Welcome to the Park of the Week Newsletter for January 18, 2024. This week’s park protects one of the last remaining regions of pristine cloud forest in Central America.
Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve
Location
Monteverde, Costa Rica
Claim to fame
Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve was founded in 1972 to protect one of the last regions of pristine cloud forest in Central America.
Cloud forests are found in the tropics where clouds meet mountains. Thick clouds immerse the mountaintops and their forests in mist, often leading to an area rich in biodiversity. The Monteverde cloud forest is packed with life: it is estimated that the reserve houses 50% of the biodiversity of Costa Rica and 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity.
The reserve achieved scientific fame in the 1980s as the site of the first recorded climate-related extinction–that of the Golden Toad, the first known species to go extinct due to the chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis), which threatens amphibian species around the world.
Reason to visit
In addition to stunning jungle and mountain scenery, Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological reserve is a premiere destination to view rare bird and plant species. The park is home to more than 3,200 plant species, including a wide variety of epiphytes and orchids, which thrive in the wet conditions of the cloud forest.
The reserve maintains 8 miles (13km) of trails, including suspended bridges that allow visitors to walk high among the clouds, where treetop plants are at eye-level. The reserve’s naturalists guide day and night hikes through the jungle. Monteverde also boasts a park lodge and many environmental educational programs for learners of all ages.
The best time to visit this cloud forest is during its dry season (January to April), when the sun is out and temperatures are more moderate.
Wild Fact
The Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve was established and is overseen by the Tropical Science Center, a non-profit based in Costa Rica. The TSC conducts scientific research throughout Central America and has created four protected areas within Costa Rica, including Monteverde.
The TSC has played a major role in transforming Costa Rica into one of the most popular and successful ecotourism destinations on earth. Their environmental educational programs throughout Costa Rica have created generations of environmentally literate Costa Ricans, and their investment in ecotourism and hiring locally has uplifted entire communities out of poverty.
The TSC is a large reason why Costa Rica is a leading example of how a nation can protect its natural treasures while also helping its people flourish.
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