Our Mission
Promote biodiversity, conservation and sustainability in global and local communities through a Christ-centered approach.
Our Vision
The Quetzal Education Research Center brings students and researchers from around the world, including the host country, to engage dialogue and research focused on the tropical cloud forest and its floral and faunal community for the purpose of sustainability. QERC works to integrate local people with research scientists, educators, and students from around the world in the effort to merge good conservation practice and economic viability in the local community.
Our Professors
Outstanding professors share knowledge and insight from their field.
David Hille, Ph.D.
Bruce Hoagland, Ph.D.
David Hoekman, Ph.D.
Mike Mooring, Ph.D.
Take a tour
Our campuses are living laboratories for sustainability.FAQ
Where is QERC located?
QERC is located in the valley of San Gerardo de Dota in the Talamanca Mountains of Costa Rica. San Gerardo de Dota is unlike any other place in Costa Rica – a small, rural mountain village run through by the clear, rushing Savegre River and surrounded by forested hills. It’s set deep within a mountain valley; the air is crisp and fresh, and chilly at night, and the designated UNSECO Biosphere Reserve Savegre basin hosts numerous high-altitude bird species, including the eye-catching and beloved resplendent quetzal, that draw birdwatchers from around the world.
What's the weather like at QERC?
Year round, the weather at QERC is similar to the perfect fall day. Cool in the evening (55-60 Fahrenheit) and warm during the day (65-75 Fahrenheit). December to April, you can expect days to be dry, but when the rainy season begins (May to November) expect to see showers in the afternoons. The height of the rainy season is in October.
Who comes to QERC?
QERC welcomes biologists interested in doing field research in the area, students studying with our semester program, or students groups looking to spend some time in the cloud forests of Costa Rica. If you are interested in visiting QERC, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
QERC also welcomes people visiting San Gerardo de Dota to our museum. We keep various parts of research being done at QERC on display so that locals and visitors can learn more about what’s around them.