So why am I doing research in Costa Rica?

 
  So other than the fact that my fiance Jackson just happens to be going to Costa Rica to finish his degree, one might wonder why Costa Rica is such an awesome place to do some research to prepare for Belize. Well, Costa Rica is actually one of the world's leaders in the promotion and execution of environmental education. Not only do the natives of Costa Rica believe in sustainable living, but so does their government. For decades now Costa Rica has been a leader in the development of programs incorporating sustainability, environmental management, and conservation. According to Nicole Blum who wrote the article "Environmental education in Costa Rica: Building a framework

for sustainable development?", Costa Rica was offered to the international community to be the 'ideal international test case for sustainable development projects' (in the mid 1990's). Additionally it is a very active member in the UN's 'Decade for Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2015', and the first consultation was held in San Jose, Costa Rica in 2006. Environmental education is Costa Rica has also created a very high economic income for the country in the form of Sustainable/Eco tourism. Their education centers often double as a place for tourists to also get a taste of sustainable living and learn more about what Costa Rica is doing. It is important to recognize that these establishments offer native Costa Ricans an opportunity to be a part of this business, either by offer their services as a guide or leading discussions on ecology, farming, green energy, and so much more. These jobs are reserved for Costa Ricans, and most foreigners who want to work in this industry are often volunteers leaving the paid opportunities to the natives ensuring the money goes back into their economy. You can read more about the development of Costa Rica's environmental education programs Here at Nicole Blum's article. 

     You should also check out The Sarapiqui Conservation and Learning Center  and their Blog. This is an awesome environmental education center I stumbled upon while searching for places I would want to interview people for my research. This is almost exactly the type of place I want to start in Belize, it is a place that reaches out to communities and their children while also functioning as an ecotourism site. They also have an awesome volunteer program where you could live their from 6 months to a year working as an educator, and even better housing and food are covered! So, check these guys out and get a taste of what I want one day for Belize and their communities.