Bosque Eterno de los Ninos

The Children's Eternal Rainforest
Our group visited Bosque Eterno de los Ninos (The Children's Eternal Rainforest), managed by the Monteverde Conservation League. Bosque Eterno de los Ninos (BEN) borders Parque Nacional Volcan Arenal and is Costa Rica's largest private reserve, measuring 22,500 hectares. The reserve contains 6 of Costa Rica's 12 life zones, which means it contains a high degree of biodiversity in a variety of ecosystems. Bosque Eterno de los Ninos came into being through the Children's Rainforest Movement which involves children around the world raising money to support the private reserve. The movement started in Sweden in the late 1980's, and today children from 44 countries have helped support Bosque Eterno de los Ninos. The Monteverde Conservation League's mission is to, “conserve, preserve, and rehabilitate tropical ecosystems and their biodiversity.” They view Bosque Eterno de los Ninos as especially important because of its location, bordering a number of other reserves – Parque Arenal, Monteverde Reserve, and a UCR Reserve. For biodiversity to be best preserved, large swatches of forest, as opposed to disconnected fragments, must be protected. The Monteverde Conservation League would like to continue to buy property and expand Bosque Eterno de los Ninos per their mission of conservation and preservation.


Finca Stellar
We entered Bosque Eterno de los Ninos through Finca Stellar near the La Tigra area. Part of Finca Stellar is a native tree species nursery. Marcelino, who works for the Monteverde Conservation League, showed us around the nursery and explained its importance. He collects many of the seeds from the native species in Bosque Eterno de los Ninos and germinates them in a greenhouse. The plants begin their lives in trays filled with sand, which makes it difficult for weeds to grow and compete with them. When the seeds first germinate they get nutrients from their cotyledons so they do not need soil. Once they have sprouted and are getting larger, the small saplings are replanted in soil and moved outside under a netted tent (shown in picture). The Monteverde Conservation League believes that reforesting can be an effective method for rehabilitating an ecosystem, so Marcelino grows native species for this purpose. The group has planted over 1.6 million trees around the Children's Eternal Rainforest. The trees are planted on farms, as wind breaks, and in watersheds, to retain and cycle water. Through this program, the Monteverde Conservation League helps to reforest with native species and create a buffer zone around protected areas to better ensure the quality of the natural resources.








 


 


Economically Important Species
We came across a number of interesting, and often economically important, species of plants. One of the first we encountered was the Iriartea deltoidea palm tree, a member of the Arecaeceae family. This palm commonly grows in Central and South American forests, from Nicaragua to Bolivia. It first attracts attention because of its massive stilt root system (in photo) which can be a meter or more in diameter. These palms stretch for the canopy, reaching up to 30 meters tall with leaves approaching 4 meters. While all types of palms can be used to harvest palmito (heart of palm), this species is particularly well known in Costa Rica for producing a delicious palmito. It used to be the most popular species used for the food, but as demand rose faster growing and easier to harvest species replaced Iriartea deltoidea, resulting in less tasty palmitos. The species is also useful for building because of its hard wood and its fronds can be used to make roofs. Additionally, the palm produces a fruit which some humans consume. Overall, this is an extremely hearty plant which demonstrates the multi-utility found in many tropical forest plants. Another economically important tree we saw was the kerosene tree (Copaifera langsdorffii) which produces hydrocarbons in its wood and leaves that can be burned as biofuel. The oil can be collected by tapping the tree and has a history of medicinal uses besides its propensity for combustion.


