ENSC 60313 Sustainable Development in Costa Rica
This program examines how Costa Rica has managed their natural resources to conserve biodiversity, including ecosystem service payments, the social value placed on conservation, the educational system's approach to conservation, and the political history that has allowed Costa Rica to emerge as the only stable political regime and economy in Central America and the second-most famous ecotourism destination in the world. Their emerging economy creates unique challenges to balance development with conservation and creates a unique opportunity for students to observe sustainable development first-hand, engage in critical and reflective thinking about resource consumption, and evaluate the social implications of sustainability.