board of directors, COTERC’s mission is to provide immersive learning experiences at CPBS that deepen comprehension and appreciation of tropical ecosystems.
COTERC’s History
COTERC was founded in 1991 by the late Marilyn Cole and her former husband Ozzie Teichner.
Marilyn and Ozzie, both former zoo keepers, were studying nesting leatherback sea turtles near Tortuguero in 1990. At the time, Tortuguero had a population of around 200 and was hardly more than a general store, a few bars, a gas station, and the entry to Tortuguero National Park. The village of San Francisco, where Caño Palma is now based, did not exist. Marilyn and Ozzie were approached by a local whom they had become friends with, who owned a plot of land along the Caño Palma (or Palma Canal in English) that he was looking to sell. The property was nothing more than a parcel of land and a small hut inhabited by the owner. Inspired by the wildlife they saw at the property, they decided to buy. In 1991, they registered COTERC as a Canadian charity and turned ownership of the land over to the nonprofit. From here, COTERC has developed Caño Palma Biological Station into what it is today: a place for conservation, education, and community.
First Station bathrooms, 1991
Station kitchen with wood burning stove, 1996
Main station building, 1991
