ENSC 295/ENVS 295/FOR 295/NR 295
Ecological and Socio-Economic Aspects of
Tropical Forest Carbon Projects (3 credits)
UVM Study Abroad Course in Costa Rica
Summer Session, Saturday, May 21-Sunday, June 5, 2016 http://learn.uvm.edu/study-abroad/study-abroad-programs/costa-rica-tropical-forest-carbon/
Instructors: Bryan Foster, Ph.D. bryancfoster1@gmail.com
Susan Moegenburg, Ph.D. susan.moegenburg@gmail.com
Jose Miguel Chaves Fallas chamiguel@gmail.com
PREREQUISITES:
Undergraduate sophomore, junior, or non-graduating senior undergraduate UVM students who are in reasonable physical condition for frequent field walks. First-year or graduate UVM students may also apply to attend this course, pending permission of instructors. Students need to have taken one of the following courses (or an equivalent from a non-UVM institution): BCOR 102
(Ecology and Evolution), ENVS 173 (Landscape Natural History), FOR 122 (Forest Ecosystem
Analysis) or NR 103 (Ecology, Ecosystems, and Environment). An additional course, FOR 285
(Tropical Forest Ecology and Conservation) with Dr. Susan Moegenburg, is recommended but not required.
Students are expected to maintain academic integrity in that all graded work for this course must be t he original work of each student. Please see UVM’s “Our Common Ground” policy statement which informs the course’s academic integrity policy
(www.uvm.edu/~presdent/?Page=miscellaneous/commonground.html)
The class target size is 13 students with 3 instructors to fit in a 16-passenger van. The instructors intend to teach the course annually beginning in 2016.
BACKGROUND:
Why is REDD+ important and why is Costa Rica a useful place to study REDD+?:
Costa Rica has the world’s oldest and most extensive payment for environmental service (PES) program, established in 1997. The program is fund-based (from international aid donors and a national fuel tax) and also market-based (from the hydropower industry and recently carbon credits) with the administering agency of FONAFIFO. The vast majority of the funds are spent on conservation activities, for the bundled environmental services of biodiversity conservation, carbon storage, hydrological maintenance, and scenic beauty. The majority of the PES projects are located in the high altitude cloud forest and lowland tropical forest zones, which this class will visit.
Expanding on its experience with PES, Costa Rica, together with Papua New Guinea, first proposed global payment for provision of forest carbon called Reduced Emissions from
Deforestation (RED) in 2005 at the 11 th Conference of Parties (COP) United Nations meeting in
Montreal, Ontario, Canada. A decade later, Costa Rica now has a developing REDD+ 1 forest carbon program. Worldwide, 36 and 62 countries now participate with The World Bank and the
United Nations respectively on REDD+ initiatives, with disbursements exceeding $500 million over the past decade, according to Forest Trends. In addition to these initiatives, project-level forest carbon offsets worldwide represent nearly 90 million tons of CO2e and $400 million dollars of purchases in 2014 alone, according to Forest Trends. In summary, no forest conservation initiative has ever matched the spatial scope and financial size of REDD+.
1
Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation plus conservation, sustainable management, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks (per UNFCCC).
1

