The island was formed when the waters of the Chagres River were dammed to form Gatun Lake. When the waters rose, they covered a significant part of the existing rainforest, and the hilltops remained as islands in the middle of the lake.
Because of its uniquely diverse and intact ecosystem, Barro Colorado is considered one of the best conserved natural environments in the world. The Smithsonian Institute has a permanent research center in the island, dedicated to studying the rainforestecosystem.
The island is the focus of the JASON Project’s Expedition XV (“Rainforests at the Crossroads”), in which students, teachers, and scientists will conduct a detailed examination of the rainforestecosystem.
BarroColoradoIsland has been managed since 1924 by the Smithsonian Institute and is one of the premier sites in the world for study of tropical forests and the plants and animals that inhabit them.
BarroColoradoIsland was not formed by natural events, such as volcanic activity or tectonic plate movement.
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