On this day, community youth, naturalist guides, and other volunteers will be dedicating 10 hours to spotting as many birds as possible in an effort to raise funds for the Center’s Bird Club.  This program empowers local and creates stewards of the environment through birding, environmental education, and fun!

If you will be with us on May 12th — please join in!  All you need to do is to keep a list of birds you see that day on your activities and turn them in to the Learning Center right on the grounds of Selva Verde! Our resident naturalist guides will be involved and they can help.

If you wish to participate but cannot be with us in Sarapiqui, consider a pledge of .25, .50 cents or more per bird spotted that day.  Any amount will be accepted – every bird counts and every pledge means the world for the success of this program.

Contact andrea@holbrooktravel.com to pledge your support!

The event strengthen collaboration among farming communities, NGOs, governments, and the general public by holding a festival to promote conservation promotes understanding between Costa Rica and Nicaragua This region spread over two countries is vitally important for the protection of biodiversity.

The pride of the San Juan River Basin is the Great Green Macaw, keystone species whose numbers are rapidly diminishing along with important habitat in the lowland tropical forests of this region.

Activities include awards to caretakers of Great Green Macaw nests, recreational, cultural, tourism, sports, and informational activities, such as cartoons for children, informational kiosks, theatrical productions, folklore and musical groups, storytelling, poetry, song, photography contests, handicrafts, videos, and local food delicacies.

If you are interested in a 5 night package combining Selva Verde Lodge with the Festival in El Castillo Nicaragua, please contact andrea@holbrooktravel.com.

Selva Verde is in the process of developing a full time research facility providing infrastructure and resources to researchers and students in order to facilitate scientific discovery and discourse in key areas such as sustainable development, climate change, and academic and applied life science research.

These are very exciting times at Selva Verde as we welcome Mike Cove, the newest member of the Selva Verde Team, in the position of Research and Interpretation Coordinator. Mike will be instrumental in getting many research projects and activities started on the ground and begin sharing them with our guests. He will be working closely with the staff at Selva Verde and at Holbrook Travel to set us on a trajectory toward success in this new and thrilling process to further develop our commitment and contribution to the conservation and prosperity of the rainforest, the wildlife, and the community of the Sarapiqui.

Mike will be working on developing long term research projects relevant to the Sarapiqui community with the assistance of the Sarapiqui Conservation Learning Center; projects such as water testing, carnivore observation, reforestation, and other studies which can be shared with visitors in presentations and citizen science activities, and contributed to by academic classes. He will also help to build interpretation and activity module materials to be utilized by school and special interest groups, and will work with researchers and educators who come to the lodge during his tenure, networking and generating advanced opportunities for our continued growth through alliances with academic researchers, instructors, and institutions.

We hope to provide you with ever more opportunities as we work together to protect the rainforest and promote learning and understanding of our invaluable natural resources.

Join us in welcoming Mike to the Holbrook and Selva Verde team!

Michael Cove, M.S.
m.cove3@gmail.com
Mike Cove is excited to join the Selva Verde staff as the Research and Interpretation Coordinator. Mike received a B.S. in animal science and ecology/evolution from the University of Connecticut. After working as a zookeeper, he continued his education at the University of Central Missouri as a M.S. candidate and research assistant. Mike first came to Costa Rica in 2009 to develop his thesis using camera traps to monitor mammal diversity and assess habitat relationships in the San Juan – La Selva Biological Corridor. He has collaborated on research projects pertaining to various taxa including medium-sized carnivores, sea turtles, and shorebirds which have been presented at regional, national, and international conferences. He is looking forward to expanding and developing the conservation research and interpretation program at Selva Verde.

https://www.selvaverde.com/lang/en/selva_verde_savegre.php

Going somewhere else after visiting us at Selva Verde? Check the listings at www.packforapurpose.org to see if you can bring something to the community there!