To be able to make an scientific investigation you should get an approval by the Investigation Program of ACG, In order to do so you must present the at least the following basic requirements.
In the case that a scientific investigation request involves two or more Conservations Areas in Costa Rica it is recommended to make this permission request at the Oficina de Atención al Usuario del National Conservation Area System (SINAC), to get a general investigation permit. However of the effects of ACG the investigator should send all the documents to the Investigation Program of ACG in order to register the project and give our approval and collaboration.
Scientific Investigation Permit:
The scientific investigation permit is given for a 1 years period for costa ricans investigators and 6 moths for foreign investigators.
- Fill out and send to the Investigation Program the investigation request form Investigation request form.doc
- Proposal of investigation including at least: justification, objectives, methodology, in case of sample collections the amount and type of samples, location of study and a schedule.
- Letter of institutional backing.
- Curriculum Vitae of the main investigator and assitants.
- Be uptodate with the Costa Rican Social Security.
- Payment of the corresponding fee via deposit on account number 605009-0 of Banco Nacional de Costa Rica in favor of Fondo de Parques Nacionales - Charge it to code #054 Permiso de Investigación (Investigation Permit).
- Investigations from 1 to 3 months $5 USD.
- Investigations from 3 to 6 months $10 USD.
- Investigations from 6 months to 1 year $15 USD.
- Signature of Biological Material Transfer Agreement (MTA): All the investigation permits granted that involve the extraction of samples to be send outside of the country must be related to a Biological Material Transfer Agreement between ACG and the investigator.
- Submit at least one partial report of the results and findings of you investigation before each renewal.
- Renewal request note, indication if there are any changes or not the project investigation.
- Passport photography digital or printed.
- Payment of the corresponding fee via deposit to the account #112156-5 of Banco Nacional de Costa Rica in favor of Fondo de Vida Silvestre - Charge it to code #052 Recolecta Científica (Scientific Collect).
- $30 USD for foreign investigators.
- 2300 colones for nationals.
To coordinate the request of this permits at ACG you can contact Roger Blanco of the Investigation Program at the following address rblanco@acguanacaste.ac.cr. Telephone +506 2666 5051 ext 230.
Permit for investigation that access DNA:*
If the investigation uses access to DNA of the specimen or scintific sample (any part) o biochemicals components it MUST make a request to the National Comission for Biodiversity Management (www.conagebio.go.cr) who is in charge of giving this permits. More information with José Alfredo Hernandez jalfredo@minaet.go.c or Ismael Segura isegura@minaet.go.cr Telephones:+506 2253-8416, +506 2234-1254 or +506 2224-8664.
Permit to Export Biological Samples (regular samples and CITIES samples): *
These permits must be requested to the Oficina de Atención al Usuario (OFAU) of SINAC throught Biologist Javier Guevara Sequeira javier.guevara@sinac.go.cr teléfono: +506 2522-6500 ext 112.
In some cases depending on the type of samples (soil, seeds and others) requirements from other institutions might apply aside from permits from the destination country.
* The ACG Investigation Program as added value can cooperate in some cases with the process of these permits
