THE ROLE OF THE STAFF
The role of the staff, and more specifically the station managers at CPBS is vital. Although many people travel to and spend time at the center, it is these select few that make the whole organization possible. Beginning in 1991 with Marilyn Cole as its founder, the station was able to take form and flourish over the years that followed due to the sacrifices and hard work of the Station staff. As the Station has developed its identity, we have at times ad Scientific Officers work alongside the Station Managers. In 2011 we formed the role of Research Coordinator, recognising that with our growth as a research center, we required a full-time, on-site scientist to team with our Canadian based Director of Conservation and Research.
Although living and working full-time has often been described as a challenge, staff also explain that it can be very rewarding. Each manager has faced personal obstacles at the Station that they have had to overcome, yet in each circumstance the managers and their support staff have proven themselves, and greatly improved Caño Palma in their wake. For example, general improvements on the buildings such as septic tanks, electricity, plumbing, a trail system and boardwalk in the forest, relationships with locals and visitors to the Station, and the creation of many programs like bird migration, turtle monitoring, and research on primates and amphibians, just to name a few. Not only have the Station Managers improved the center in Costa Rica, but they also explain that the experiences they took away from their time there has allowed them to share their knowledge with other places around the world.
In each case, the Station Managers have described their position as one that gave them intense satisfaction, with both devotion and passion driving them to help the environment. While they describe their memories with fondness, the photos of them at Caño Palma depict even more vividly the deep connection they share with the Station. Over the years the Station has evolved from a plot of land to the thriving center that now hosts multiple research opportunities to benefit the fauna and flora that surrounds it, the locals, and the many people from other countries who have the opportunity to travel down and experience it first-hand. Once described by Greg Mayne as "rough [and] rustic" the Station has grown to be more accommodating for the many humans who come to help make a difference in the environment. This was all made possible by the sacrifices of the Station Managers, who often faced both physical and emotional barriers in order to obtain finances and support to make the programs possible.
Although living and working full-time has often been described as a challenge, staff also explain that it can be very rewarding. Each manager has faced personal obstacles at the Station that they have had to overcome, yet in each circumstance the managers and their support staff have proven themselves, and greatly improved Caño Palma in their wake. For example, general improvements on the buildings such as septic tanks, electricity, plumbing, a trail system and boardwalk in the forest, relationships with locals and visitors to the Station, and the creation of many programs like bird migration, turtle monitoring, and research on primates and amphibians, just to name a few. Not only have the Station Managers improved the center in Costa Rica, but they also explain that the experiences they took away from their time there has allowed them to share their knowledge with other places around the world.
In each case, the Station Managers have described their position as one that gave them intense satisfaction, with both devotion and passion driving them to help the environment. While they describe their memories with fondness, the photos of them at Caño Palma depict even more vividly the deep connection they share with the Station. Over the years the Station has evolved from a plot of land to the thriving center that now hosts multiple research opportunities to benefit the fauna and flora that surrounds it, the locals, and the many people from other countries who have the opportunity to travel down and experience it first-hand. Once described by Greg Mayne as "rough [and] rustic" the Station has grown to be more accommodating for the many humans who come to help make a difference in the environment. This was all made possible by the sacrifices of the Station Managers, who often faced both physical and emotional barriers in order to obtain finances and support to make the programs possible.
Current Staff
Charlotte & Manual Station Manager, Assistant Station Manager ( 2013 to Present)
Charlotte
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Manuel and Emanuel
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Manuel and I have dipped in and out of Caño Palma life for a number of years. Manuel started passing through in 2000, helping with construction projects and joining herpetologists in their searches for reptiles and amphibians. A born naturalist he’s observant and patient, and having worked out of doors for the majority of his life, he’s had plenty of time to indulge his curiosity in nature.
I arrived in 2007, giving up a career in healthcare to pursue a passion for birds and conservation. With a plan to be here for three months, I lived on base for nine, before I accepted that leaving was not going to be as easy I thought, there was just too much to learn. Having lived in New Zealand, the United States, and England, I had finally found home. Manuel and I bought a house on the other side of the canal, married, and continued to provide coverage while managers were away. After the birth of our son, Emanuel, and a harrowing first year as blundering, tired parents, I was able to reignite my connections with the CRBO and start bird-banding again – bliss.
The chance to share the management of the Station gives Manuel and I the ability to work towards a variety of goals we feel strongly about. From the opportunity to support the scientists whose research contributes so much to local conservation, to the more complex, of trying to build more bridges and create more opportunities to facilitate, on a local level, change in how our son’s generation view and care for the environment that means so much to us. We have been here long enough to be aware of the frustrations ahead, but know that there is so much to be gained, working with the incredible people who for a week, month or year, choose to make Caño Palma their home.
