The Children’s Eternal Rain Forest or CERF is an over 50,000 acre collaborative preservation reserve that gets its name from the efforts of children around the world to raise money and do their part to protect the environment. The CERF is located in the Tilaran mountain range in northwestern Costa Rica. The Children’s Eternal Rain Forest is partially managed by the Monteverde Conservation League which provides protection, education and research activities throughout the park. The Monteverde Conservation League is a non-profit organization with members from all over the world. They began in 1986 raising money for land acquisition so that they could preserve as much of the natural beauty that is Monteverde as possible. In 1987 a group of Swedish children sent in some money to the League and the Children’s Eternal Rain Forest was founded. Today the CERF is the largest private reserve in Costa Rica.
The Children’s Eternal Rain Forest can be categorized as embracing three distinct forest types. There is the seasonal evergreen forest, cloud forest and a seasonal rain forest. The a seasonal rain forest is the most prevalent type in this reserve. Six out of twelve of the identified life zones that are present within Costa Rica can be found in the CERF. Many scientific studies and research projects have been conducted at the CERF and over 700 different species of land vertebrate has been identified and cataloged at the Reserve. This is over 50% of all of the species that exist in Costa Rica all together. There have also been studies to inventory the invertebrate species, but they have less conclusive results. The only invertebrate that has been cataloged intensively is the butterfly. A significant study was conducted by two scientists, W. Haber and R. Stevenson, and over 650 different species were identified. Plant life is also varied in the CERF and over three thousand different types of vascular plants have been identified. This is nearly a third of the types of plants in all of Costa Rica.
Several Biological Stations are located at the Children’s Eternal Rain Forest to be used by visiting and researching scientists and others that are involved in the preservation of the rain forest. The San Gerardo station can hold just over thirty people and can be used by tourists, researchers, scientists or nearly anyone interested in studying the park. San Gerardo is surrounded by trails that lead into both the primary and secondary forest, as well as into the reforestation pastures and has amazing views of Mount Arenal. The bird watching is especially spectacular in the area surrounding this station. The other Biological Station is Poco Sol which is near a beautiful lake and waterfall. It can also sleep nearly thirty people and is also surrounded by almost ten miles of trails. Both Biological Stations can be stayed at by tourists, but reservations are required.
The Children’s Eternal Rain Forest is an effort by children all over the world to preserve a part of the planet that was being destroyed. Donations are still received by children from many countries and educa-tional programs and reforestation projects are funded thru these contributions.
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