The country has been the center of much of the research and teaching on tropical biology in the Western Hemisphere. Costa Rica is a model for the rest of the developing world in conservation and in preserving its natural resources by creating extensive national parks and biological reserves. In 1951 a group of North American Quakers came to Monteverde in search of a peaceful, rural life, choosing Costa Rica because of the recent abolition of its army. The small community is enriched by its bicultural nature and by the scientists, artists, and visitors who come to study and enjoy the biological richness of the surrounding forest. Permanent residents make their living by coffee cultivation, dairy farming, work in the local cheese factory, arts and crafts, or participation in grassroots organizations such as the Monteverde Institute.
Students stay at a biological station complete with classroom, dormitory, and dining facilities.
The biological station abuts a large, stunning rainforest reserve which is contiguous with the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, the major tropical montane forest research center in the Western Hemisphere. The program has a growing library of books and articles relevant to the program's courses. Monteverde is a unique place to study tropical biology and conservation. It offers an environment of familiarity and comfort to students while exposing them to a spectacular forest and a culture unlike their own.