I arrived in 2007, giving up a career in healthcare to pursue a passion for birds and conservation. With a plan to be here for three months, I lived on base for nine, before I accepted that leaving was not going to be as easy I thought, there was just too much to learn. Having lived in New Zealand, the United States, and England, I had finally found home. Manuel and I bought a house on the other side of the canal, married, and continued to provide coverage while managers were away. After the birth of our son, Emanuel, and a harrowing first year as blundering, tired parents, I was able to reignite my connections with the CRBO and start bird-banding again – bliss.
The chance to share the management of the Station gives Manuel and I the ability to work towards a variety of goals we feel strongly about. From the opportunity to support the scientists whose research contributes so much to local conservation, to the more complex, of trying to build more bridges and create more opportunities to facilitate, on a local level, change in how our son’s generation view and care for the environment that means so much to us. We have been here long enough to be aware of the frustrations ahead, but know that there is so much to be gained, working with the incredible people who for a week, month or year, choose to make Caño Palma their home.
Morgan Hughes Research Coordinator (2020 To Present)
Morgan is a passionate Wildlife Biologist and conservationist who is driven by her motivation to inspire and mentor others. She has a BSc. in Wildlife Management from Utah State University and a MSc. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida. While her experiences in the United States allowed her to work with a diversity of incredible species, she discovered her true passion for teaching and community based conservation during her time in Peru with the Peace Corps. She looks forward to sharing her knowledge in research design and statistics in order to help students at Caño Palma develop the skills needed to advance in their career and make an impact on the world. Her personal research focuses on bat ecology/ phenology and she hopes to make bat research an integral part of the station’s contributions to science.
Past Staff
Alessandro Franceschini Research Coordinator (2019 to 2020)
Alessandro is a born nature lover, with an innate curiosity and a keen desire to explore. He obtained an B.Sc. in Biology (University of Urbino), and an M.Sc. (University of Padua) in evolutionary biology specializing in ecology. He has experience with many different plant and animal species, but for his M.Sc. work he analyzed interactions in the ungulate community of Eastern Italian Alps. During his career he has taken on the challenge of internships and volunteer positions at museums and research stations, most notably in Spain at the CSIC, Italy at MUSE and Australia at AUSTROP. His work in remote places has fed his passion for wilderness and the study of ecology – and eventually a decision to specialize in mammals.
When he saw the opportunity to work in Cano Palma, he didn’t hesitate for a second, as he had visited Costa Rica before and was excited about station’s potential for surveys and projects on its many interesting species. He first arrived in Cano Palma in July 2019 as Mammal Research Coordinator but is now assuming the role of Station Research Coordinator. Other than supervising volunteers and interns, he focuses on the study of competitive interactions between local meso-predators (ocelot, tayra, opossum) and the apex predator (jaguar) as well as analyzing the occupancy pattern of the neotropical river otter in relation to the presence of the spectacled caiman.
When he saw the opportunity to work in Cano Palma, he didn’t hesitate for a second, as he had visited Costa Rica before and was excited about station’s potential for surveys and projects on its many interesting species. He first arrived in Cano Palma in July 2019 as Mammal Research Coordinator but is now assuming the role of Station Research Coordinator. Other than supervising volunteers and interns, he focuses on the study of competitive interactions between local meso-predators (ocelot, tayra, opossum) and the apex predator (jaguar) as well as analyzing the occupancy pattern of the neotropical river otter in relation to the presence of the spectacled caiman.
Anna Harris Coordinator (2017 to 2019)
Anna grew up in a small boating town just north of Detroit, Michigan. From a young age she could be found playing in creeks and swamps, which naturally led to an early interest in biology. She received her BSc in biology, emphasizing in aquatic biology, with Spanish as a second major. During undergrad, Anna studied abroad in Costa Rica and held an internship participating in amphibian walks and invasive plant surveys. For her MSc, she conducted her fieldwork in Ecuador examining aquatic macroinvertebrate communities and food-web structures in cloud forest streams. Working at Caño Palma provided Anna the opportunity to work with a variety of taxa, learn new field techniques, and work with biologists from around the world.
