Smithsonian Institution Global Earth Observatories

The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) is a US organization dedicated to advancuing fundamental scientific discovery and understanding of biological diversity in the tropics and its contribution to human welfare. STRI plays a critical role for the US Government and the Smithsonian by maintaining world-class research facilities in Panama. Last year more than 1,000 resudent and visiting scientists accessed diverse tropical environments, including rain forest and coral reef ecosystems at the facility. STRI serves as official custodian for the Barro Colorado Nature Monument (BCNM) in Panama under the terms of the Convention on Nature Preotection and Wildlife Preservation in the western Hemisphere, which was ratified by the US Senate in April 1941. The BCNM is the only mainland tropical reserve under US stewardship.