Barro Colorado Island

When the waters rose, they covered a significant part of the existing tropical forest, but certain hilltops remained as islands in the middle of the lake.

[4] Because the Island's diverse ecosystem has been very little altered by humans, Barro Colorado has been studied for over eighty years within a great variety of biological disciplines.

[5] National Geographic produced a documentary featuring the Barro Colorado Island titled World's Last Great Places: Rain Forests released in 2007.

The first selection, titled Panama Wild: Rain Forest of Life features scientists from the Smithsonian's Tropical Research Institute and also highlights the battles for survival and partnerships among species within this rich ecosystem.

The first census was conducted in 1982 and recorded every free-standing tree and shrub in the plot of more than 1 cm dbh, totalling approximately 240,000 stems of 303 different species.

Tours generally include transportation to and from the island (often by boat from Gamboa), a 2–3 hour guided hike, lunch, and a visit to the museum.

The Barro Colorado Research Station is run by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
A schematic of the Panama Canal, showing Barro Colorado Island in the middle left.