Anna grew up in a small boating town just north of Detroit, Michigan. From a young age she could be found playing in creeks and swamps, which naturally led to an early interest in biology. She received her BSc in biology, emphasizing in aquatic biology, with Spanish as a second major. During undergrad, Anna studied abroad in Costa Rica and held an internship participating in amphibian walks and invasive plant surveys. For her MSc, she conducted her fieldwork in Ecuador examining aquatic macroinvertebrate communities and food-web structures in cloud forest streams. Working at Caño Palma provided Anna the opportunity to work with a variety of taxa, learn new field techniques, and work with biologists from around the world.
Molly McCargar Research Coordinator (2015 to 2017)
Molly McCargar first came to Caño Palma as a Marine Turtle Intern in 2014, after completing her BSc in Marine Science, at Boston University. With a passion for the work, and experience in 4 other turtle projects, Molly excelled, and her internship was extended from 3, to 6 months. She then returned to university, completing her MSc in Conservation Biology at Colombia. The focus for her Masters was Icthyology, and she is a woman equally at home in the field, or in a lab.
With an incredible work ethic, and keen scientific mind, we were always hoping to find a way to bring Molly home to Caño Palma. She came back at the end of 2015 to start collecting data for her PhD, and when the Research Coordinator position became available, she was a natural fit for the position. In addition to supervising undergraduates in their research, and running our long-term monitoring projects, Molly continues to conduct her own research while here. She is collecting genetic material from turtle nest excavations, in preparation for her PhD.
Molly McCargar first came to Caño Palma as a Marine Turtle Intern in 2014, after completing her BSc in Marine Science, at Boston University. With a passion for the work, and experience in 4 other turtle projects, Molly excelled, and her internship was extended from 3, to 6 months. She then returned to university, completing her MSc in Conservation Biology at Colombia. The focus for her Masters was Icthyology, and she is a woman equally at home in the field, or in a lab.
With an incredible work ethic, and keen scientific mind, we were always hoping to find a way to bring Molly home to Caño Palma. She came back at the end of 2015 to start collecting data for her PhD, and when the Research Coordinator position became available, she was a natural fit for the position. In addition to supervising undergraduates in their research, and running our long-term monitoring projects, Molly continues to conduct her own research while here. She is collecting genetic material from turtle nest excavations, in preparation for her PhD.
Luis Fernandez Assistant Research Director (2014 to 2015)
Luis Manuel Fernández is an enthusiastic Spanish biologist who discovered Caño Palma while working at Tortuguero's Sea Turtle Conservancy.
There was something about the atmosphere on base that caught his attention, and he applied for one of the Head Intern positions for the Marine Turtle Monitoring program.
With a Masters in Biodiversity and Conservation, his research experience also includes European Pond Turtles, and other reptiles, amphibians, and birds. When we interviewed him, we saw the potential for him to fill a much bigger role, and we offered him the position of Assistant Manager & Research Coordinator. He proved his value in 2014, and was invited to continue in this dual role in 2015.
His research focus will be the turtles and caimans, and he will be facilitating community conservation efforts, with a particular focus on a Conservation Club for the students of nearby San Francisco.
Luis Manuel Fernández is an enthusiastic Spanish biologist who discovered Caño Palma while working at Tortuguero's Sea Turtle Conservancy.
There was something about the atmosphere on base that caught his attention, and he applied for one of the Head Intern positions for the Marine Turtle Monitoring program.
With a Masters in Biodiversity and Conservation, his research experience also includes European Pond Turtles, and other reptiles, amphibians, and birds. When we interviewed him, we saw the potential for him to fill a much bigger role, and we offered him the position of Assistant Manager & Research Coordinator. He proved his value in 2014, and was invited to continue in this dual role in 2015.
His research focus will be the turtles and caimans, and he will be facilitating community conservation efforts, with a particular focus on a Conservation Club for the students of nearby San Francisco.
Emily Khazan Research Coordinator (Dec 2014 to November 2015)
Emily grew up outside of Baltimore, MD., and fell in love with the tropics and field biology while spending a semester in Costa Rica as an undergraduate. She subsequently shaped her undergrad curriculum around conservation biology.
As an undergrad, Emily worked on a series of behavioral ecology projects, focused on damselflies. She conducted fieldwork on odonates from Michigan to Mexico before starting her Master's degree. Her Master's research focused on movement of giant damselflies throughout the San Juan - La Selva biological corridor in Northeast Costa Rica.
Working at Cano Palma gives her the opportunity to explore another region of Costa Rica and learn about/work with many new taxa, and we get some interesting new ideas and perspectives to shape 2015.
Emily is currently in a PhD program at the school of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Florida.
