Preface by O. Univ. Prof . Dr. Georg Winckler Rector of the University Vienna

2008·0.23 MB·English

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Preface
by O. Univ. Prof. Dr. Georg WINCKLER
Rector of the University Vienna
TherainforestsoftheGolfoDulceareainsouthernCostaRicabe-
long to one of themostspecies-rich forestsinCentral America. Yet,
thisforestwasindangeruntiltheNationalParkPiedrasBlancaswas
founded in 1991 with the help of the Association Rainforests of the
Austrians.Thisassociationalsoemphasizedthescientificrelevanceof
the rainforests and, as a consequence, established the Tropical Field
Station La Gamba in 1993. Since then, this scientific station has
evolvedovertheyearstoanimportantbasecampforinternationalsci-
entists investigating one of the most diverse tropical lowland rain-
forestsonearth.
Today,theFieldStationisassociatedwiththeUniversityofVien-
naandisanimportantpartofthecurriculumofstudentspreparingfor
furtherresearchinthetropics.Fromtheverybeginning,theUniver-
sitysupportedtropicalfieldcoursesandhelpedtopreparediplomaand
doctoral theses as well as scientific projects in this area. In addition,
appliedresearchmethodslikecasestudiesandfieldworkswerehelp-
fultofindnewstrategiesforagloballyandlocallysustainabledevel-
opment,takingintoaccountbothaspects,natureandculture.Conser-
vationefforts,sustainablelanduseandclimatechangeareglobaltop-
icsrequiringsolutionsinconnectionwithotherproblemsofdevelop-
ingcountriessuchastheecologicalandeconomicallanduse,thein-
creaseoflifequalityandtheproblemofmigration.TheTropicalField
Stationconductedandstillcontinuestoconductresearchatthevery
coreoftheseproblems.Itoffersscientificandpracticaladviceinthe
sustainabilitydiscussion.
The present book “Cultural and Natural History of the Golfo
Dulceregion”istheoutcomeofmanyyearsofinternationalandinter-
disciplinaryresearch.Itprovidesanoverviewofthescientificprogress
in the relevant fields, it gives advice for current development strate-
giesandoffersanoutlooktowhatmighthappeninthefuture.
Bysupportingthepublicationofthisbook,theUniversityofVi-
ennahopestocontributetosolvingtheglobalproblemofecological
sustainability,anissuewhichconcernsallofus.
O.Univ.-Prof.Dr.GeorgWinckler
E-Mail:[email protected]
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