We also encountered one of the tropics most significant defoliators, a colony of leaf cutter ants. These ants are found only in the tropics and form some of the largest and most complex societies in the animal kingdom. The ants cut leaves and bring them to their nests where the leaves are used as a substrate to cultivate a mutualistic fungi. In other words, these ants are essentially agriculturalists as they do not eat the cut leaves but instead eat small parts (hyphae) of the fungus which they grow on the leaves. They are the only organism, besides humans, known to practice such a sophisticated form of agriculture. The process of finding, cutting, and carrying the leaves and then preparing them and growing the fungus takes a number of morphologically different castes. The colonies grow quickly, containing millions of individuals in only a few years. With huge numbers, sprawling nests, and expansive fungus gardens the ants must collect so many leaves that they defoliate more forest than any of the large herbivorous mammals. These amazing insects are widely considered pests in the tropics because they can quickly defoliate crops or aesthetic plants. However, one need not use pesticide to deter them, instead their own waste from the large piles removed from their nests can be placed on or around plants to keep the ants away.



On our way back to Finca Stellar we crossed a beautiful stream in the forest. Besides its aesthetics, this stream demonstrates another reason that Bosque Eterno de los Ninos is so important. The Children's Eternal Rainforest is part of a number of watersheds and therefore responsible for significant water resources. Because the area is forested and managed with the goal of conservation, the water moving through this reserve can move through the natural water cycle. This means it is cleaned while also feeding the diversity of life found in the forest. This means healthier water for the humans living around Bosque Eterno de los Ninos. The protected water resources are also used by the surrounding communities for agriculture. The reserve means that the water is both cleaner and protected in the sense that development will not alter its path or reduce its flow. This may be most important for the hydroelectric plants which use water resources from the Children's Eternal Rainforest. According to the Monteverde Conservation League, 50 percent of Costa Rica's electricity originates in Bosque Eterno de los Ninos. This includes the water that goes through the Peñas Blancas Hydroelectric plant which we visited on our way to the La Fortuna area and Bosque Eterno de los Ninos.

Author: Tait Mandler

AcroYoga in the DoJo

AcroYoga blends the spiritual wisdom of yoga, the loving kindness of Thai massage, and the dynamic power of Acrobatics. These three ancient lineages form this practice that cultivates trust, connection and playfulness. There are 7 main elements that make up the practice: circle ceremony, asana, partner flow, Thai massage, therapeutic flying, inversions & spotting, and partner acrobatics. Our highest aim is to bring individuals into a state of union with themselves, with each other, and with the divine. From this place of mutual support the true self can be realized, celebrated and shared for the benefit of all.

Fortunately Lankester Gardens has a world class collection of nearly a thousand varieties displayed at eye level, and the huge number of plants means it's likely that hundreds will be blooming when you visit.

Author: Jeanne LaRoche

Grupo Ecologico de Mujeres de Abanico (GEMA)

Situated at the base of Costa Rica’s most active volcano, La Arenal, lies a lush green organic farm that belongs to Cristina Berrocal and her family. For 25 years, Cristina and her husband have managed this 5 hectare estate encompassing a wide variety of fruits and vegetables as well as cows, chickens and worm compost. The couple also own an impressive farm- scale biodigestor that converts cow manure into a reliable source of energy for their kitchen stove. However, the most striking feature of the farm is the presence of hundreds of medicinal plant species, from the well known ginger and lemon grass to the not so common bushy lippia plant used to alleviate sinuses and stomachaches.

Cristina is one of eleven active members of a successful women’s cooperative called “Grupo Ecological de Mujeres de Abanico (GEMA).” GEMA is a women’s medicinal plant cooperative that cultivates, processes and sells 29 different types of organic herbs in the form of teas, spices and natural products like shampoo. Fifteen years ago, Cristina was approached by the cooperative and invited to become a member. Since then, she has reserved one-fourth of her farm for the organic cultivation of medicinal plants.

The roots of GEMA reach back to 1995, when a group of women in the small town outside of La Fortuna called Abanico got together in search of a sustainable income-generating project that would benefit the entire community. With the help of a Peace Corps volunteer, they assembled and carefully assessed the needs, strengths and interests of the group. One of the women presented the idea of growing medicinal plants and the rest were on board with it. Beginning with 17 women, the group was supported by a non-governmental organization called ANDAR that provided the start-up seeds as well as the preliminary training in growing medicinal plants. The NGO also helped the women establish business relationships with big national tea companies like ManzaTe and Mondaisa. For the first ten years, ANDAR acted as an intermediary, purchasing the herbs from GEMA and then selling them to the companies at a higher price. Realizing that they could be make a bigger profit by selling directly to the companies, the cooperative finally eliminated ANDAR as the middle-man five years ago.


