Unexpected Disaster Turns Barro Colorado Island into a World-Renowned Tropical Rainforest Research Facility

In 1913, a flood in central Panama resulted in the unexpected creation of Barro Colorado Island. This flood also led to the formation of Gatun Lake, which was at the time the largest artificial body of water in the world and served as a critical part of the Panama Canal. As a result, Barro Colorado Island has since become one of the most heavily studied tropical rainforest areas on the planet.

The Smithsonian Institution established a field station on Barro Colorado Island in 1924 and took over control of it in 1946, renaming it the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI). Over time, the island and nearby forest areas under STRI’s control have developed into a major research facility for biology, comparable to CERN for physics. Despite having only 35 scientists on staff, the STRI hosts around 1,200 visitors each year, many of whom are recurring researchers.