This is an approximate itinerary only and as we progress through the field course we may have to change the schedule in minor or more substantive ways. Your ‘impromptu’ species presentations may occur at any time as we see the different organisms or at least experience their habitats. Student seminars will start in the first week and will be presented in the order that they appear on the website. Please do not leave these to work on them in Brazil as you will have real challenges doing so.

Depart Sunday February 16 from Pearson Terminal 1: Assemble near the United Desk at 4:30 pm. (make your own arrangements to get to the airport please) United Flight 5020 Toronto – Washington DC (Dulles); United Flight 861 Washington (Dulles) – arrive @ São Paulo (Guarulhos Airport) 10:15 am March 17.

Monday February 17: Noon – 2 pm travel from São Paulo to the reserve (São Luís do Paraitinga – Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar – Núcleo Santa Virginia). Lunch and free time. Dinner 6:00 – 7:00 pm dinner. 7:00-8:30 pm Orientation.

From February 18th to February 23rd we will explore lowland areas (Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar – Núcleo Picinguaba), and will make short trips from Santa Virginia to Picinguaba each day.

Tuesday February 18: 7:00 am arise. 7:30 am breakfast. 8:30 – 11:30 am birding and bird diversity (Base Cambuca) and trail exploration. Noon – 1 pm packed lunch. 1 – 4pm return to Santa Virginia and free time and work with field books. 4 pm – exercise in the trails (relief, vegetation structure, abiotic measurements). 4 – 6pm lecture and discussion about conservation issues in the Atlantic Forest. 6 – 7pm dinner. 7 – 8:30 pm guest lecture (food web and species relationship in the Atlantic Forest).

Wednesday February 19: 7:00 am arise. 7:30 am breakfast. 8:30 – 11:30 am mangroves and restinga (Trilha Fluvial + Picadão da Barra), trail exploration. Noon – 1 pm packed lunch. 1 – 4pm return to Santa Virginia and free time and work on field guide. 4 pm – exercise in the trails (finding animal traces). 5 – 6pm lecture and discussion about bird conservation in the Atlantic Forest. 6 – 7pm dinner. 7 – 8:30 pm student seminars.

Thursday February 20: 7:00 am arise. 7:30 am breakfast. 8:30 am – noon intertidal zone (Trilha Saco das Taquaras), noon – 3:00 pm free time and packed lunch. 3:00 – 6:00 pm return to Santa Virginia and work on field books. 6 – 7pm dinner. 7:00 – 8:30 pm student seminars.

Friday February 21: 7:00 am arise. 7:30 am breakfast. 8:30 am – 1:00 pm Local History (Trilha Cambury – hike, learn about caiçaras and quilombolas, conversation with local people). Lunch will be served in the community (local food such as fish, cassava/mandioca, and natural juice). 1:00 – 3:00 pm free time to explore the trail and work on field books. 4 pm exercise (TBA). 6:00 – 7:00 pm dinner. 7:00 – 8:30 pm student seminars.

Saturday February 22: 7:00 am arise. 7:30 am breakfast. 8:30 – 11:30 am agroforest and trail exploration. Noon – 1 pm packed lunch. 1 – 4pm return to Santa Virginia and free time to work on field books and group project ideas. 4 – 6pm lecture and discussion about sustainable agriculture in the Atlantic Forest. 6 – 7pm dinner. 7 – 8:30 pm guest lecture (TBA) or student seminars.

Sunday February 23: 7:00 am arise. 7:30 am breakfast. 8:30 – 11:30 am Visit to local Indigenous community. Noon – 4pm return to Santa Virginia, lunch, and free time and work on field books and group projects. 4 – 6 pm Group project discussion and pitching hypotheses and ideas for testing. 6 – 7pm dinner. 7 – 8:30 pm guest lecture (to come).

Monday February 24 to Thursday February 27: Stay at the Núcleo Santa Virginia site. Students will work on their group research projects; and these will be interspersed with discussions and natural history field trips.

Friday February 28: Visit to the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo (MZUSP)

Return Saturday February 29 from Guarulhos Airport. United Flight 844 São Paulo (Guarulhos Airport) – Chicago (O’Hare Airport) @ 10:00pm; United Flight 476. Depart Chicago (O’Hare Airport) @ 7:45 am – arrive @ Toronto Pearson Airport @10:22 am. Please arrange to have someone pick you up or arrange to take the Megabus back to Kingston.