Past Station Managers
Elias Bader
Elias discovered Caño Palma Biological Station while attending a bat research conference in Costa Rica. With a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Environmental Studies from University of Zurich and a Masters of Science in Biology, Behavioural Sciences, he has experience in working with bats, birds, and other taxa. His work experiences in the tropics include Cahuita and Alajuela in Costa Rica, Madagascar and Panama. He is a passionate herpetologist, ornithologist, and comes equipped with multiple field experiences.
When he visited CPBS as a volunteer for a month in 2013, he quickly fitted in, enjoying the homely atmosphere, the buzz of researchers' energy and the beautiful surroundings. He was just about to inquire about the Research Coordinator position, when we started to ask about his plans for the future..
While at the station, his own work will focus on phenology and land use of snakes as he continues to manage the ongoing projects, interns, and incoming researchers.
Elias discovered Caño Palma Biological Station while attending a bat research conference in Costa Rica. With a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Environmental Studies from University of Zurich and a Masters of Science in Biology, Behavioural Sciences, he has experience in working with bats, birds, and other taxa. His work experiences in the tropics include Cahuita and Alajuela in Costa Rica, Madagascar and Panama. He is a passionate herpetologist, ornithologist, and comes equipped with multiple field experiences.
When he visited CPBS as a volunteer for a month in 2013, he quickly fitted in, enjoying the homely atmosphere, the buzz of researchers' energy and the beautiful surroundings. He was just about to inquire about the Research Coordinator position, when we started to ask about his plans for the future..
While at the station, his own work will focus on phenology and land use of snakes as he continues to manage the ongoing projects, interns, and incoming researchers.
Aidan Hulatt Summer 2012-Summer 2013
Aidan arrived at Caño Palma soon after completing his Masters degree at Plymouth University in Biological Diversity. Together with his undergraduate degree in Ecology he had a strong theoretical background in conservation and understanding of human driven impacts upon the environment. This wasn’t his first experience in the tropics, with previous time spent on research and conservation projects in Ecuador and Guatemala, as well as work in the less tropical UK. Aidan brought to the station a wide range of conservation interests and experiences, which enabled him to excel here. He was extremely motivated to improve on the projects we had, as well as develop a new shorebird monitoring study, and to conduct his own research: A Comparison of ground and canopy epiphyte communities in an Atlantic Wet Forest. An excellent mentor to the interns and student researchers who visited in his year, Aidan brought professionalism and humour to a challenging job and left the station with a solid foundation for all of our long-term monitoring projects. Todd Lewis 2010 - 2012
My relationship with Caño Palma Biological Station began in 2001 when I was invited to the Station by my friend – then manager Paul Grant. During three months of exploratory forest walks Paul and I formulated a suite of research projects. One of those projects I later turned into a PhD. Over a further four years I returned to Caño Palma annually during the wet season to investigate the effects of climate and environment on its amphibian populations. The project was easily the most challenging and ambitious work I had ever completed solo. Eventually in 2009 I graduated from Farnborough College of Technology (Surrey, UK) and returned a year later to Caño Palma to take the helm as manager. In the intervening breaks between Caño Palma I wrestled the world of jobs, family, houses, cars, girlfriends, and have been graced with the opportunity to work in some other countries too such as India, North America, and Italy to name a few. Over the years Caño Palma has been a fascination, addiction and love of mine. It is such a privilege to now give back to it what it has provided me with over so many years. I do sometimes ask myself why, as tropical biologists, we continue to endure the chronic difficulties faced with working in less developed countries; the isolation, constantly unpredictable weather, relentless mosquitoes, cultural charades, and for Costa Rica – belt-fed beans and rice! Then again, as I glance away from this page a Yellow-headed Gecko leaps off the edge of the printer to catch a misfortunate moth for lunch! Where else would one observe such a spectacle! Mike Dunn 2009 - 2010
He brought his enthusiasm and interest to this challenging position. With a Bachelors of Science and a strong background working with reptiles and amphibians and GPS/GIS, Mike brought his experience to help maintain the ongoing monitoring programs at the Station. He initiated his own study of snakes in the area, examining the various species present. He dealt with the researchers, volunteers, and the daily details of the Station and all the complications which went along with this challenging position.
Josh Feltham (Interim) Summer 2009
My family and I had been living at Caño Palma for about 6 months before I took the position of interim Station Manager. As a family, we enjoyed the extreme proximity to nature that the Station offered, the simplicity of life, and the human contact of a diverse cast of characters that frequented the Station during our stay. As interim Station Manager, I found the position challenging and very rewarding. The primary challenge was not the climate, the wildlife or maintaining the Station facilities. Managing humans was the biggest challenge. The Station is a temporary home for diverse groups of people with different opinions and experiences. As interim Station Manager, it was my job to keep everyone happy, help coordinate their activities and ensure a positive experience for all. Maintaining good communication between guests of the Station and myself as well as with the community was the single most important factor influencing success. The experience was an incredible time of personal growth for me. I will never forget what I learned from everyone and everything that I came in contact with while at Caño Palma.
