Cover photo: Our view of the forest canopy is dissolved by clouds.
by Alejandra Gallardo, of the College of Saint Benedict / Saint John’s University
We’ve wrapped up our collaborative project with Fondo de Biodiversidad Sostenible that consisted of biodiversity monitoring through rapid assessment interviews, collecting camera traps, and surveying private properties enrolled in payments for environmental services. We’ve surveyed six properties across the Guanacaste and Alajuela regions of Costa Rica.
The property caretaker, Bolivar, guided us through the property, showing us large trees and significant landmarks on the property.He led us to the peak of the property at 1300 m in elevation. At the highest point, we walked through the clouds where the vegetation was dense with thick ferns and soft mosses. The cold breeze was refreshing as we hiked to the top.
The group with Bolivar after surveying the peak of the property. Photo: Megan McKeown
Karl hiking up through the cloud forest.The mountain was kind to us. She allowed a spotlight to dry our sweat-soaked field clothes during the day. At night, she is the stage that hosts an orchestra of life, singing us a lullaby through the showering rain. After a semester of Costa Rican heat in the tropical dry forest, we indulged in bundling up in layers to get cozy in the cold. An Orange-bellied Trogon kept us company throughout our stay, perching next to the platform we stayed on.
One evening, Eli and Óscar joined me to indulge in a small hot spring, bubbling with volcanic ash and minerals. We filled the pool with water from the adjacent freshwater stream and strategically balanced ourselves at the floor of the spring to avoid burning our feet.
Bubbling hot spring pool from the Arenal volcanic vein.
Text and photos by Alejandra Gallardo, unless otherwise noted.