Barro Colorado Island, Research center and island in Distrito La Chorrera, Panama.
Barro Colorado Island is a research center and island within Gatun Lake, featuring stations and observation points for scientific study. The site contains forests with diverse plant and animal life that researchers from around the world examine and document.
The island was created in 1914 when construction of Gatun Lake for the Panama Canal flooded surrounding forests, turning hilltops into an isolated landmass. This accident of geography led to the establishment of a research station that became part of the Smithsonian Institution.
Scientists from around the world work together at the research facilities, studying the forest and its biodiversity. This international community shapes the place as a center where people share knowledge and collaborate on understanding tropical ecosystems.
Access to the island requires official permits arranged through the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and visitors travel by boat from the mainland. The journey takes planning ahead, as the site operates as a working research facility rather than a public tourist destination.
The research center has tracked the growth of more than 200,000 trees since the 1920s, creating a rare long-term record of how forests change. This extended timeline of data reveals patterns in forest growth that are invisible over shorter periods.
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