Jonathan Willans Spring 2007 - Spring 2009
My time as manager of Caño Palma lasted more than 2 years. I arrived in March of 2007 and left in May 2009. These 2 years seemed to pass by extremely quickly and it is only now when I have stepped away from the Station that I can truly appreciate my time there. When I arrived at the Station I was amazed at the natural beauty of the area and quickly realized the wonderful opportunity I was given by COTERC to live and work at the Station. There were many jobs to be done when I arrived and working closely with my local help, Mario “Tortugo”, we were able to upgrade and add to the Stations infrastructure. The old bodega near the boat dock was taken down and in its place a new residence for the Assistant Manager and visiting researchers was built. The next large job we took on was constructing a 200m boardwalk winding through the Colibri trail. This boardwalk took months to build and was built with the intention of allowing visitors to experience a unique view of the forest and also for reducing the human impact of people walking the trail. It allows researchers access to the forest year round and provides the possibility of studies to be conducted during the rainy season. The last major change to the Stations infrastructure was the dismantling of the “Honeymoon Cabin” in front of the library as well as taking down and remodeling the shower and wash area. With these additions and upgrades, I feel that COTERC has an excellent Station that can easily accommodate researchers and volunteers and allow people to discover this amazing part of the world. My time at the Station furthered my passion for nature and the environment as well as providing me an opportunity to see and experience an incredible amount of things. Among many other things, it provided me the opportunity to work with critically endangered species, to live in a place that I didn’t believe existed in today’s world and to meet and make friends with dedicated and passionate people from all across the globe, joined together because they simply wanted to help conserve nature. The experiences I had in my more than 2 years as Station Manager at Caño Palma have changed me, helped to shape me and will stay with me forever and I will carry the memories and lessons from it with me in all my future endeavours.
Mario Garcia Summer 2004 - Spring 2007
I started work at the station in early 2004, replacing Gabriel David and stayed until the spring of 2007. With Jana Diagle, in the position of Assistant Manager, we initiated the environmental education program in the village of San Francisco after having talked to the principal of the school Don Bernardo who accepted giving the station 2 hours every Thursday to teach the kids stuff related to nature. It was in this same year, with the help of a researcher from York University, we initiated the turtle project, and the following year we go a donation from Turtle Beach Lodge of $1500 US to buy all the equipment needed for this project. Sebastian Troeng and Andrea De Haro from CCC were always extremely helpful and key in guiding us on the development of the protocol! Jana Diagle took over the coordination of the project for the following years until we left. During this time in the station, I learned many things, especially those related to the love of nature and how hard it is to work in programs that want to protect it! It was really amazing to work with the people in the village of San Francisco in the many projects, and to see the great response and respect they had for the station! Our son, Emiliano was born in 2005 and grew for the first year at the station surrounded by nature. Jana used to swim pretty much every day with him in the canal, and it was there he learn how to walk and love reggae music! So, at the end it was amazing to have worked there, with all the happy moments, not so happy moments, sadness, problems, and joy that we
experience there; Caño Palma will always be a special place and it will always be in my heart. David Gabriel Summer 2003 - Summer 2004
David Gabriel is a Canadian English and Spanish speaking Bird Bander and Trainer with the North American Bird Banding Council. He began banding at the age of thirteen, working over the years for many stations linked by the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network of the Canadian Wildlife Service. At sixteen he assisted in instructing a banding workshop in Mexico. He received his official banding permit from Environment Canada’s Bird Banding Office in 2002, and began a six month position as a BIC for a monitoring project in Costa Rica. In 2003 he was organizer and instructor for a workshop in bird monitoring techniques for people from five different countries. David decided to stay in Costa Rica as the resident manager of the Caño Palma Biological Station until 2004. David remained at the station even as ex-manager, working on his study of bird moulting, while volunteering as a guide for eco-tourists visiting the station. From 2005 onward David Gabriel returned to the Rocky Point Bird Observatory as BIC, while instructing in banding workshops with Peter Pyle in Canada and Mexico. In 2006 he received his bander and trainer certification, and has visited seven countries on behalf of the Institute for Bird Populations. In 2008 David Gabriel published a paper on Migration Monitoring at the Rocky Point Bird Observatory where 3,213 birds of 56 species and forms were banded. Currently David is the BIC for the Rocky Point Bird Observatory in British Columbia and has a great deal of experience in the field, having handled over 20,000 birds of over 370 species in 60 families, in 8 different countries. Paul Grant Spring 2001 - Summer 2002