Today, GEMA is comprised of 10 women and 1 man, all of whom are farmers with their own plots of land. Each member is responsible for cultivating, harvesting and drying their herbs. Once dried, they are transported to the processing facility/office in Abanico where the herbs are processed and packaged into small plastic bags or canisters. GEMA opened up their factory in 2003 through funds from Fundecooperacion para el Desarrollo Sostenible, a Costa Rican foundation that supports environmental and sustainable development projects. The facility provides ample space for their office, meeting room, packing supplies, machines and educational garden.

What is most fascinating about this particular project is that it’s female-dominated. In a highly macho society, women, especially the wives of farmers, are relegated to the home where they are expected to complete household chores and care for the children. While some of these women faced immense challenges by their husbands in participating in the project, most of the women had cleverly secured a good level of lasting support. Cristina and Nidia Castro, the Vice President of GEMA were some of the most lucky ones. Women who lacked spousal support were unable to convince their husbands to give them a portion of the farm for medicinal plants. As a result, many of the women in the initial group of 17 members were forced to drop out, leaving behind the 10 women that are in the cooperative at the moment.

Furthermore, when the project was first proposed in 1995, nearly all of the husbands thought that growing organic medicinal plants was a silly and naive idea. They were highly skeptical of organic farming methods and had great difficulty believing that it would yield favorable results. Within just the first few months of planting, however, the husbands witnessed first-hand the wealth of benefits provided by organic gardening and were so sold on the idea that they decided to convert their entire chemical-filled farms to organic.

Because of GEMA, not only did these women become key contributors to the family income, but also achieved a significant degree of gender equality in their household. Like many women of her time, Cristina received a K-6 education and never had the opportunity to grow beyond her role as a housewife and mother. According to her, GEMA gave her a space to bond with other like-minded women as well as additional educational opportunities through numerous capacitation workshops on organic farming, medicinal plant properties, making medicinal plant products and business entrepreneurship skills. Her expanded role in the family has also enabled her daughter and granddaughter to take on active roles in the community and become advocates of sustainable business practices. Her oldest daughter and her husband are the proud owners of the first Eco-lodge in La Fortuna. Her oldest granddaughter is currently pursuing environmental studies at a local university. In light of all these successes, it seems that female business entrepreneurs can be major catalysts for social change in their respective communities. The full cooperation of women alongside men in society especially in the area of sustainable development has significant implications that will be furthered examined as this case study is continually compared to other similar women’s groups in Costa Rica.

Author: Joan Ngo

NOTE: A directed study comparative analysis paper with further details on this and similar sites is also available.  See: Achieving Sustainable Development Through Women's Entrepreneurship: A Comparative Study of Social Microenterprises in Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

 

El JardÍn la Aroma-Tica

Fervently interested in the art of sustainable agriculture and plants with medicinal qualities, our group ventured to El JardÍn la Aroma-Tica, a 5 Ha. organic farm located near La Fortuna. The owners, Christina Berrocal and her husband, provided us with the opportunity for some experiential learning and a glimpse into the processes of their sustainable business. Fifteen years ago, Christina became a member of 'Grupo Ecologico de Mujeres de Abanico' (GEMA), a women's cooperative in which individual families cultivate and package medicinal plant products. She is one of the eleven members involved in this organization and produces herbal tea's and shampoo. In total, the farm supports 150 medicinal, edible, and aromatic plants, cows and chickens. The entire production system incorporates principles of sustainability and supplies environmentally friendly products that support human health. We began our day by traversing the garden paths sheathed with wild grasses and surrounded by an array of healing herbs. As we explored the garden, Christina described the various uses of her plants, the parts used create remedies, and allowed us to experience the smells and tastes of many herbs. Her collection ranged from plants with cancer inhibiting properties, such as Cat's Claw, to dandruff relieving Indigo. After the enlightening tour we were ready to understand how the biodynamic system functions.