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Identify tree families, measure tree biomass, understand tropical forest ecology fundamentals, develop in-depth knowledge of REDD+, become familiar with project management tools, and have fun actively exploring Costa Rica:
This course will apply to the neo-tropics skills students have already developed through prerequisites in tree identification, reading forested landscapes and conducting forest inventories
(greater depth). This course will also expand students’ knowledge regarding REDD+ and expose students to financial and project management tools (greater breadth). Specifically, this course will enable students to: (1) Identify 20+ tree families of ecological and/or economic significance in tropical cloud and lowland forests; (2) Measure trees for biomass in both primary natural and secondary plantation forests; (3) Understand the characteristics of various tropical forests both in theory via lectures and in practice via numerous natural history field walks; (4) Develop a solid theoretical knowledge of REDD+ (including scientific basis of forest carbon storage, how storage varies in different management regimes, and synergies and trade-offs with both biodiversity conservation and social welfare); and (5) Gain familiarity with project management tools, including financial tools.
Students should also have fun on the course activities including: walking in primary cloud, lowland, and Caribbean coastline forests, both during the day and at night; walking over suspended canopy bridges; relaxing in volcanic hot springs (mid term); hiking up tropical rivers and rappelling down waterfalls; and relaxing on a Caribbean beach bordered by conserved forest
(final day). The course is scheduled for a full 14 days instead of the typical 12 days to accommodate these supplementary activities.
GRADING:
60% for course objectives 1-3: Plant/tree ID exam at Monteverde (20%- Miguel and Susan), biomass mensuration lab data collection and presentations at OTS La Selva (20%- Miguel and
Bryan) and tropical forest ecology exam at Cahuita (20%- Susan and Bryan)
30% for course objectives 5-6: REDD+ exam at OTS La Selva (30%- Bryan and Susan)
10% for class participation: Students are expected to attend and to actively participate in all class activities and to be on their best behavior during these activities (unless legitimate medical reasons are presented)
All assignments will be created and graded by teams of two instructors (one lead and one support) to ensure a balance of rigor and fairness.
INSTRUCTOR BIOS:
Dr. Bryan Foster earned his Ph.D. at the Rubenstein School of the Environment and Natural
Resources (RSENR) at UVM and his master’s degree in forestry at Yale University. He is currently an independent consultant on forest carbon and has travelled widely to consult on forest carbon projects in Costa Rica, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala, Indonesia, Mexico, and Nicaragua for Ecologic Development Fund, Ecosystem Restoration Associates, and
Rainforest Alliance. He has published research on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification and forest carbon auditing standards. He is a REDD+ expert.
Dr. Susan Moegenburg earned her Ph.D. at the University of Florida. She is an adjunct faculty member at UVM. She took a 6 week graduate course with the Organization for Tropical Studies
(OTS) in Costa Rica and more recently spent a semester traveling through South America with her husband and two children. She has published research on acai palm and nontimber forest products. She is a field ecologist.
Mr. Miguel Chaves, a Costa Rican native or “Tico,” earned his B.S. at the National University of
Costa Rica (UNA). Fluent in both English and Spanish, he is currently a Ph.D. student at the
2

University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) and has recently worked for OTS as the Taxonomy
Assistant of Las Cruces Biological Station. His research interests include biogeography, ecology, and plant evolution. He is a botanist/dendrologist.
Activities Homework Day Date
1 Saturday, May 21
2016
Fly into San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO)
Shuttle #1 early evening shuttle to
Reading:
Introduction to neotropics
2 Sunday, May 22
Xandari resort from SJO (APDO 1485-
4050, Alajuela, Costa Rica, +506
24432020)
Shuttle #2 late night shuttle to Xandari resort
No course meals
7 AM- Breakfast at Xandari and pack
(selections from
Neotropical
Companion by
Kricher, Tropical
Nature by Forsyth and Tapir’s Morning
Bath by Royte)
None backpacks for 1 night remote field station San Gerardo (in addition to packing suitcases)
8 AM- Drive to Monteverde (Brief stop at Automercado near Xandari for travel drinks and snacks (Transport for remainder of trip provided by Christian
Martinez, drivercostarica@gmail.com in
16 passenger van)
12 PM- Arrive at Monteverde, eat lunch at Taco-Taco, meet Mark Wainwright
(author of Mammals of Costa Rica) at trailhead
3 Monday, May 23
1-4 PM Walk to San Gerardo remote field station via Sendero Principal with
Mark Wainright
4-5:45 PM Talk on Bosque Eterno de los Ninos history, management and future prospects by Mark Wainwright
6 PM Dinner at San Gerardo
7-9 PM Night walk with Mark
Wainwright on Congo Trail
7 AM- Breakfast at San Gerardo
8-10:45 AM- Hike on Sendero Tabacon loop with Mark Wainright
11 AM-12:15 PM- Talk on tropical frogs by Mark Wainright
12:30 PM- Lunch at San Gerardo; Mark
Wainright departs
Reading: Objective
#3: Fundamentals of tropical forest ecology part A
3

