Who Operates CPBS?
Who operates Caño Palma Biological Station on the ground?
The station is operated jointly by the Station Manager, Field Coordinator, and Research Coordinator.
Charlotte Foale, Station Manager
Our Manager, Charlotte Foale, joined CPBS in 2007. Charlotte was born in England and has lived in New Zealand and the United States prior to moving to Costa Rica. She first visited CPBS in 2007 as a volunteer, with a plan to stay for three months, which she soon realized was not a likely timeline. She now lives in San Francisco de Tortuguero with her husband, Manuel, and her son, Emanuel. She is fluent in both English and Spanish. She oversees station logistics and day-to-day functionality. Charlotte is passionate about her position and has been a vital part of CPBS since the day she arrived. She supports the scientists who visit CPBS, has built and maintains meaningful relationships with the local community, and is a brilliant steward for the local environment.
Manuel Arias, Field Coordinator
Manuel, our Field Coordinator began work with CPBS in 2012. Manuel is a born naturalist. Having grown up in Guapiles and worked outside for most of his life, he is an expert in the local wildlife. He uses his ecological knowledge and expertise to work with interns and volunteers to maintain most of our long-term monitoring projects, helps to develop the logistics of new projects, and uses his handyman knowledge and expertise to keep the station running.
Full station staff history available here: CPBS Station Staff
Clara Rodriguez Baliu, Research Coordinator
The Research Coordinator works with the Station Manager to ensure all incoming interns are prepared to work on the projects. In this mentoring role, the Research Coordinator is responsible for overseeing much of the research done on base, including coordinating long-term monitoring projects, supervising students conducting independent research projects, training and supervising volunteers, ensuring daily schedules are maintained, and consolidating data and drafting reports.
Our current Research Coordinator is Clara Rodríguez Baliu. Clara obtained a Bachelor of Science in organisms and aquatic ecosystems from the University of Girona (UdG), followed by a Master's degree in Biodiversity in tropical areas and conservation from CSIC-UIMP in Madrid, Spain. Her academic journey has been enriched by active participation in various campaigns and research projects, with particular focus on seabirds, plastic contamination in organisms, and microbial activity in soil. With experiences in Cabo Verde and Costa Rica, she has dedicated her efforts primarily to sea turtle conservation and raising awareness on environmental preservation. Clara was drawn to Caño Palma by its rich biodiversity and ongoing long term research projects of all taxa, driven by the belief in empowering volunteers and students towards the path of research and conservation.