Life flows at a different pace at Caño Palma, at times mimicking the slow, meandering black water canals surrounding the station, but always containing something new and exciting around each bend. My first day at the station was a memorable one, welcomed by torrential rains common to the area. What I didn’t realize at the time was that floods were also common, as I watched the water level rise and develop into one of the larger floods experienced at the station. Over the time I spent at the station I witnessed many floods, incredible rain storms and numerous natural wonders. There were times when army ants would march through the station, in such vast numbers they would cover the entire station grounds, forcing the station dogs and I to take refuge in boats and safely wait their passing. Jaguar foot prints were occasionally discovered around the station and peccary foraged around the cabins. It was a time when the region was less developed and everything seemed much more remote and wild. One of the most important accomplishments during my stay was repairing and developing strong community relationships, along with developing strong relationships with the CCC (Caribbean Conservation Corp) and the Park Rangers with MINAE. Thereafter, station frequently became relied upon to help in a wide variety of situations and in turn always had support when needed. One instance this support came into play was stopping all poaching from occurring anywhere near station property, during a time when a specific political situation gave rise to widespread poaching within the region. My previous experience in the tropics was captivating, but my time spent at Caño Palma fuelled a desire to continue working in this region of the neotropics. In addition to the research projects and papers that developed out of my stay, the experiences I had and the friends I made, pulled me willing back a few years later to continue crocodilian toxicology/ ecology research. This region and its incredible biodiversity have had a major impact on me and my research focus and goals. With luck, I hope to return once again to this area that captivated my interest so long ago and continue the adventures of research and capture more experiences of living in such a biodiversity rich region.
Craig Cameron Winter 2001 - Spring 2001Craig Cameron took over as Interim Station Manager in the winter of 2001, after Ross Ballard. When Craig began his duties, he was a 23-year-old undergraduate student working with Dr. Rafael De Sa at the University of Richmond in Virginia, with an already impressive resume, having worked with both the Smithsonian and the ROM on projects involving amphibian and reptile genetics. During their short three-month stay, Craig and his girlfriend Cheryl accomplished a tremendous amount. With the help of a young man named Mario from the nearby town of Tortuguero, the group managed to rebuild the showers, changing rooms, and boat dock, all while playing host to the many visitors the station received and continuing their own amphibian research . Visitors to the station during this time included professors from the Dallas Zoo, and the Texas Wesleyan University, Dr. Loren Ammerman and Dr. Michael Dixon, who witnessed the discovery of two species new to Caño Palma. By the end of his stay, Craig had left the station in good form for the next Station Manager, Paul Grant. Ross Ballard Fall 1998 - Winter 2001
Originally from Calgary, Alberta, Ross Ballard first came to the Caño Palma Biological Station to work as a cook in 1998. Later that same year, he was made Assistant Station Manager. Apart from his culinary expertise, he also had a good deal of experience in construction, as well as a passion for horticulture. Ballard had turned the station into a “wonderful botanical garden”. He contributed frequently to the Raphia, especially in the “Notes From the Field” on his numerous observations. Chief among these observations was the return of the Great Green Macaw and many other bird species to the station. He also wrote about the mating habits of Grey-Necked Wood Rail males, who seemed to stir up a quite a commotion while trying to court a very uninterested female. There were also a great number of insectoid observations, such as black Scarab beetles, which inhabited the dormitories and kitchen, as well as an abnormally large amount of Mosquitoes. In June, the Urania Fulgens arrived (diurnal swallow-tailed moth), as well as Black Witches (nocturnal moth). In short, Ballard did a great deal to jumpstart and keep track of observation records here at the station. After a year and half, Ross Ballard was made Station Manager. He was assisted by Nick Beale, another hired staff member. During Ross’s time at the station, he did a great deal to strengthen the relationship between Caño Palma and the local communities of Tortuguero and San Francisco. This included holding classes and tours for the local community to give them a deeper and more personal understanding of the forest ecology and its value to Costa Rican biodiversity. As the station is located in one of the most economically depressed areas of Costa Rica, the station also provided employment to members of the local community and always bought groceries locally. In 2000, the station raised funds to provide books and treats to the then newly established school in Tortuguero. It was also under Ross Ballard’s management that station’s pond was built in the spring of 2000. After discussing the difficulties and redundancies associated with building a pond in the rainforest, Ross moved that the pond is home to water hyacinth which provides feeding grounds for birds, fish, and manatees, and would bring more life to the station grounds. It also provides an environment for a broad invertebrate base, such as wasps, bees, beetles, millipedes and ants. Perhaps most importantly, the pond is also home to small prawns, fish and frogs which keep the mosquito populations in check. Much of Ballard’s time at Caño Palma was spent promoting the Station and attempting to obtain funding and recognition so that the Station could grow and expand. Sensitive to the needs of not only the rainforest ecosystem, but also of the local villages, he cautions against becoming desensitized to the issues for which the Station was created. He is currently operating a guiding company out of Tortuguero, which allows him to continue to educate and promote the conservation of the rainforest.
