After being closed to the general public for two months, we are pleased to have reopened the reserve beginning on May 16th. Thank you to all of the visitors who have come to get a dose of nature, after Covid-19 confinement!
Border restrictions in Costa Rica currently only allow Costa Rican nationals to enter the country until at least June 30th, so the interns and researchers that were planning on coming over the Summer have had to postpone or cancel their time at Cloudbridge Nature Reserve.
Due to this unusual situation, we request that you please consider coming to volunteer or research on the reserve (or recommend it to people you know). Alternately if you are able to support us financially with a recurring or one-time donation, it will be much appreciated.
We have had a lovely group of interns and volunteers who stuck it out with us throughout this difficult time, and we are very grateful to them. However, May was their last month here at Cloudbridge, as they will all be leaving shortly. We wish them all the best on their journeys!
In 2008, Cloudbridge researcher Stephan Lehmann planted a grid of plots with different combinations of pioneer and climax species trees. Our research intern Max Battison has recently been measuring the trees in these plots to see how they have progressed over the last 12 years. It is fascinating work!
Now that the rains have begun again, everything has been growing quite rapidly, including a multitude of fungi, of all shapes and sizes. Here is just a small sample of the many varieties we have seen this month:
This month we have greatly enjoyed engaging in a couple of virtual field trips on the reserve. We received very good feedback, with some teachers calling it the highlight of the school year! Please don´t hesitate to reach out if you are interested in a virtual field trip.
Though these last few months have been strange and difficult for many people around the world, here at Cloudbridge we have been blessed with a stellar team of staff (including workers Edgar and Oscar, not pictured here). Though Antoine Jeunet will be leaving us soon, we are still thankful to have such a great team! Thank you.
Recommended Reading
- Cloudbridge was recently featured in a French magazine article about «Costa Rica, the El Dorado of Mesoamerican Flora».
- This lovely essay by arborist and author William Bryant Logan explores the symbiotic relationship between humans and trees, when our managemente actually helps the trees to live longer, healthier lives.
- Seeing as how the United States is currently in a state of turmoil due to the many unnecesary and violent deaths of people of color, most recently that of George Floyd, we are including this thoughtful article about the difficulties of «Being black while in nature«