COSTA RICA

Monteverde

The first "Children's Rainforest" was started in Costa Rica, Monteverde. Monteverde is a small village at the Tilarán mountain slopes. There you can still find pristine rainforest areas. The Tropical Science Institute (TSI) had a "small" (4000 hectares) reserve here in 1985. It was threatened by the destruction of rainforest outside the reserve, since the reserve itself was to small to host the large mammals. When the "Children's Rainforest" was founded in 1987 we helped both TSI and the new Monteverde Conservation League (MCL) in enlarging the area called "The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve". Within 2 years, the reserve was 10000 hectares large, primarily thanks to "The Children's Rainforest". Today the reserve is several times larger than that.

The organization "Children's Rainforest" was growing, and in 1989 it was decided that MCL should establish the first "Bosque eterno de los niños" - "The Children's Eternal Rainforest". Within the purchased area (1658 ha to start with) there were also minor clearings, that were reforested with financial contributions from SIDA (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency). A plant school was established to culture native tree species. These trees were also used as windshields around the pastures and as forest corridors between different areas. In 1993 corridors of the total length of 75 kilometers had been replanted! The area of "Monteverde Children's Rainforest" has reached the size of 300 square kilometers, and it is part of a larger (1100 sq. km) protected area: "Area Conservacione de Monteverde".

In addition to the plant school, environmental education, research, surveillance and local development work was begun. In the small village of San Louis, a small hydroelectric station was built with the help of "The Children's Rainforest". Materials and part of the salaries were paid for by SIDA, and the rest of the work was voluntary work performed by the local people. The power station is driven by water from a small stream inside the forest. The inhabitants therefore know it's necessary to keep the forest and protect it from destruction. A similar power station has been built in San Gerardo, on the other side of "The Children's Rainforest". This power station provides electricity to a research station and a lodging house for visitors. This all brings income to the local people. Yet another strategy to save rainforest! Another is through alternative and sustainable culture methods.

Guanacaste and the bridge to Rincon
Guanacaste and Santa Rosa National Parks are located in the north west of Costa Rica. They form a unity consisting of mangroves, dry tropical forest and lowland rainforest. Pasmopompa (1163 ha) lies at the eastern border and consists of mountainous rainforest that has been purchased by "The Children's' Rainforest". 5 km from this area is the Rincon Park. In between, there is still some primary rainforest, providing the wild animals with an important way of retreat during the dry season. It also creates the possibility for genetic exchange between the two areas. This corridor is threatened by expanding pastures. The Network therefore contributes to the purchase of this important piece of forest. The project is lead by professor Janzen (http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu ), who formerly established the Santa Rosa reserve. The landowners are offered help in buying other land areas or turn to other activities than cattle raising. Some start working within the Guanacaste National Park Service.

Note! The bridge is finished, and we are now working on widening it!

ECUADOR

Jatun Sacha
The reserve Jatun Sacha (meaning the large forest in the quichua language) is located in the upper Amazon basin. The project is run by the Ecuadorian organization "Fundacion Jatun Sacha (http://www.jatunsacha.org), working closely together with the Quichua Indians. There are also agroforestry education and reforestation projects. A plant school helps the local people to plant trees for domestic use (such as firewood and timber). The area is thought to be the most biologically diverse in Central- and South America and extensive biological research is performed.

Guandera and Bilsa are two other, smaller reserves that are run by Jatun Sacha, and were created by The Children's Rainforest and the network. Guandera is located in the Andean mountain range and Bilsa is an area with coastal rainforest. Bilsa is one of the last lowland rainforests in Ecuador. Here you can read more about Bilsa and here about Guandera.

GUATEMALA

Sierra de las Minas

In cooperation with the local organization "Defensores de la Naturaleza", a 250 000 ha mountainous rainforest will be turned into a reserve. It is an international project where several organizations act together. Within the area there are two indigenous tribes, the Kekchis and the Pocomchis.

THAILAND

Khao Noi Chuchi
This project is run by our British sister organization (http://tropical-forests.com), in order to save the last lowland rainforest in Thailand. The pitta bird was rediscovered here after being considered extinct.

BELIZE

Rio Bravo
A project run by our American sister organization, "Save the Rainforest" (http://www.savetherainforest.org), together with the "Earth Birthday Project". Within Rio Bravo, an intensive educational program is run and by now 20 000 ha of rainforest is protected.