Maritza Biological Station
(Estación Biológica Maritza)
Dormitory at Maritza, with Volcán Orosí
In early 1988, the Stroud Center began to transform a small farm into a biological field station (i.e., Maritza, at 10º 57´ 25" N, 85º 29´ 42" W, 590 m), the only research station in the ACG devoted to understanding tropical streams and their watersheds. This location was chosen because provides easy access to numerous permanent and intermittent streams that drain watersheds on the slopes of Volcán Orosí (1450 m a.s.l.) and Volcán Cacao (659 m a.s.l.). These dormant volcanoes define the northern limit of the Cordillera de Guanacaste. Vegetation immediately adjacent to and upslope of Maritza is characteristic of mid-elevation tropical dry forest that is semi-deciduous during the dry season (Vegetation Map); vegetation at higher elevations in the watersheds transition into rain and cloud forests. Lowland dry forests are almost completely deciduous while higher elevation rain and cloud forest are evergreen. There are no visible signs of anthropogenic disturbance in the primary forest above Maritza. Much of the land downslope from the station has been cleared and was maintained as grazing land by annual burning until inclusion in the Parque Nacional Guanacaste in 1987. Even in these cleared areas, mature riparian forests were traditionally maintained along most perennial and ephemeral stream corridors.
Forest near Maritza
Vegetation map (click to enlarge)
Stroud staff quickly set up research projects and worked with local officials to design and construct the research and living facilities. Under an innovative "debt-for-nature" swap orchestrated by The Nature Conservancy and the Costa Rican government, the Stroud Foundation and the Stroud family and friends provided the funds to construct and equip five buildings on the site. When President Rafael Calderon (photo) dedicated Maritza as a permanent research facility in 1991, the Stroud staff already had intensive long-term investigations under way on six streams that drain the area´s virgin forest.
President Rafael Calderon with Stroud Director Bern Sweeney at 1991 dedication
Rio Tempisquito
Climate
Climatic diversity is a major contributor to the large diversity of ecosystems found in the ACG. They range from the cool moist cloud forests atop the mountains that separate the hot, dry (<1000 mm rain per year) plains near the Pacific ocean and the warm wet (>3000 mm of rain per year) lowland rain forests of the Caribbean.
Based on data from 1990-2006, Maritza has a strong seasonal climate - total rainfall averaged 2748 mm/yr (9 feet/yr), with 93% of total precipitation occurring during an ~8-month wet season (May-Dec; > 100 mm rain per month) and only 7% during a 4-month dry season (Jan-Apr). Sep (460 mm) and Oct (472 mm) are the wettest months and Mar (23 mm) and Apr (29 mm) are the driest months. Air temperature also exhibited a seasonal pattern, albeit not as dramatic as for rainfall. Maximum air temperature at Maritza averaged 27.2ºC (81ºF) while minimum air temperature averaged 20.4ºC (69ºF), a difference of only 6.8ºC (12ºF). Apr (max= 29.5ºC; min= 20.8ºC) and May (max= 28.7ºC; min= 21.1ºC) were the warmest months while Dec (max= 25.5ºC; min= 19.9ºC) and Jan (max= 25.6ºC; min= 18.9ºC) were the coolest months.
Wind velocity has not been measured, but can be extremely high during the dry season months of Jan-Mar. These winds reflect an orographic interaction between the northeast trade winds and the Cordillera de Guanacaste.
Meterological data were collected manually at Maritza with daily records of maximum and minimum air temperature and total precipitation (24 h period beginning at 0700 h). Daily air temperature and precipitation (collected manually) span 1990 to present. Air temperature and precipitation at Santa Rosa are also available from the ACG (1979-present), while the Stroud Center has collected precipitation data (1998-present) and air temperature (2006-present) at San Cristóbal between Volcán Cacao and Volcán Rincón de la Vieja.
Facilities
Laboratory at Maritza
The facilities at Maritza include two research laboratories dedicated to stream research, two large, multi-purpose classrooms, and a dormitory that can house 32 people in four large rooms, with showers and bathrooms. Potable water and electricity (110 v) are continuously available. Contact with ACG officials is maintained by radio and cellular telephone. No public telephone and internet access are provided. The nearest medical hospital is in Liberia.
Visitors
Insect laboratory at Maritza
Students, teachers, researchers, and ecotourists are all welcome for day and overnight
visits to Maritza. However, visits require permission of the ACG and
reservations. This helps insure the availability of support staff and dormitory
and dining facilities, and safe journeys to and from this remote station.
Visitor permits and reservations come from the office of:
Róger Blanco Segura
Coordinador Programa de Investigación
Área de Conservación Guanacaste
Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación
Ministerio del Ambiente y Energía
Apdo. 169-5000, Liberia, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Teléfono: (506) 666-5051, Fax: (506) 666-5020
Driving directions
Road to Maritza
Maritza is a remote research facility, accessibly only by an unpaved road that connects to the Interamerican highway and requires a 4-wheel drive vehicle, even in the dry season.
From San Jose, Costa Rica, take the Interamerican highway to Liberia. Continue on the Interamerican highway past Liberia and through Potrerillos. A few miles before you reach Colonia Bolanos, turn to the right and follow the Park signs.
Approximate travel times: San José-Maritza Biological Station: 6 hours 30 minutes; La Cruz-Maritza Biological Station: 1 hour 30 minutes; Liberia- Maritza Biological Station: 2 hours; Cuajiniquil junction on Pan-American highway- Maritza Biological Station: 1 hour.