Barro
Colorado

The 50-hectare long-term forestmonitoring plot was established in 1980. Every five years since 1980 all free-standing woody stems at least 10 mm diameter at breast height are identified, tagged, and mapped. This first plot set the standard for the Smithsonian’s ForestGEO network, which now monitors the growth and survival of approximately 6 million trees and 12,000 species at 73 plots in 27 countries around the globe.

The island’s formal physical monitoring program began in 1972 and builds on climate data collected since the construction of the Panama Canal in the early 1900s. The program gathers a full suite of meteorological and hydrological variables from forest floor to canopy with two 50-meter towers and a weir along the Lutz stream. Comparative data are collected by meteorological towers around Panama. 

Daily transportation to and from the island is on the Jacana, the Morpho and via water taxi. Prior arrangements need to be made for shipping equipment or excess luggage. Please contact the scientific coordination office to arrange for shipping large items to and from the island. Please note: departure times are punctual so plan on arriving at the dock early.

BCI has a small fleet of boats to support scientific research. The boats have traditionally been available for project use to all STRI researchers. To request a boat, you need to have previous boat expertise and a Panama Canal Authority (ACP) small boat operator license. Please contact the scientific coordination office for information on how to obtain an ACP boat license, and to reserve vessels for research purposes. We also dispatch fuel for these boats. Fees vary according to category.

Visitors on field courses and researchers doing manipulative fieldwork may camp around the bohio area. Kitchen and bathrooms are available, and a radio for emergency calls. There are no facilities on the other peninsulas, but these host several ongoing long-term experiments.

BCI has an insectarium, one bat cage, a soil lab and four greenhouses for research. Availability of these ambient labs varies. Visiting researchers are strongly encouraged to plan ahead of time.

Barro Colorado's laboratories are fully equipped with the equipment that field scientists need to collect, process, study, and store samples. There is some general use equipment available for common use. Please contact the scientific coordination office for more information.

The island can house up to 65 visitors in double-occupancy dorms. A handful of family units are also available for long-term visitors. All rooms include bathrooms, desks, lamps, beds, fans, linens and towels. Many have balconies or patios. The family units have kitchenettes, dining and living areas.

Hot meals are served in the dining hall at 6:30am, noon and 6:00 pm. Vegetarian dishes can be prepared if requested in advance. If you plan to be in the field all day, you can ask the kitchen crew to save meals. Breakfast cereal, milk and sandwich materials are always available. Non-residents need to reserve meals in advance. 

As part of a $37.5-million U.S. government initiative to improve earthquake monitoring following the devastating tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004, a seismic sensor was installed on Barro Colorado Island in 2006. The sensor is one of more than 150 sensors in the U.S. Geological Survey’s Global Seismographic Network.