by Phil Higgins
My first
views of Costa Rica where from the window of our plane. I saw emerald colored
islands fringed with white sandy beaches immersed in an ocean of blue, the views were breathtaking. I
also saw an active volcano spewing small clouds of smoke into the atmosphere.
Upon
arrival at San Jose airport, Costa Rica, the heat was the first thing I
noticed. Our bus ride once we had
left the paved road system took us on a winding dirt track past remote villages
and tiny farmhouses which dotted the landscape. The houses were basic in design
with only the most essential necessities but were surrounded by vibrant colors
of bougainvillea and hibiscus flowers. The majority of farms all had the same
fence system surrounding their field which consisted of a live shrub which they
pruned into shape to form a living fence around the fields, when they needed a
new fence they took cuttings from the shrub and planted them were they wanted
the fence to grow. Throughout the journey we saw exotic birds with vibrant
colors: blue tanagers, cattle egrets,
motmots and many more.
Upon
arrival at San Luis Ecolodge we feasted on a meal of potatoes, rice, beans,
vegetables, salad, meat and rice pudding to finish with. The dining hall or comodor
was a book lined room with fascinating books on the flora and fauna of Costa
Rica. Our accommodation was in cabinas, basic bunkhouses, simple yet clean and
comfortable, with shared bathrooms.
The weather
at San Luis can be quite cool and wet, making jackets necessary. The staff at
San Luis are warm and helpful.
There is ample opportunity to learn or practice Spanish with staff,
guides and members of the San Luis community
The
ecolodge was founded by American biologists Drs. Diana and Milton Lieberman,
distinguished biologists that coordinate long term research projects about the
rainforest ecosystem. The Liebermans live and work on this sustainable tropical
research, educational and ecotourism station.
The
Liebermans oversee a team of resident naturalists that do 3-6 mo. research internships and
lead hikes and other activities at the field stations. Allison Richards was one of these
resident naturalists during our stay.
Early one
morning we went on a guided bird walk in the adjacent cloudforest. Our local
Costa Rican guide Oscar was a wealth of knowledge on the birds of the forest,
he knew the names of all the different species we encountered and was gifted at
imitating their bird calls. Along with the many species of birds like emerald
toucans, white faced parrots, and tanagers we also saw numerous exotic insects,
squirrels and a troop of White Faced Capuchin monkeys feeding in a tree next to
the dining hall.
After lunch
we went on another hike with a biologist who described the many ways the plants
of the forest have learned to survive and protect themselves against predators
using camouflage and mimicry. We encountered enormous leaf cutter ant colonies,
frogs, snakes, butterflies with huge wingspans and countless birds and insects.
The forest was lush and dense with plants growing at every level, and of every
conceivable shape and size along the
trail. Even the trees provided homes for other plants called epiphytes
which have no roots but live on the branches of the trees holding on for dear
life, it was difficult to distinguish the leaves of the trees from the abundant
collection of bromeliads, orchids and air plants covering these trees.
We also had
the opportunity to have hands on experience assisting the resident naturalists
in their own research work.
After dinner we were given a slide show
presentation by Diana Liberman about the research that she and Milton have done
on the age and diversity of trees in the rainforest.
The next
day after breakfast we hiked to the Monteverde waterfall. We followed the
rivers course meandering along its path through the cloudforest until we
reached the 300 foot waterfall cascading over the cliff face. We immediately
jumped into the refreshing waters of the pool below the waterfall and relaxed
with the sound of the waterfall thundering onto the rocks behind us. Upon
returning back to the Ecolodge, I started my own field studies research project
of my own choice. Research projects can be done on any aspects of the
rainforest including the monkeys, leaf cutter ants, butterflies, orchids,
insects, ctenosaurs, hermit crabs or any of the rainforest ecosystem
inhabitants. Later that day we did
an activity called "Plantorama" where we differentiated plants into
their families by observing the leaf shapes and growth patterns
Our next
day included a visit to the Monteverde Skywalk, a system of numerous suspended
bridges through the canopy of the trees and hill tops. This enabled us to have
magnificent views of the forest below us, beside us and all around us. How
different the forest looks viewed from above, it was indeed a bird¬…s eye view.
After the
Skywalk we went to the Monteverde Butterfly Garden. A tropical oasis for
butterflies consisting of 4 distinct habitats representing more than 50 species
of butterfly and their offspring in numerous stages of development from caterpillar to crystallized stage. The garden has an unusual
collection of exotic insects including rhinoceros beetles and stick insects.
That
evening we had a guided night walk through the rainforest, how different and
unusual the forest looks at this time. There are many species of animals who
are more active at night time, on our hike we encountered, tarantulas, birds,
snakes, frogs, a kinkajou and strange insects of every shape and size.
Then our
last day was spent on our own research projects, some swimming and trekking
through the forest.
Our last night was spent in the capital city of Costa Rica, San Jose, where we had dinner. Then the next day we boarded our plane back to the US. I can not put into words how to describe all my experiences in Costa Rica, I was richly rewarded with the opportunity to take part in this class format, to observe life in a tropical rainforest, it has opened my eyes to the beauty and wonders that exist on our planet earth.