Three Key Ways Your Donation Protects nature

Key Takeaways

• The Importance of Costa Rica’s Tropical Ecosystems 

  Costa Rica's tropical ecosystems are globally critical because they pack an extraordinarily high concentration of biodiversity into a narrow land bridge. Despite covering less than 0.03% of the Earth's surface area, Costa Rica harbors roughly 5% of the planet's total species.

• Empowering Future Environmental Leaders:

  Donor support has to date funded hands-on field training for over 2,400 early-career scientists at Caño Palma, creating a global ripple effect as alumni step into leadership roles to guide conservation efforts worldwide.

  Essential Climate Change Data

• Sustained funding enables 10+ year longitudinal studies that reveal how global climate cycles (like ENSO) impact bird species, informing targeted habitat conservation.

  Preserving Understudied Ecosystems

• COTERC research maps fragile, threatened palm-swamp ecosystems (yolillales), providing the scientific backing needed to protect high-priority wetland refuges from agricultural clearance.

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While covering less than 0.03% of the Earth's surface, Costa Rica contains some of the most critical environmental areas on the planet. This tiny landmass harbors close to 5% of the planet’s total species and operates as a vital ecological bridge between North and South America. The region’s extraordinary array of tropical rainforests and coastal wetlands packs an enormously high concentration of biodiversity into a small geographic space.

Sadly, these tropical ecosystems are under increasing threat from human interference and climate change, and lack of funding for scientific study is halting our ability to protect these habitats and the countless species they shelter.

COTERC (Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation), uses evidence-based conservation to produce ground-breaking studies while training the next generation of conservation scientists.

Here are three key ways your support as an individual donor or corporate partner directly drives science-led biodiversity protection in Costa Rica.

1. Ecological Monitoring and Wildlife Protection

Ecological monitoring and wildlife protection form a core pillar of the essential work COTERC facilitates.

In one study, researchers deployed 3D-printed GPS decoy turtle eggs into monitored nests. By tracking illegal trafficking supply chains over 137 kilometers inland, scientists exposed major distribution hubs and equipped law enforcement to dismantle wildlife trade networks.

Read the study.

In another multi-year study, researchers analyzed over 27,000 macaw sightings from 2017 to 2021, documenting a vital seasonal resurgence of endangered Great Green Macaws (Ara ambiguus) and Scarlet Macaws (Ara macao) across the Tortuguero Conservation Area. These long-term datasets pinpointed critical feeding grounds and highlighted the urgent need to protect connected wildlife corridors. 

Together, these studies show how donor-funded field science turns simple monitoring into active protection for Costa Rica’s most vulnerable species.

Read the study.

2. Training the Next Generation of Conservation Scientists

Since 1991, COTERC has run the Caño Palma Biological Station on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast and has successfully combined long-term field research with hands-on training for early-career scientists. 

Over three decades, COTERC has trained more than 2,400 young researchers, contributed to dozens of peer-reviewed papers, and built something rare in conservation: multi-decade wildlife monitoring data. By giving students and early-career scientists the chance to collect, analyze, and interpret real-world data in the field, COTERC equips them with practical skills that classroom learning alone cannot replicate.

This investment creates a massive global ripple effect. Many alumni go on to pursue advanced degrees, publish studies, and step into key leadership roles across international environmental organizations. COTERC’s young researchers have carried their field experience from Caño Palma forward to lead critical conservation efforts around the world.

3. Protecting Threatened Ecological Areas

Donor support fuels essential research into both land-based rainforests as well as Costa Rica’s understudied wetland ecosystems.

Researchers surveyed remote palm swamps (yolillales) around Caño Palma Biological Station and Tortuguero National Park. They discovered these flooded habitats shelter specialized plant communities with just 60 tree species (about 8% of the region’s total plant diversity) with plant growth closely linked to water levels and specific palm species (Raphia taedigera and Manicaria saccifera).

These fragile palm swamps provide safe havens for wildlife but face heavy clearing for agriculture. Your donations allow COTERC scientists to map, study, and protect these critical wetland corridors.

Join COTERC in Leading the Fight Against Biodiversity Loss

With direct support from individual donors, university groups, and corporate partners, COTERC will continue to:

• Train the conservation scientists of tomorrow through hands-on field experience.

• Expand scientific knowledge on understudied and threatened tropical species.

• Deliver on-the-ground interventions that safeguard biodiversity for generations to come.

Support science-led conservation

To learn more about corporate partnership opportunities, sponsoring a conservation leader, or supporting our field research, visit coterc.org or reach out directly to our team at chair@coterc.org.

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Frequently Asked Questions

• How does my donation support rainforest conservation?

  Your money directly funds research equipment, field operations, and daily monitoring at our Caño Palma Biological Station in Costa Rica. Gifts support active wildlife tracking, anti-poaching projects, habitat mapping, and the training of the next generation of conservation scientists.

• Is COTERC a registered non-profit?

  Yes. COTERC (Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation) is a Canadian registered non-profit that has worked alongside Costa Rican environmental groups and authorities since 1991.

• How does COTERC’s research protect wildlife and shape policy?

  We share our research data directly with local conservation leaders and law enforcement. For instance, our GPS decoy egg project helped authorities trace and stop illegal sea turtle egg trafficking networks, while our bird studies pinpoint key habitats that need official protection.

• Can corporate sponsors or major donors partner with COTERC?

  Yes. Companies and major donors can become official COTERC Partners or sponsor a young researcher through our Conservation Leaders Programme. Sponsors get regular research updates, real impact stories, team engagement opportunities, and options for station visits.

• How can I donate or get involved?

  You can donate, fund a project, or explore partnerships at coterc.org or by emailing chair@coterc.org.