Location
Costa Rica is one of seven tropical Central American countries bordered by Nicaragua (North) and Panama (South). The Central American isthmus lies between the Atlantic (Caribbean Sea) and Pacific oceans.
Costa Rica’s land area is 51,100 sq kilometers (19,700 sq miles). A central line of ancient and active volcanic mountains begins in the northwest and continues to the southeast where the large Talamanca Mountain range is found (peak elevation at Cerro Chirripo, 3,819 m (12,530 ft).
Costa Rica is a democracy (constitutional republic) with a population of 5 million people. There are nine provinces with the capital city of San Jose located in San Jose Province.
The Reventazon Tropical Research Station (RTRS) is located within a privately-owned property (Tierra Serena) in Cartago Province (state-level), Paraiso Canton (county-level), and Cachi District. Cachi is a small town within a rural coffee growing region, contiguous to Cachi Lake. The lake was formed by damning the Reventazon River for hydroelectric power. Orosi and Paraiso are nearby towns.
Tierra Serena, is a 32 hectares (approximately 80 acres) property 3 km east of Cachi. It is situated along a public road and backs up to public lands of the Cerro Duan Mountain (peak elevation 1865 m or 6119 ft). The rural property includes an active coffee farm that is certified by the Rainforest Alliance, a 15-year regenerating forest in former pasture and coffee fields, and older regenerating cloud forests beginning at about 1300 m, 4265 ft). Two small rivers, Naranjo and Tambor, flow through neighboring properties into the Orosi River to the Reventazon River before reaching Cachi dam.
RTRS’ location is approximately 4 miles (6 km) north of 12,500-acre Tapanti National Park in the Pacific La Amistad Conservation area of Costa Rica. There is strong communality of animal species between the Park and RTRS.