In our area of Costa Rica, November is a time in which we receive large quantities of rain on certain days, but we also have some days in which we can feel the beginning of the coming dry season. The school year is coming to an end, and Cloudbridge was able to implement the environmental education program CONUBI in 2 local schools. Other environmental organizations have also been implementing this program, notably ASANA and CCT Los Cusingos, and at the end of each year one or two children from each school have the opportunity to visit an amazing habitat and learn about biodiversity. In previous years this final activity has sometimes taken place at Cloudbridge, here is the blog from 2023. This year, for the first time, we visited the coral lab run by the non-profit organization Costa Rica Coral Restoration, in Ballena National Marine Park, as well as going for a whale-watching tour.
The coral populations of Costa Rica´s Southern Pacific area has been especially impacted by sedimentation and other environmental stressors, resulting in a significant decline. The Coral Restoration project seeks to restore vitality to our local coral populations, by propagating local species in a controlled laboratory to later be released into the wild once more. The environmental education aspect of this project is also quite noteworthy, and it is an honor for Cloudbridge to be part of this collaborative effort, which allowed children and their guardians from 15 communities – ranging from the Chirripo area to coastal villages – to enjoy this lovely experience together. The whale-eatching tour was a great success, as we were able to witness a humpback whale with her calf, dolphins, and other marine life.
Corals are fundamental for carbon sequestration and their health around the world has been negatively impacted due to human actions
Cloudbridge researchers and staff visit doña Leila in her home, as part of a research project. As always, it is a pleasure to spend time with these lovely people from San Gerardo.
At the end of the school year, there is a specific day in which public school teachers are encouraged to go on some sort of excursion together to reinforce camaraderie. This month we also received the staff of a school which is not exactly local to our area, allowing the teachers to visit and learn about a different ecosystem.
Pics from around the reserve
The Talamanca Pit Viper is sure beautiful!