January 2022

Photo credit: Madelyn Peterson

Happy Twentieth Anniversary to Cloudbridge! In 2002, Ian and Jenny Giddy purchased mountainous terrain that was being used for pasture, with the intention of restoring the magnificent biodiversity of the cloudforest to what is now Cloudbridge Nature Reserve.  Over the years, Cloudbridge has been able to reforest 255 hectares of land and offer a life-changing experience to hundreds of researchers and volunteers.  Twenty years later, Ian and Jenny´s vision of Conservation, Education and Research is alive and well.  January has seen a lovely group of program participants, who have learned from one another and by observation of the natural world. 

In order to continue offering our program participants a comfortable and supportive space, we will be expanding our campus with the addition of a research lab.  We are very thankful to all of the donors who have made our dream of building this necessary infrastructure a reality!!

Environmental education is an important part of Cloudbridge´s mission, and we have been happy to help develop educational materials with other environmental organizations and the support of the UNDP´s “Productive Landscapes” grant.  On January 26th, the International Day of Environmental Education, our director Casey was able to share with other Environmental Educators from around Southern Costa Rica at the Wilson Botanical Gardens, in San Vito de Coto Brus.

Researchers and Volunteers

My name is Colin, here travelling from Canada! I will be doing a research project on butterfly diversity and their habitat preferences throughout the reserve. So far I am quite enjoying the cloud forest – especially living among the waterfalls, giant trees, epiphytes, and the immense biodiversity in general. I’m looking forward to learning more about the unique fauna that consider this place home.

Hi, I´m Natalie!  I am a Biology student at the University of Kentucky and I’m a research intern at Cloudbridge for the next three months. I first visited Cloudbridge on a trip with the Gatton Academy.

Hello 👋 My name is Claire Bradfield. I am a recent graduate of Southern Illinois University with a Bachelors degree in Forest ecology and a reasearch intern at cloudbridge. In this photo I am searching for macro invertebrates. This will help to determine the water quality, as well as to get a closer look into the American dipper diet here at cloudbridge nature reserve.

Inventory of bird species at Cloudbridge

Stripe-tailed hummingbird (Eupherusa eximia).  Photo credit: Madelyn Peterson.

The year got off to a fantastic start with the publication of A dataset of bird inventory records at Cloudbridge Nature Reserve between March 2016 and May 2020.  We invite you to check out this amazing collaborative effort led by our former science coordinator Jennifer Powell.  

Sometimes birdwatching can get a bit harsh on the neck, especially when you have those big cameras!  Here Colin has something in his sights.  Photo credit: Madelyn Peterson.

Pics from around the reserve

Photo Credit: Benjamin Luke.

Photo credit: Madelyn Peterson

Photo credit: Madelyn Peterson

Photo credit: Madelyn Peterson

Photo credit: Madelyn Peterson

Photo credit: Madelyn Peterson

 

Suggested Reading

– Unfortunately, humans are not only wreaking havoc on our planetary climate system, with 2021 having set many temperature records and devastating wildfires, but we are also driving loss of biodiversity and habitats.  Another aspect of how we are transgressing our planetary boundaries is with the creation of novel entities, primarily plastic pollution.  This report shows that we are Outside the Safe Operating Space of the Planetary Boundary for Novel Entities.

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