About Us - Las Nubes Project

Our Mission

Under the direction of Dr. Felipe Montoya, the Las Nubes Project's mission is to contribute to community wellbeing in ways that are compatible and conducive to environmental conservation. Las Nubes does this through faculty and student research, environmental education, and community engagement initiatives.

Through the Project’s permanent and long-term presence and relationship with local communities and organizations, Las Nubes aims to develop a grounded theory and praxis around the sustainability of healthy and gratifying rural lifeways respectful of, and in harmony with the natural environment.

At the same time, working with educational institutions in Costa Rica (Universidad de Costa Rica, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, Universidad Técnica Nacional of Costa Rica, San Carlos Campus, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica), the Las Nubes Project has made significant achievements in research and conservation programs in biodiversity protection, rural sustainability, environmental education in local schools, and the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing as decision-support tools for environmental management.

We also try and align all our work with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals.

History

Las Nubes Project was created by Dr. Howard Daugherty from the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change (formerly the Faculty of Environmental Studies until 2020) after a generous donation made by a prominent Toronto physician, medical researcher and co-founder of the Canadian Liver Foundation, Dr. Woody Fisher to York University.

The following year and in honour of Dr. Woody Fisher, the Faculty of Environmental Studies created the Fisher Fund for Neotropical Conservation to protect this rainforest’s habitat through an agreement with Costa Rica’s Tropical Science Center.

Dr. Woody Fisher’s contribution to Las Nubes did not stop with the donation. Each year and until 2017, Dr. Fisher and his wife, Mrs. Valerie Grant, helped FES to raise funds by hosting a wine auction.

The Fisher Fund for Neotropical Conservation supports the protection of the biological and ecological values of the Las Nubes Rainforest and adjacent area in southern Costa Rica. The Fisher Fund has made significant achievements in research and conservation programs in biodiversity protection, rural sustainability, environmental education in local schools, and the use of Geographic Information Systems and remote sensing as decision-support tools for environmental management.

In 2010, after the passing of Dr. Daugherty, FES started a search for a new director. In 2012, Dr. Felipe Montoya was hired by York University as Las Nubes Director, Chair of Neotropical Conservation and FES Professor.

Since 2012, Dr. Montoya has worked to secure new pieces of land, including four lots in front of Las Nubes and property on the other side of the road from the EcoCampus, expanding the efforts to protect land in the Alexander Skutch Biological Corridor. Dr. Montoya also created ExpoCOBAS in 2013 (formerly known as the Alexander Skutch Festival) as a way to bring closer the communities within the corridor and the Canadian students participating in the field course. Since then, the festival has grown exponentially and local community members have taken over the organization, coordination and management of this regionally known festival. One of the most notorious accomplishments of Dr. Montoya has been the expansion of the educational programs in Costa Rica. In 2014, he invited Dr. Ravi de Costa to teach a course along with the regular Costa Rica field course. Two years later, they applied for funding to expand the program to a full semester, giving birth to the Las Nubes Semester Abroad. With an increased student interest and participation, Las Nubes Project hosts two programs, one during Reading Week and one during the Summer term.

Our Team

The Las Nubes Project is comprised of a group of dedicated people, including local stakeholders, research associates and York University professors.

Canada

Dr. Felipe Montoya
Project Director, Chair of Neotropical Conservation, Professor
Felipe received his Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of New Mexico, his Master’s in Tropical Plant Ecology from the Universidad de Costa Rica and his Bachelor’s in Biology from the University of New Mexico.

The disciplinary diversity of the FES, as well as an affinity with its goals, especially those having to do with environmental integrity, social justice and human livelihood improvement and wellbeing, brought me to FES. For the last 20 years I have been working in the field of community “development” and environmental conservation in the Neo-tropics, principally in Costa Rica, and this is what I hope to share with students and colleagues at FES. The challenges are even greater in this field, but it is my hope and belief that together we can make a difference, change the world for the better.

Dr. Ana Maria Martinez
Associate Director, Las Nubes EcoCampus
Ana María Martínez is the Associate Director of Las Nubes EcoCampus in Costa Rica. In her role, she has helped to develop and expand experiential education programs at Las Nubes since 2016 and facilitated the development of interdisciplinary and international research collaborations, including the Grounded Project.

She has a Ph.D. in Education and a Master’s in Environmental Studies from York University, a Specialization in Environmental Law (Externado of Colombia University) and a Bachelor’s in Marine Biology (Jorge Tadeo Lozano University). Her academic work has explored how policy and praxis influence climate change curricula enactments in higher educational institutions in Canada; and the linkages between sustainability, climate change and biodiversity in the Tropics.

Dana Craig
Associate Librarian, Casita Azul Lead
Dana is the founding member with Tom Scott of Casita Azul. She has been involved in teaching Information Literacy classes and is part of many experiential education initiatives at York, where she applies student-focused design to her work. She co-founded York’s Undergraduate Research Fair where students are celebrated for their research skills. Dana’s work and research revolve around how we consume information, how we evaluate it, and how we create and distribute new knowledge.

Costa Rica

Alixa Gonzalez Benavides
Lilian Meighen Wright Centre Administrator
Alixa grew up in the community of Santa Elena and is currently in the final stage of her Master's Degree in Business Administration with an Emphasis on Human Resources at the State Distance University. She joined Las Nubes in May 2024. As she grew up close to campus, she developed an interest in the local flora and fauna, which led her to become a 'Local Guide for the Biological Corridor.'

Luis Angel Rojas
Community Research Liaison
Luis Angel is a staff member who has worked for Las Nubes Project for the longest. His involvement with the project began in 1999 and continues to date. As an active member of the community, Luis Angel participated in youth developmental programs organized by the Tropical Science Centre in the mid-1990s. His passion for environmental issues has made him a liaison between the community and the government (both at the local and national levels). Luis Angel is knowledgeable in ornithology and botany.

Diandra Arias-Vasquez
Library Assistant

Diandra is a passionate tourism major, graduated from the Universidad Latina de Costa Rica. With a solid training complemented by certificates from the National Learning Institute (INA) and the Costa Rican Institute of Tourism (ICT), Diandra has dedicated her career to enriching the tourism experience in her country. Born in the beautiful region of Pérez Zeledón, she has found her calling in community development through tourism.

Since 2016, Diandra has been a fundamental part of Casita Azul, where she is committed to designing and executing educational programs that benefit local communities. Its focus on education and sustainable tourism reflects its desire to empower people and promote development that respects and values Costa Rica's culture and environment. With her energy and dedication, Diandra continues to inspire others to explore and appreciate the richness of her country.