Paddle boating and butterflies may not appear to have much in common, but a group of ISU students thinks otherwise.

The ISU Paddle Boat Club, in its first semester of existence, has teamed up with The Monteverde Butterfly Garden in Monteverde, Costa Rica, as a U.S. sponsor of the Costa Rica Environmental Education Internship Project.

The club plans to send one intern from Iowa State to work at the Butterfly Garden.

The Monteverde Butterfly Garden was founded in 1991 and focuses on environmental education.

It is a nonprofit organization that is part of a larger group of environmental rain forest reserves that allows butterflies to be protected.

The Butterfly Garden usually has about 10 volunteers a year.

“The outdoors and environment are linked together and [the Paddle Boat Club] chose the Costa Rican rain forest because of the environmental aspects,” said Mike McCoy, president of the ISU Paddle Boat Club.

McCoy, senior in animal science, said that by sponsoring the Costa Rica Environmental Education Internship Project, he hopes the club can strengthen the link between outdoor sports and the environment.

Steffen Schmidt, club adviser and university professor of political science, said the club’s goal by sponsoring the internship is to get other college students to think about volunteering and to educate more people about protecting the environment.

By sponsoring the Costa Rica Environmental Education Internship Project, McCoy said Paddle Boat Club members hope to begin spreading awareness about the environment at Iowa State. Although only one student will be selected to intern this year, McCoy said he would like to send more students to participate in the internship in the future.

“The internship is oriented toward fun and education and is open to all. You do not have to be a member of the Paddle Boat Club,” Schmidt said.

A two-month minimum stay in Costa Rica is required, and the internship is geared toward people with a biology or education background, Schmidt said.

He said the internship would be ideal for students who are either graduating this year or have graduated recently.

Schmidt said once the intern arrives in Costa Rica, he or she would be “helping the center develop educational material for children and visiting ecotourism.” Schmidt said ecotourism combines tourism with environmental responsibility.

He said the recipient of the internship will also help develop Web sites, study materials and digital videos. Volunteers will also serve as tour guides and help care for the butterflies and insects, according to the Butterfly Garden Web site.

McCoy hopes the ISU Paddle Boat Club will build and expand on the internship program.

“[Paddle boating] is definitely growing in popularity and is already a major sport in coastal areas,” he said.

McCoy said he hopes its popularity will spread in Iowa and make others aware of environmental issues.

The club is organizing a Spring 2004 educational trip to Belize, which will be related to environmental issues in developing countries, he said.

Schmidt also hopes to organize an international paddle boat race in the Caribbean to take place this summer or winter.

Any student interested in applying for the internship with the Monteverde Butterfly Garden should contact Schmidt at 294-3825.