Ecotourism in the Cloud Forests of Costa Rica

Right now, I am here at the end of the wet season, and I am noticing that rain isn’t as frequent as when I got here at the beginning of October. This means that plant life grows constantly throughout the year, so the landscape is full of greenery. Where there are plants, there are also animals, so as you would expect, there are a lot of spectacular animals that can only be found here. Here in the Monteverde area, living in the mountains, we have cloud forests, which are unique forests. Due to the elevation of these forests, clouds pass low through them which brings moisture and allows for lush green forests full of life. I’ve walked through quite a few clouds now and I can tell you it feels like a refreshing mist.

What parts of this environment help people to live here?:

Due to fertile soil from volcanic activity, warm temperatures and abundant rain, people here can grow fruits, vegetables, coffee beans and cocoa beans very easily. People here can produce much of their own food with little effort and live sustainably. Thanks to all that rain (I never thought I’d hear myself say that), there are no restrictions on water usage and the people are free to use water as they see fit. This is wonderful news for me because this biologist loves himself a hot shower!

What challenges do people face living in this environment?:

While rain helps Ticos in many ways, it also can hurt them and make life challenging at times. Constant heavy rains in the wet season cause landslides frequently and depending on where it happens, they can impact communities of people. The weather also affects the roads here in Costa Rica.

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