From our team here at Cloudbridge, we hope that you have all enjoyed this holiday season in the company of your loved ones. We have been enjoying the company of a lovely group of researchers and volunteers, who were able to share together the festivities of the season. We have also enjoyed an increase in demand for tours and rental accommodations, it seems there is a «high season» this year. And of course, we would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the generous donors who are supporting our fundraising campaign. In addition to the generous support we have received through our online campaign, we have also received substantial funding from individual donors, putting us within reach of this exciting project! Please support today!
The 6 x 11-meter structure will be quite simple, and located in the flat area below the dorms, close to the current classroom. It will consist of three parts: 1) a small outdoor patio, 2) a «dry room» in which to store equipment which could be damaged by the humid environment of the cloudforest, and 3) a large area in which researchers can sit and process data, give presentations, and in general have a quiet, studious area on the reserve.
The current classroom is located immediately next to the kitchen, and studying and socializing many times happen in the same space. This is why we are so appreciative of all of your support! Please share and consider donating : )
This month, as is customary, we were able to smoosh cans and plastic bottles and help Omar Garita sort all of the recycling. Thankfully, many hands make light work, so this is a fun learning experience for our program participants. The program has recently been awarded a blue flag for its efforts.
Pics from around the reserve
Pics from Finca SDR
Suggested Reading
- Research conducted at Cloudbridge Nature Reserve has been included in this collaborative effort evaluating the decomposition of leaf litter. Our former Jennifer Powell is a coauthor. We invite you to read it here.
- As we all know, Costa Rica, though a small country with a small population, has set itself as a world leader in environmental issues. This article looks at the leadership position of this remarkable country.
- This year of 2021 that is coming to an end has been historical in many ways. As this article puts it, «Extraordinary is no longer extraordinary». In closure of this year, the New York Times looks back on the climate stories of 2021.
- Emergence Magazine has been exploring the relationships of our landscapes with migration, such as in this essay about the harsh landscape and the people who live near Lake Turkana, in northern Kenya.
- In a landmark ruling that will hopefully set a firm precedent, Ecuador’s highest court has ruled that plans to mine for copper and gold in a protected cloud forest are unconstitutional and violate the rights of nature. This is in line with what this article posits, that 2021 is the year that we have finally accepted the important relationship between the climate and biodiversity crises.