Leonardo Garcia Spring 1998 - Summer 1998
Leonardo Garcia was the new Station Manager in Spring of 1998 until he left the post in the Fall of 1998. He was a Costa Rican citizen, who attended high school in Hamilton, Illinois, USA. He returned home to attend the University of Costa Rica. He had a great deal of previous managerial and practical experience that made him a worthy addition to the COTERC team. Jim Stanford Summer 1997 - Spring 1998 Jim Stanford, a Pennsylvanian native, became the Station Manager of COTERC Caño Palma Biological Station in the spring of 1997. His tenure lasted until the fall of the following year. Stanford graduated university with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and went on to be a teaching assistant with biology courses in Costa Rica through Duke University. Prior to joining the staff at Caño Palma, Stanford spent time at a research station in Argentina through the Peace Corp. In the summer of 1997 Stanford had the honor of presenting on behalf of the station a donation of two life preservers to the Tortuguero Medical Clinic. Later that summer, Stanford had the pleasure of hosting prominent environmental film director Todd Southgate, who spent time at the station filming to promote the research taking place at Caño Palma. Southgate had this to say about the experience “I can only hope that when the video is done, more people will learn of their existence and thereby attempt to visit their truly amazing area and the folks behind the ecological dream.” During Stanford’s term as Station Manager, there were important fundraising events such as the Partners in Preservation Program, in which one can adopt a specific animal based on a monetary donation. A member would also able to purchase a package of rainforest seeds at $3.00. Through donations, the station raised $8,000 for the Save an Acre Program, which enables more land to be purchased for further research and conservation. As his term progressed into the new year, the beginning of 1998 brought with it a whole new set of challenges and successes. The construction of the La Crisalida Butterfly Farm was finally completed which held an educational center, constructed a walkway through the garden, which was stocked with the populations of about 15 rare and important species from the Atlantic rainforest region. Stanford faced difficulties in regards to logging programs for ecotourism on the outskirts of the park. Francis Faigal Winter 1996 - Summer 1997
Francis Faigal came to Caño Palma for the first time in the Winter of 1995. He later described arriving at the station as “coming home.” Before his work at the station Francis was an experienced photographer and graphic designer with the Toronto Zoo. Francis’s passion for conservation and creative spirit were greatly utilized during his tenure as Station Manager. Francis was the Station Manager of Caño Palma during the Winter of 1996, replacing Daryl Loth. One of the major concerns during this period was the encroachment of squatters, who would clear large areas of the forest around Caño Palma, contributing to habitat destruction. Francis was able to holistically approach this issue by considering the well-being of local residents. He was regularly in attendance at village gatherings in Tortuguero and often met individually with village members. Although these problems persisted after Francis left Caño Palma, he was instrumental in nurturing a healthy dialogue between local peoples and Caño Palma. Besides his involvement in issues of both conservation and those concerning the local community, Francis oversaw many renovations to the structures within the station. These projects included improving the manager’s and Assistant Manager’s houses, as well as fixing termite damage to the dock. Despite Francis’s short tenure as Station Manager, he was able to make a lasting difference at Caño Palma. Since leaving the station, Francis has continued to pursue artistic and scientific endeavours. He has worked on professional film sets, documented scientific expeditions in Guyana, and has had his photographs published in the Biological Society of Washington, the American Society of Mammalogists, and others.
