© Biologiezentrum Linz/Austria; download unter www.biologiezentrum.at Preface by O. Univ. Prof. Dr. Georg WINCKLER Rector of the University Vienna TherainforestsoftheGolfoDulceareainsouthernCostaRicabe- long to one of themostspecies-rich forestsinCentral America. Yet, thisforestwasindangeruntiltheNationalParkPiedrasBlancaswas founded in 1991 with the help of the Association Rainforests of the Austrians.Thisassociationalsoemphasizedthescientificrelevanceof the rainforests and, as a consequence, established the Tropical Field Station La Gamba in 1993. Since then, this scientific station has evolvedovertheyearstoanimportantbasecampforinternationalsci- entists investigating one of the most diverse tropical lowland rain- forestsonearth. Today,theFieldStationisassociatedwiththeUniversityofVien- naandisanimportantpartofthecurriculumofstudentspreparingfor furtherresearchinthetropics.Fromtheverybeginning,theUniver- sitysupportedtropicalfieldcoursesandhelpedtopreparediplomaand doctoral theses as well as scientific projects in this area. In addition, appliedresearchmethodslikecasestudiesandfieldworkswerehelp- fultofindnewstrategiesforagloballyandlocallysustainabledevel- opment,takingintoaccountbothaspects,natureandculture.Conser- vationefforts,sustainablelanduseandclimatechangeareglobaltop- icsrequiringsolutionsinconnectionwithotherproblemsofdevelop- ingcountriessuchastheecologicalandeconomicallanduse,thein- creaseoflifequalityandtheproblemofmigration.TheTropicalField Stationconductedandstillcontinuestoconductresearchatthevery coreoftheseproblems.Itoffersscientificandpracticaladviceinthe sustainabilitydiscussion. The present book “Cultural and Natural History of the Golfo Dulceregion”istheoutcomeofmanyyearsofinternationalandinter- disciplinaryresearch.Itprovidesanoverviewofthescientificprogress in the relevant fields, it gives advice for current development strate- giesandoffersanoutlooktowhatmighthappeninthefuture. Bysupportingthepublicationofthisbook,theUniversityofVi- ennahopestocontributetosolvingtheglobalproblemofecological sustainability,anissuewhichconcernsallofus. O.Univ.-Prof.Dr.GeorgWinckler E-Mail:[email protected] 12