As a part of the Tropical Biology program, I’ve spent my last week in Cuerici, a small biological reserve in the northern section of the Talamanca Mountain Range portion of Costa Rica.On our first full day at the site we took a four-hour hike into the Oak Forest. Don Carlos, the manager of the site, guided us through the hike, telling us the history of the land and the plant species found within the understory.
Within the Cuerici Oak forest, you can locate a variety of understory plants and lots of sunlight filtering through the incomplete canopy, two characteristics of a secondary growth forest. A secondary growth forest is the name given to a forest that is growing over old pasture land, with the pasture land being previously logged forest. This is where the history of Cuerici comes in.
Relatives of Don Carlos who owned the land when an association purchased the land began reforesting the pasture land and made Don Carlos manager. Initially Don Carlos wanted to use the land to hunt (before it became illegal) and for farming.
In the Paramo, a high-altitude ecosystem northwest of Cuerici known for its extreme weather!
A view from the secondary growth forest in Cuerici
However, the more he began to let reforestation occur and learned to appreciate the land, the less keen he was on using the land strictly for agriculture. Hence, with the efforts of Don Carlos and some associates, the land became the Cuerici Biological Station and Reserve.
Learning the details of its history and how hard Don Carlos has worked against community backlash, keeping out illegal hunters, and just overall maintenance, gives me a sort of emotional connection to the land. Additionally it draws my mind towards thoughts of other reforestation and conservation projects. Such projects are important in terms of creating a healthier planet for not only tomorrow, but thousands of years from now.
The future of our planet rests in projects similar of those to Cuerici. While some say you need to have a deep understanding and education to become a conservationist, I think all one really needs is to visit the land and gain an appreciation for what they are conserving.
A single visit was all I needed to come to love the land of Cuerici, to want to protect the land, and help in its conservation.