Nine cows play an integral role in Christina's business. To begin with, the cows milk is extracted, used by the household and sold in the community. The foundational components of the businesses operation derive from the excrements collected daily which are used as fertilizer and as a source of energy. 75 to 90 percent of plant nutrients fed to animals are excreted in their manure. This means that the nutrients channeled by the plants from the soil are stored in the plant's biomass which are later consumed by the cows and finally excreted . The nutrient-rich manure is recycled into the soil to enhance it's quality. Manure not only adds organic matter into the terrain, but it also serves as a soil conditioner and a compost ingredient. When cow waste is mixed into the soil, moisture is retained, compaction is prevented, nutrients do not leech away, and the soil's pH is balanced. Instead of the cow excrements becoming runoff and contaminating the local water systems it is collected and recycled into the farm. The reuse of the organic matter relieves any need of inputing harmful chemicals, saves money, and reduces environmental pollutants.


A biodynamic system takes advantages of the natural interactions in an ecosystem as well as the multiple uses of each resource. Interestingly enough, Christina's kitchen is fueled by gas derived from the cows manure. A few years ago ICE, Instituto Costaricense de Electricidad, Costa Rica's main energy provider, facilitated Christina with a biodigestor bag and training at no cost. This system enabled her to provide the kitchen with renewable energy and served as an incentive to prevent the cow waste from potentially entering the hydraulic systems. Everyday, Christina and her husband mix 2 large buckets of cow manure with 6 buckets of water (1:3 ratio) and stir until the mixture is liquidated. The organic substance is poured into the large bag where a continuous flow has been established. Anaerobic bacteria, breakdown the biodegradable material in the bag without oxygen and produces a byproduct of methane, carbon dioxide and liquid. The gas inflates the bag and the nutrient-rich liquid, or digestate, gradually runs out one end and fertilizes the crops. The pressure from the biogas pushes up into a tube connecting the bag to the roof of the house where the energy is dispersed into the kitchen and used to make the herbal shampoo. This system allows the farm to be self-powered, replaces the use of fossil fuels, enables the shampoo production to be sustainable, provides the soil with nutrients, and maintains the ecological balance of the environment.




Compost, decomposed plant matter, is recycled as a fertilizer. Adding compost to soil enhances it's quality and is a key ingredient to organic farming. One way to speed up the decomposition process and reduce the workload is to add a specie of earthworms to the composting matter to feed on organic waste. This method termed vermiculture, is an important property that contributes to the richness of Christina's soil. She uses Red Wigglers to breakdown vegetable or food waste, and bedding materials. Food scraps, newspaper, soil, and cow manure are combined with the worms in a large wooden bin. The worms feed on these materials and break-down them down into simple properties. The end-product, or the worms' waste, is a heterogenous mixture of organic matter containing water-soluble nutrients and nutrient-rich organic fertilizer to be applied to the garden. Red Wigglers are recommend because the have great appetites (they eat more than their weight in food everyday!) and breed very quickly. Vermicompost increases plant growth, conserves the soil, and is a great way to recycle your food and bedding scraps!






There was an abundance of lush compost ready to be applied to the soil! Erica, Miguel, Tait and I filled sacks with the natural fertilizer
and spread it among the bases of the plants in the greenhouse to enrich the soil quality. Using a shovel, we made spaces around the edges of the plants and filled them with compost to promote their growth. Remaining cautious not to damage the delicate roots, we continued this process until we distributed the organic matter around every herb. Amanda and Joan harvested Tilo Criollo, Justicia pectoralis, the herb most sought after by the purchasing companies. This water-willow is commonly known as Tilo in latin America. In folk medicine, Tilo is used as a tranquilizer, alleviates headaches, is an anti-inflammatory agent, and fortifies the nervous system. No wonder it's in high demand.



