Programs
Visitor Care Program
One of the significant activities carried out at Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve is the management of resident and nonresident visitors; the main activity as a source of income for the Tropical Science Center. In addition, the activity results in a significant impact on the socio-economic development of the Santa Elena, Monteverde and San Luis communities, making it a strategic element in the area.
The customer service program consists of 4 different sections: reception, store, reservations and lodge maintenance, whose employees work together to offer the following services:
• Entrance to the reserve
• Day tour
• Night tour
• Souvenir store
• Lodging at La Casona
The income from the sale of these services are used for protection, research, environmental education and maintenance of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, but also for the management and protection of four other protected areas of the Tropical Science Center.
↑ Back to topEnvironmental Education Programs
The Environmental Education Program aims to make students aware of the wildlife's complex relationship and to sensitize the population to participate in the different activities to protect our natural resources.
For more than 2 decades, the program has given classes on cloud forest ecology and environmental issues to thousands of students from the twelve educational centers located on the buffer zone of the reserve. The program is also an active participant in the socio-environmental process of the community. It is not only an active member of different local inter-institutional committees but also offers speeches, workshops, plays and cleans streets and streams, among activities directed to the Monteverde community in general.
It also helps groups of national students from all over the country that visit the Monteverde Reserve and are interested in having a cloud forest experience. The reserve starts from the premise that all persons, regardless of age, sex or academic level "learn by doing" so that when a group requires its services, hands-on activities are preformed where the student thinks, eats, sleeps and breathes the cool cloud forest atmosphere.
If you would like to participate in any of our workshops in one of the Seven Wonders of Costa Rica, contact us at eduamb@cct.or.cr
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Giras educativas en Reserva Monteverde
Research Program
The Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve has a properly established research program whose goal is to generate information and technical and scientific knowledge that will help make management decisions relevant to the protected resources in the area and its protected regions while promoting the establishment of strategic alliances with scientific and academic institutions both national and international, which will allow it to acquire knowledge on the dynamics of ecosystems, populations, species and other resources of interest protected by the reserve.
Research currently plays an important role since it is an indicator of the conservation and protection activities in a given area; it allows us to know where conservation efforts have paid off in the preservation of species as well as the appropriate management of natural resources.
Read More ↑ Back to topManagement and Operations Program
The Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve's administration is responsible for implementing this program. It directs the activities of the reserve's managing operations globally.
The goals of this program are:
• To guarantee effective enforcement of programs, activities and functions that fit the guidelines of the Monteverde Biological Reserve's administration, to facilitate the conditions, means and mechanisms for effective implementation of these guidelines and to guarantee the effective use of the assigned human, material, financial and technological resources.
• To provide the officials of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve with the necessary conditions for the performance of their duties.
• To initiate and maintain effective lines of communication between the administration of the reserve and the organizations of neighboring communities. To establish a means by which to promote recognition and respect for reserve's natural resources so the people of the communities and their organizations can understand, appreciate and enjoy these assets by actively participating in its conservation.
• To promote cross-organizational and cross-institutional coordination in the people of the communal area. This allows the sustainable use of natural resources and the environment in general.
• To support local community organizations to promote activities related to managing natural resource.
• To attain public support in the communities of the area and their organizations and to acquire conservation efforts at local, regional, national and international levels.
• To establish strategic alliances and collaboration of activist groups and individuals that are of interest to the reserve, such as travel agencies, tour operators, conservation groups, civic associations, local and national government institutions, and others.
↑ Back to topManagement and Monitoring
of Natural Resources Program
The Surveillance and Control Program is responsible for control activities, use of resources and surveillance to prevent illegal activities such as hunting, logging, encroachment and removal of products and byproducts of the forest within the Reserve.
The Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve consists of Area Zoning, divided into: public use, special use and absolute protection.
The area for public use is 2% of the entire reserve. It is where the network of trails that are used by thousands of visitors each year is located. In this area, the program is in charge of making regular surveillance rounds to prevent the extraction of forest products and keep proper order when tourist walk through the different trails.
The special use zone is an area or space next to the paths leading to each of the shelters in the different parts of the reserve. These areas are frequented by groups of students who visit these sites where they participate in the different courses. In these cases, rounds are done to control the use and manipulation of biotic resource, used for developing the courses.
The Absolute Protection Zone has wildlife resources that require a relatively complete protection because of their fragility and the presence of endangered species or threatened species. This area covers most of the reserve, 96% of the total corresponding to 3533.7 hectares in an altitude range between 860 masl in the Peñas Blancas river canyon, on the eastern boundary and the 1840 masl in the Cerro Chomogo, on the northern border of the reserve.
It is also responsible for the coordination of actions with other people, for the efficient protection of natural resources found in the buffer zone.
In addition, it is responsible for the safety of the employees of the reserve, the thousands of visitors who come to the area, and the facilities and equipment, where basic training courses are given such as first aid, management and control of structural fires, tracking of people, among others necessary to perform daily functions of the program.
Main objectives:
• To protect natural and cultural resources in the reserve.
• To provide security for staff and visitors to the reserve.
• To offer protection to the physical facilities and equipment.
