A Scientist in Costa Rica

While the whole world is flocking to the beauty and the biodiversity of Costa Rica, we cannot forget one of the first men to discover the magic of this Central American paradise, Alexander F. Skutch. Armed with his new doctorate in botany from Johns Hopkin University, Skutch left Baltimore in the late 1920s to study bananas in Panama.
As the story goes, Skutch sat in his office and watched a bird build a nest outside his window. This was the beginning of the botanist’s long love affair with birds. After a sojourn to South America, Skutch bought a farm in southern Costa Rica and married. He worked the farm and studied birds for thirty years. Living in isolation for periods of time, Skutch says that he was always safe and healthy. The only time he came close to danger was during the Costa Rican Civil War in 1948, when mercenaries roamed the countryside.
Since the Great Depression was raging in the USA, grant money to study birds was out of the question. After using his savings, Skutch found that by selling plants he could raise money to support his study of birds.
Skutch has catalogued the patterns of hundreds of species of birds in Costa Rica. What has made his studies different from others is that he has never killed a bird, except maybe a hawk in defense of smaller birds. All of Skutch’s specimens remained alive. He studied their patterns and habits, recording their histories. His farm became a haven for birds. Skutch has written many scientific and popular books on birds. In addition his records reveal much about mountains, rivers and the simple rural communities in which he has lived.
Today Skutch is a legend in Costa Rica. Those who have had the privilege of talking with him wear the distinction like a badge of honor. Sometimes a nature guide will mention meeting Skutch the way a kid will talk about meeting a soccer star. A quiet studious man Skutch has made a lasting mark on Costa Rica. His books are classics. He is referred to as the most famous scientist you never heard of.

Come Prepared!!!

Student travel is one of the most rewarding ways to travel. If you are priviledged enough to be a student or a teacher taking students on trips get the most out of it as you can. One of the most important things I can say for students that are going on an educational trip is to come prepared. I have guided student trips in Costa Rica and the groups that show up that have devoted class time before arriving to the History, Climate, Bio-Diversity, and culture and customs always turn out to be the students that retain the most information and leave really knowing a lot about the country and places they have visited. It is great as a guide to be talking about the History of the country and a student interupts you and says "Wasnt he the president that abolished the Army?". This leaves the job of the guide on the trip not to teach all new facts to your students but to simply put the pieces together and make it all a bit clearer with new bits of information to go along with other bits of information they have already learned. Well what if your teacher is not knowledgable on the country of where you are traveling? This is easy all you have to do is buy a Lonely Planet book and read the basics of each section. Another option is to get intouch with your guide or trip provider and try and start an email conversation or blog with your guide. This will put you on a personal level with your guide before the trip even starts and he can supply information that will be covered during the trip. So before you take off on a student trip do your homework and show up prepared!