4
5
6
Tuesday, May 24
Wednesday, May
25
Thursday,
May 26
1-4 PM- Class hike out of San Gerardo
4 PM- Check into Monteverde Lodge and shower
5:30- PM- Dinner at Monteverde Lodge
6-9 PM- Lecture #1 on tropical forest ecology by Susan
(Definition/location/classifications, unique plant characteristics such as root buttresses and cauliflory, unique plants and animals such as epiphytes and primates, and unique processes such as mutualism/antagonism)
7 AM- Breakfast at Monteverde Lodge and pack suitcases
8-11 AM- Walk with Susan and Miguel in Monteverde Reserve up to waterfall
(Sendero El Rio)
11 AM-1 PM- Lunch at Stella’s bakery
1 PM-4 PM Sky Adventure suspended bridge walk led by Miguel and Susan
(alternate option of zip line for extra
$55)
4-6 PM Check-in and dinner at EBM
6-10 PM Night hike with Forest Alive guides Javier Moino and Andres
Alvarado
7 AM- Breakfast at EBM
8-10 AM Introduction to plant identification with Miguel
10 AM-12 PM Plant ID lecture and discussion with Miguel
12-1 PM Lunch at EBM
1-5 PM Plant ID lecture and discussion with Miguel
5 PM- Dinner at EBM
Stay at EBM
7 AM- Breakfast at EBM
None
Reading: Objective
#1: Plant ID reading packet
Review for exam on plant/tree ID
4

7
8
Friday, May 27
Saturday, May 28
8 AM-12 PM- Monteverde guided walks: half of class starts with Ricardo Guindon and Susan on wildlife viewing and history of park, and half with Erick Bello and Miguel on tree identification
10 AM-12 PM- Groups switch guides
12 PM-1 PM- Lunch at EBM
1-5 PM Groups switch with Erick and
Ricardo
6 PM Dinner at EBM
Stay at EBM
7 AM- Breakfast at EBM and pack suitcases
8-10 AM Plant and tree I.D. exam (20%
Miguel and Susan)
10 AM-12 PM Lectures and discussion of forest carbon science with Bryan at
EBM (Global carbon cycle, variance across biomes/across land use types/responses to climate changes)
12-4 PM Box lunch and drive to Eco termales hot springs near Mt. Arenal
4-6 PM Relax in hot springs
6-7 PM Dinner at Eco termales
7-10 PM Continue drive to OTS La
Selva
Stay at OTS La Selva
7 AM- Breakfast at OTS La Selva
8 AM-10 AM Boat tour of Rio Sarapiqui with OTS director Carlos de La Rosa
10 AM-12 PM Canopy tower tour
12-1 PM Lunch at OTS
1-4 PM Lecture and discussion on policies, markets, standards, and terms with Bryan (Key terms (additionality, baseline, leakage, permanence), FCPF,
UNFCCC, CCB/VCS/Gold/PV, state of forest carbon market, REDD+ and PES, drivers of deforestation & mitigation
None
Reading:
Objective #4:
REDD+ part A,
Science of forest carbon storage
REDD+ part B,
Markets, policies, standards, and terms, including
REDD+ visà-vis
PES
REDD+ part C,
Financial aspects of
REDD+
5

9
10
Sunday, May 29
Monday, May 30 options, case studies from Costa Rica and Mexico)
4-6 PM Nature walk with Susan and
Miguel
6 PM Dinner at OTS
Stay at OTS La Selva
5:30-7:00 AM Early morning nature walk with Susan and Miguel
7 AM- Breakfast at OTS La Selva
9 AM-12 PM Lecture and discussion of financial aspects of REDD+ with Bryan
(Transaction/opportunity/implementation costs, nominal versus real, NPV/IRR)
12 PM- Lunch at OTS La Selva
1-4 PM Lecture and discussion on forest carbon MRV with Bryan
(jurisdictional versus project scale, factors of emission and activity levels, remote sensing)
4-6 PM Tent bat walk with Willy Pineda
6 PM- Dinner at La Selva
7-9 PM Lecture and discussion on
REDD+ project management and evaluation tools with Bryan (basecamp, open standards for conservation/theory of change, others)
Stay at OTS La Selva
7 AM- Breakfast at OTS La Selva
8 AM-11 PM- Lecture and discussion with Susan and Bryan on co-benefits and controversy (Biodiversity tradeoffs and synergies, social issues (benefit sharing, consent, land ownership, and poverty alleviation), and criticism and alternatives to REDD+ (restoration, RIL,
ICDPs))
12 PM- Lunch at OTS La Selva
1-3 PM Optional review session with
Bryan
3-6 PM Exam on REDD+ (30%- Bryan and Susan)
Reading: Objective
#4: REDD+ part D,
MRV
REDD+ part E, Cobenefits and controversy
Review for exam on
REDD+
6

