CATIE Graduate Generates Real Impact on Forest Restoration

• An innovative project produces key data for the management of secondary forests and opens new professional opportunities.

The research conducted by Laura Brito Pérez, a graduate of the 2023–2024 cohort of the Academic Master’s Program in Management and Conservation of Tropical Forests and Biodiversity at CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center), addressed a critical information gap regarding the early stages of secondary succession in the Central Volcanic Range–Talamanca Biological Corridor—a phase that is essential to the “birth” of forests.

Her study analyzed vegetation regeneration during the first 15 years following the abandonment of productive lands with different prior uses, such as coffee, pasture, and sugarcane. This analysis made it possible to identify differences in forest structure, species richness, and diversity according to land-use history and environmental factors.

One of the project’s main contributions was the establishment of the first network of permanent plots to monitor early secondary succession within the biological corridor, generating valuable information to support decision-making in conservation and ecological restoration processes.

Laura highlights that the knowledge acquired during the master’s program—particularly in ecology and data analysis—enabled her to develop applied research with tangible impact, strengthening her professional independence and confidence as a researcher.

She is currently still affiliated with CATIE as Coordinator of the Demonstration Restoration Areas and as a member of the Latin American Model Forest Network, where she leads initiatives that integrate research, teaching, and on-the-ground practice.

The International Academic Master’s Program in Management and Conservation of Tropical Forests and Biodiversity at CATIE remains open for enrollment and invites interested professionals to learn about its approach through a free bootcamp, which offers the opportunity to access scholarships of up to 80% for the program.

For more information, visit: https://www.catie.ac.cr/maestria-academica-internacional-en-manejo-y-conservacion-de-bosques-tropicales-y-biodiversidad/