Ecotopia's Prism

Since 2003, I've taken more than 150 students of environmental studies to explore the landscapes, culture and economy of Costa Rica. Costa Rica's tourism bureau proudly proclaims 'no artificial ingredients' to draw visitors from around the world. Situated at the confluence of two oceans and bridging two continents in the tropical latitudes, this small nation hosts some of the greatest concentration of biodiversity anywhere. Costa Rica is about the size of West Virginia, or 0.03% of the world's surface, yet it holds an estimated 5 percent of the world's biodiversity. Species from North and South America mixed on this continental land bridge for over millennia leading to new combinations of flora and fauna.