Our Student Programs:
Day programs allow students to experience the Butterfly Conservatory as an extension of the classroom. These short visits allow potential students or volunteers to learn more about our project and ongoing programs.
One week intern programs allow the student to live onsite and study without interruption. This option will allow students to originate and complete projects, or to assist in ongoing projects.
Long term intern projects allow for full involvement at the Conservatory. The student can originate projects, or direct the interns to help with multiple projects. This program will appeal to graduate students who are doing research for thesis with a limited amount of supervision.
All students in the programs have access to the laboratories, conference area, and field operations. Additionally, we will provide sleeping accommodations, a kitchen, and access to telephone and internet.
The long term interns will have access to the laundry and will have a private bedroom. Depending upon financial need, a monthly allowance will be provided.
Our Method
All projects begin at the Butterfly Conservatory and radiate out to the community and the affiliated schools. The projects below are underway today and we will continue adding new projects as they are developed.
We serve as a hub to collect, test and distribute information about sustainable conservation with organic composting and of course, information from our ongoing studies of butterflies, frogs, plants and water quality.
The Butterfly Conservatory has two working laboratories for its own research facilities, with the purpose of developing sustainable production of insects and frogs. Research is conducted year round even though some projects are seasonal. These activities are conducted by our staff, students, volunteers, and professors affiliated with the Butterfly Conservatory.
The research projects planned for 2008 and 2009 are listed below.
- Identify differences in butterfly communities in the ecological gradient of the zone.
- Inventory the plants and trees growing on the site.
- Development of an Index of Ecological Integrity for the Arenal Area using aquatic insects as a main indicator of the health of the Ecosystems of the zone.
- Analyze the life cycle of local species of tropical butterflies, using documented laboratory data.
- Ecological evaluation of the micro basin forming the Aguas Gatas River.
- Mapping and image analysis of the forest fragments of the areas surrounding the Butterfly Conservatory.
- Establish a database for developing a reforestation/conservation plan for the surrounding community.
- Observe wildlife, insects, and birds. Map their habitats. Study their compatibility and adaptability to regenerated areas of the project.
- Identify ways to inform the world community about what we do at the Butterfly Conservatory to enhance and protect the natural habitats of Arenal Costa Rica.
Application Form click to download form (Microsoft Word Doc). Please fill out and email to our address found on contact page.
Other Programs We Sponsor
The Butterfly Conservatory is committed to helping the local schools and community in the area surrounding the Arenal Volcano and Lake. We collect and distribute Dictionary’s (English and Spanish), along with used Children’s Books for the school library.
Often our staff and volunteers teach classes at the local schools on Environmental Protection, Conservation, Community Responsibility, and English classes. For these young students, learning English and about Conservation is a way to increase their potential for future employment in a variety of jobs, and particularly in the area of tourism.
Sustainable Tourism Program: This program focuses on creating a sustainable environment, recording the process followed, and studying the effects of the process on the immediate and surrounding environment. In addition, this project is dedicated to the goal of converting a cattle ranches in the area to sustainable nature corridors connecting with the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and the Children’s Eternal Rainforest.
