Chapter 2: - Center for Responsible Travel

Holbrook Travel and Sarapiqui Conservation Learning CenterBy Andrea HolbrookPresident, Holbrook TravelHolbrook Travel (www.holbrooktravel.com), based in Gainesville, Florida was founded in 1974by Juan and Giovanna Holbrook. It specializes in affordable educational and natural historytravel programs to Latin America, East Africa, and beyond, with an emphasis on facilitating atrue connection between travelers and the diverse habitats and cultures of the world. Currentlyit has 24 full-time employees and serves between 5,000 – 7,000 travelers per year.Giovanna Holbrook also founded the 50 room Selva Verde Lodge (www.selvaverde.com) basedin Sarapiquí (Heredia), Costa Rica. Selva Verde was started in 1985 to conserve over 500 acresof lowland tropical rainforest. It prides itself on being the premier rainforest retreat in Sarapiquí,the ideal gateway through which to explore the tropical rainforest, enjoy nature and adventureactivities and connect with the local community. There are kilometers of trails around thegrounds through the forest reserve for optimal bird watching and nature viewing. The Lodgehosts about 8,000 people per year and employs about 40 people.Holbrook Travel and the Selva Verde Lodge provide support to the Sarapiquí ConservationLearning Center (www.learningcentercostarica.org), a non-profit U.S. registered 501(c) 3organization based next to the Selva Verde Lodge. In Costa Rica, the organization is known asCentro de Aprendizaje para la Conservaión en Sarapiquí (CECOS).When and Why Did You Begin a Travelers’ Philanthropy Program?Our philanthropic efforts are directed toward the SarapiquiConservation Learning Center (SCLC) exclusively becauseof its connection to our company and the Lodge. TheCenter started in 1993 through the initiative of Selva VerdeLodge‘s first manager, Bertha Carter, with the financialsupport of Giovanna Holbrook. During the years that shewas the manager, Bertha, who was born and raised inBolivia and trained as a nurse, cultivated strongrelationships with the community, especially the youngpeople and the women. She supported a group of youngnaturalists from the area who she introduced to SelvaToucan, Costa Rica.Credit: Holbrook TravelVerde‘s guests, many of whom were researchers or scholars in ecological and environmentaldisciplines. In this way, an informal educational exchange took place, to the delight of visitorsand the benefit of local young people.To further the exchange and the education of the young naturalists, Bertha asked GiovannaHolbrook to fund a library of donated books. The idea evolved into the building of the Center23