The Las Nubes Project is committed to educating Canadian and Costa Rican students, as well as local communities within the Alexander Skutch Biological Corridor (COBAS), on environmental issues and sustainable practices.
By the mid-2000s, the Las Nubes Project launched a field course focused on tropical ecology, sustainability, and environmental education. Its success led to the creation of the Las Nubes Study Abroad Program in Summer 2017, with additional courses offered during Reading Week beginning in 2018. Through these programs, students gain hands-on experience in tropical ecology, sustainability, Indigenous education, arts, health, and conservation. Participants interact directly with rural Costa Rican communities, learning from their knowledge and practices while contributing to local education and community-based conservation efforts.
We also offer a 7-day High School Program, which provides students with a unique opportunity to explore and learn in the vibrant tropical landscapes of Southern Costa Rica.
In 2024, we partnered with Mondo Eco-Expeditions (Mondo), a social enterprise founded by York University alumni Dan Hammerschlag and Monica Radovski. Mondo offers immersive research expeditions (volunteer), engaging participants in hands-on ecological data collection that supports conservation biology efforts. The Las Nubes Expedition, Mondo’s flagship program in Southern Costa Rica, combines biological monitoring, complementary lectures, and cultural exchange activities. Participants contribute directly to vital conservation efforts while gaining real-world experience in ecology and environmental science.
In Canada, the Las Nubes Program hosts a lecture series exploring topics related to Neotropical and environmental conservation, rural wellbeing, and Indigenous knowledge. Students can also engage through the Las Nubes Student Association (LNSA), which organizes activities throughout the year to raise awareness, promote research, and support education and conservation initiatives in the COBAS region or the Las Nubes Alumni Network.
Las Nubes Study Abroad Program at a Glance
907
Students have taken courses at Las Nubes since 2006
46%
of the students that have participated in courses are from EUC since 2006
19
courses from five faculties at York have been offered within the program since 2006
208
graduate students have taken courses at Las Nubes
48
homestay families in the Alexander Skutch Biological Corridor have hosted students since 2017
74
guest speakers were featured in the 2024 Study Abroad Program
54%
of the Study Abroad Program's costs were invested in the local economy of the Alexander Skutch Biological Corridor in 2024
77
sites across 18 different towns in Southern Costa Rica were visited during the Study Abroad Program in 2024
Get in Touch
Thank you for your interest in the Las Nubes Project!
For information concerning the Las Nubes Project or the Fisher Fund for Neotropical Conservation, please contact us at lasnubes@yorku.ca
Las Nubes EcoCampus
Santa Elena, Pérez Zeledón, Costa Rica