Site: Galeta Point, Caribbean entrance to the Panama Canal
Type of Partnership: philanthrophy, community support for protected area
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Description: Galeta Point Marine Laboratory is a Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute field station on the Caribbean entrance to the Panama Canal. Research is carried out on coral reefs, mangrove forests, sea grass beds, and the marine fauna of coastal tropical ecosytems of the Caribbean coast of Panama. In 2000 STRI started a marine environmental education program to build bridges between its research and the Panamanian school system. 200 children from an orphanage visiting Galeta that year. In 2005, 7000 students from all over the country visited the Lab. STRI has trained a corps of 10 marine nature guides, mostly college students from the neighboring port city of Colon. Much of the credit for the success of the educational program goes to the private sector of the city of Colon which has funded such improvements as new aquaria and touch pools, an observation deck and telescopes, a seaside promenade, public bathrooms, a floating dock, a 300 meter long mangrove boardwalk with bilingual spanish-english signs, large screen television sets for our auditorium and educational posters. A scholarship program is also provided for students lacking funds to carry out field work for their dissertations.

Supporters include:

• the business community of the Colon Free Zone
• the Manzanillo International Terminal (MIT) in nearby Coco Solo, operated by a large US based port operator
• Hormigon Express, a local cement company
• Ocean Pollution Control, an environmental cleanup and marine services company
• Agua Aseo, a waste management company in Colon
  

STRI also works with IPAT, Panama's Institute of Tourism in outreach aimed at the fishermen of Colon to develop nature tourism in the mangroves of Galeta so they can have an income in the dry season when the sea is rough and they cannot go to sea.

With IPAT STRI also train taxi drivers from local hotels. And the Melia Panama Canal Hotel hosts a montlhy lecture series talks by STRI scientists called the "The Smithsonian Talk of the Month, in Colon."