Daryl Loth Spring 1994 - Winter 1996
I started working at the station at the end of May in 1994. I was contracted for a year but extended it for two because I was really enjoying the amazing experience. Pat Opay was already there so he took the title of Science Officer. I was more involved in the logistics of running the station and he was more involved in the research and nurturing our relationships with the other institutions with which we had contact in Costa Rica. I enjoy working with the community and feel like I can make a difference (however small). I was once a logistics coordinator in Somalia for a humanitarian aid agency and it was there that I realized that apart from there being too many of us in the world, it would help to reduce many of humanity’s problems if the people could be better educated. After building an operational butterfly farm and exhibit in the community (since converted into a nursery school/day care/nutrition center due to a greater need), I have been very dedicated to promoting education in the village. I’ve been on the Tortuguero high school board for over ten years and we have gone from nothing to a five-classroom installation with a library, computer lab and cafeteria with almost 80 students enrolled. Last year we had our first graduates go on to university directly from the high school. Complicated land title issues in Tortuguero meant that the state could not build anything so all the money for the installations of the high school had to be raised by the community. If the school existed however, the Ministry of Education would provide the teachers. My experience with COTERC allowed me to discover my now-favourite place in the world. I married the first girl I ever wanted to marry in my then 35 years. We have two incredible kids and we run a small bed and breakfast here in the village. I don’t travel much anymore but the world comes here so I get to learn about other people and cultures the other way around. I go out almost every day to help our guests find birds, monkeys and caimans etc. and not a day passes when I don’t appreciate the incredible natural world we live in. Don’t think I’ll be returning to the cold any time soon. I encourage anyone involved with COTERC to come down to visit the station, village and incredible national park!
Pat Opay Fall 1993 - Spring 1994
Pat Opay became the Station Manager in 1993, and was replaced in May 1994 by Daryl Loth, at which time Pat became the Scientific officer until 1997. Throughout his time at Caño Palma, he was a very versatile member of the staff and was well suited to the many positions he held. He was a regular contributor to the Raphia, and these contributions show the breadth of his biological knowledge. Pat achieved a Masters of Business Administration with a focus on International Business from the University of Wisconsin in 1990. He later returned to the University of Wisconsin where he obtained a Masters degree in Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development for Environmental Studies in 1992. Being fluent in both English and Spanish made him especially qualified for the job. Pat’s most significant contributions appear to come from his time as Scientific Officer on the station, likely because he was able to spend more time on his true passion, conducting field work. His contributions to the Raphia were primarily biological, and of superb quality, both in terms of identification and basic information regarding various species found at the station. In 1995, Pat wrote about butterflies at the station, describing three species groupings that he had identified. In all of his writings, he was very gracious of any and all support COTERC received, highlighting the importance of funding and how all assistance given Caño Palma goes both to what he called “the big guys” (monkeys, snakes, and more) and “the little guys” (ants, beetles, and other insects). After leaving Caño Palma in 1997 Pat worked in Costa Rica on sea turtle conservation, did a short consultant job with the WWF, he then worked with NOAA Fisheries Headquarters office in Silver Spring Maryland and Florida.
Greg Mayne Summer 1991 - Winter 1993
My experience was rough, rustic, trying, but always rewarding. I learned a new culture, a new language, and perhaps tolerance and open-mindedness. It strengthened my dedication to conservation and love of culture and adventure. Over the course of two and one-half years, local Costa Ricans and I established the trail system that we have to this day, a small dormitory, a worker’s cabin, a thatched rancho that served as our museum, the first flush toilet on the canal, and a large impressive dock – most of which have been replaced. Research and monitoring efforts were sporadic and in their formative stages. With the help of the late Daniel Hernandez, we established the neotropical-migrant bird monitoring program that exists to this day. Discussions around sea turtle monitoring began, and primate and herpetological studies progressed in these early days. I was honoured to work with dedicated scientist, biologists, conservationists, and enthusiastic volunteers; all highly influential in their own way. I also witnessed massive rainforest destruction at the hands of large fruit companies and fish kills due to pesticide runoff. These life-altering experiences made me pursue additional study in environmental science and graduate work in wildlife toxicology. I had been consumed with study for many years and a career with Environment Canada when I decided to return to the Station for a vacation in 2006. I should have known that this would only serve to re-ignite my passion for tropical conservation and lead to a role as Director of Site Services with COTERC. So much has been accomplished since 1991 and I am truly proud of all our accomplishments. We have appreciably enhanced the infrastructure of the Station and the COTERC mandate and mission by offering our facilities to students, researchers and volunteers interested in tropical ecology and the Costa Rican culture. Station Managers serve to forge alliances and relationships with locals, lodges, and the Costa Rican government; all of which advance conservation of this highly significant rainforest ecosystem tucked between the Barra Colorado National Wildlife Refuge and the Tortuguero National Park. A big part of me remains at the Station and this is why I continue to visit.
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