11
12
13
14
Tuesday, May 31
Wednesday, June
1
Thursday, June 2
Friday, June 3
6 PM Dinner at OTS La Selva
7-9 PM- Night nature walk with Susan and Miguel
Stay at OTS La Selva
7 AM- Breakfast at OTS La Selva
8-11 AM Training on forest inventory tools
11 AM-12 PM Orientation to Huertos and canopy bridge plots
12 PM Lunch at La Selva
1-4 PM Half of class measures primary forest biomass with Miguel and Orlando and half measures secondary plantation biomass with Bryan and Susan
6 PM Dinner at La Selva
Stay at OTS La Selva
7 AM- Breakfast at OTS La Selva
8 AM-12 PM Groups switch for biomass measurement
12 PM Lunch at La Selva
1-4 PM Data analysis and presentation preparation
6 PM Dinner at La Selva
Stay at OTS La Selva
7 AM- Breakfast at OTS La Selva and pack suitcases
8-10 AM- Two groups give presentations on biomass lab (20%
Miguel and Bryan)
12 PM- Lunch
1 PM-5 PM Travel to Cahuita
5-6 PM Dinner at Selva Bananito
Stay at Selva Bananito
7 AM- Breakfast at Selva Bananito
Reading: Objective
#2: Biomass lab background
Reading:
Objective #5: Project management, financial analysis, and project evaluation tools applied to REDD+
Reading: Objective
#3: Fundamentals of tropical forest ecology part B
Review for exam on tropical forest ecology
7

15 Saturday, June 4
8-11 AM Walk in Muchilla Mtn. primary forest with Susan and Miguel
11 AM-12 PM Early lunch at Selva
Bananito
12 PM-6 PM River hiking and waterfall rappelling with guides at Selva Bananito
6 PM Dinner at Selva Bananito
Stay at Selva Bananito
7-10 PM Lecture #2 on tropical forest ecology by Susan (density dependence/Janzen-Connell hypothesis, intermediate disturbance hypothesis, theory of island biogeography)
7 AM- Breakfast at Selva Bananito and pack suitcases
8-10 AM- Optional review session with
Susan
10 AM-12 PM Exam on tropical forest ecology (20% Susan and Bryan)
None
16 Sunday, June 5
12-1 PM Lunch at Selva Bananito
1-2 PM Travel to Cahuita beach
2-5 PM Free time on beach
5 PM Class dinner at Ms. Edith’s
Caribbean Restaurant
7-11 PM Drive back to San Jose to stay at Xandari
Travel back to U.S.A. None
SJO airport shuttle #1:
Early morning
7 AM- Breakfast at Xandari
Shuttle #2:
Mid morning
A NOTE REGARDING COURSE PROGRAM FEE:
This course costs approximately 25% more than other UVM Costa Rica travel courses in terms of program fees. However, students should gain value commensurate with the cost from:
(a) lodging and meals for extending the trip from the typical 12 days to a full 14 days, including stays at resorts Monteverde Lodge, Selva Bananito and Xandari between longer stays at field stations; (b) time with some of the most knowledgeable local guides in Costa Rica, including
8

Erick, Mark, and Ricardo in Monteverde and additional instructor Miguel during the entire course; and (c) transportation to visit the Caribbean coastal forest and beach at the end of the course.
A NOTE REGARDING STUDENT BEHAVIOR:
Overall, students are expected to follow the UVM Code of Students’ Rights and Responsibilities
(Policy version 2.8.7, August 18, 2015). Solicitation of products and services illegal in the USA will also be prohibited during the entire duration of the course, regardless of variances with Costa
Rica law or law enforcement. The one exception is consumption of alcohol, which will be prohibited from arrival Saturday afternoon/night, May 21 until Saturday afternoon/night, June 4 when the prohibition will be lifted for the free time at the beach, final dinner, and night in San Jose for students 18 years and older per Costa Rican law. Transgressions of the student behavior code will result in penalties ranging from a verbal warning to an immediate return to the U.S. at the student’s expense, depending on the frequency and/or severity of the transgression.
9