Introduction

Costa Rica is the world’s leading country in environmental conservation and stewardship. With nearly 5% of the world’s biodiversity and more than 25% of its territory protected in national parks and biological reserves, Costa Rica has invested in ecotourism as a tool for development and conservation. Through its eco-tourism program, UGACR offers an educational perspective to eco-tourism where guests are granted the unique opportunity to interact and learn about local biodiversity, conservation, and research directly from the experience of resident naturalists, faculty, scientists, students, farmers, and neighbors – all within an academic environment.