Joan and Amanda placed the harvested herbs in the solar dryer. Christina efficiently uses the sun's renewable and powerful energy to dry the herbs. The solar dryer applies the greenhouse effect to trap and contain heat. Strong UV rays are able to enter the greenhouse. Some of the energy from the solar radiation is absorbed by the interior properties, including the plants. The quality of the energy degrades to infrared radiation which gets trapped in the greenhouse since it is not strong enough to escape. Sunlight is continuously being trapped in the solar dryer resulting in an accumulation of heat. On an average sunny day, the herbs are dried in 2 days. On rainy days the process lasts from 5-7 days. Once again Christina's methods take advantage of the natural resources in a sustainable way. This is an energy efficient, long-term, inexpensive, and environmentally sound system.


The biodiversity supported by El Jardin Aroma-Tico facilitates natural tropical interactions while making use of the land, conserving soil, and attracting a variety of pollinating species. Christina's farm, she and her family included, is self-efficient. She makes simple manipulations and leaves the rest to nature. All of the agricultural inputs derive from her land. Her system displays a continuous flow of matter and energy and promotes natural ecological functions as opposed to degrading them. El Jardin Aroma-Tica is a haven of healing plants for human organisms that does not sacrifice the environment's equilibrium and instead works along it's very side. Christina is able to make an income while practicing environmental stewardship. Essentially this farm is run by applying the knowledge of natural ecosystem functions and is living proof that sustainable businesses can be successful in every sector; ecologically, economically, and socially.

Posted By: Jeanne LaRoche

Playa Langosta: Las Baulas National Park

 

Marine Ecology Lecture: Jason giving a marine ecology lecture
at the beach (what an appropriate place!).

 Estuary Visit: A visit to the local estuary during a field activity on mangrove ecology.

Nesting Leatherback Sea Turtle: Collecting data and leatherback 

sea turtle eggs from a nesting female
(thanks Chris!). 

Leatherback Sea Turtle Eggs: A clutch of leatherback sea turtle eggs we
relocated further up the beach so the tide wouldn't flood them.

Kitchen at Playa Langosta: The kitchen and common area at Playa Langosta

where we assisted with sea turtle conservation and research.

 Bedding at Playa Langosta: Paige sleeping under her mosquito net in the women's tarp,

which houses up to six people.

Palmares: Madre Verde Reserve

'Green Mother' Butterfly: A beautiful butterfly in the Madre Verde reserve (courtesy of Jason).

Tree Planting Ceremony: Miguel leading a tree-planting ceremony during the course.
In addition to (more than) offsetting carbon released as a result of the course, the EEI
'Carbon & Community' program supports local community conservation efforts.

La Fortuna Area

Reticulated Glass Frog: A small reticulated frog we found while exploring at night
in the garden at our favorite eco-lodge.

White-Nosed Coati: A coati (Pizote) who came out to visit us on the road near La Fortuna.

La Fortuna: Hanging Bridges

Buttress Roots: A huge tree with buttress roots in Hanging Bridges Reserve.

Waterfall: A beautiful waterfall we visited in the northern zone

(special thanks to Chris for this pic).

San Ramón: Alberto Brenes Biological Reserve

  Aquatic Insect Collection Field Activity: Collecting insects in the river,
which we later identified in the laboratory with microscopes.

 Plant Diversity Identification: Learning about tropical plant diversity
in the laboratory after collecting samples in the field.

Plant Leaf Stoma: Viewing the stoma of a leaf through a microscope during a
tropical plant diversity activity in the rain forest.

Night Exploration: Nocturnal exploration in the rain forest.

Leaf Insect: A nocturnal leaf insect we found during our night exploration activity.

 

 Small Nocturnal Snake:An unidentified snake we found during our night activity.

San Ramón: University of Costa Rica

University of Costa Rica 'Demonstration Forest': A hike through the UCR demonstration forest 

where a wild troop of howler monkeys live, and research and environmental education takes place.

View of San Ramon from the UCR: A view of the town of San Ramon during a visit to the
University of Costa Rica, Western Regional Campus.