It is finally here! This is the last blog in my series about the places to visit in the Children’s Eternal Rainforest. The San Gerardo Field Station is a great place to see while in Monteverde, the second most frequented destination in all of Costa Rica (it closely follows La Fortuna, the home of the active Arenal Volcano).

The Facilities

Finally arriving at the San Gerardo Field Station after the one-and-a-half-hour hike.

The San Gerardo Field Station is similar to the Pocosol Field Station, although there is only one building and it is somewhat older (the new Pocosol Field Station was inaugurated in 2008). It is also located in a different habitat, so you will see very distinct wildlife if comparing to Pocosol. There are multiple trails available for hiking, most ranging from just under one kilometer to just over 2 kilometers. At the end of the Catarata trail, you will find a beautiful waterfall with a great water hole for swimming…the perfect place to cool off after a hike!

The San Gerardo Field Station has 8 bedrooms, two downstairs and six upstairs, that can house 4 guests in each one. Each room has two sets of bunk beds and one bathroom equipped with a toilet, sink and shower, and each guest receives their own towel, soap, pillow and bed clothes. There is a dining area downstairs with four large picnic tables, as well as a kitchen and classroom with a projector and screen available for lectures.

The upstairs balcony adjoining the rooms is a great place to relax, either in one of the four hammocks hanging from the rafters or in one of the many available chairs, and the view absolutely cannot be beat. The San Gerardo Field Station is situated in a small clearing in the CER, overlooking the majestic Arenal Volcano.

What You Get

The majestic view of the Arenal Lake and Arenal Volcano from the San Gerardo Field Station balcony.

Basically, the San Gerardo and Pocosol Field Station work in the same way. For a nightly fee, you receive all of your meals while at the station (made from scratch, and mostly traditional Costa Rican cuisine), complete access to the surrounding trails, a room (that you might possible have to share with other guests), and the attention of the two field station managers, Geovanny and Ivannia. Geovanny and Ivannia are Monteverde residents who do not speak English (although, Geovanny does want to learn and appreciates any practice he can get!), but despite any challenges with communication they are very concerned with the well-being of the field station guests. They go out of their way to make any visitor feel welcome and comfortable, and will even take groups on hikes through the trails surrounding the field station. As a matter of fact, Geovanny’s father was the former owner of the property the field station is currently on, so he knows the area like the back of his hand.

How to Get There

As compared to Pocosol, San Gerardo is a little easier to get to, in my opinion. The only way to reach the station is on foot, but getting to the trail head is surprisingly easy. From Santa Elena (Monteverde), take a taxi (or drive your rental car) to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve (cost: $8.00), and the trail head begins in their parking lot. The trail is technically a public road, but it is next to impossible for any vehicles to maneuver the thick, deep mud (the road was originally traveled by farmers and their families moving milk and other supplies up and down the hill with ox-drawn carts). So, the only feasible way down to the station is by walking there.

After about forty-five minutes to an hour of steep downhill hiking, the road leads to the private San Gerardo trail that eventually ends at the field station. You must hike this trail, also downhill, for about a half an hour, and the further you get the thicker the canopy becomes. Eventually the trail opens up into the clearing where the field station is situated, and where a hot cup of freshly brewed Costa Rican coffee awaits you in the dining area, made by the lovely Ivannia, of course.

The advantage to hiking to the station is that it is economical. You do not have to pay for private transport, although the hike out can be a little arduous. It is almost completely uphill, but if you take it bit by bit, it is manageable and even pleasant, especially if you stop to nature-watch along the way.

Reservations

I recommend making reservations for the San Gerardo Station, and it is always good to do this about two months in advance. The rainy season is very heavy after the month of July, yet the rainforest is beautiful in any of its seasons. If you would like to avoid the heavy rain, though, the best time to visit would be between the months of March and June. They are also the busiest months, though, so reservations are key!

Please write to info@acmcr.org to secure your space at the San Gerardo Field Station.

For the Forest,

Mia Roberts

Come take the trip that you’ve always been meaning to take! Maggie Eisenberger will lead the trip to the Children’s Eternal Rainforest from June 11-24, 2010. The trip itinerary includes learning about the tropical moist forest ecosystem of the Children’s Eternal Rainforest from the San Gerardo field station and comparing that with the tropical dry forests of the lowlands in Carara National Park. For more details visit http://mclus.org/eco-tourism/

The balance of $1995 is due April 1, 2010. An Early Bird Discount of $100 applies to those who send their deposit prior to Dec 31, 2009. To reserve your place or ask questions, contact Maggie at meisenberger@tfssa.org or by phone (cell 608-217-5288 or home 636-532-3290).

Your eco-tourism dollars are a wonderful way to support the BEN. The talks you might give upon your return are a great way to help us get the message out and inspire additional contributions for this special worldwide collaborative project that has spanned over two decades.

Maggie Eisenberger and trip members on the Corobici River.

Missouri Botanical Garden Teacher Workshop a Success. Rainforest Kit Available to Borrow

Over 40 teachers participated in free rainforest education workshops, and reviews were high! Here’s what one teacher wrote: “The new rainforest tubs are very exciting for any teacher doing a unit on the rainforest. A teacher would not have to buy any other materials to carry out the unit. The tubs are at two levels. They were put together some years ago and have been updated with new or revised activities and new books such as The Forever Forest: Kids Save a Tropical Treasure. The materials are fresh and crisp and very hands on.” Visit http://www.mobot.org/education/strc/kits.asp to learn about the Rainforest Kit and for a $25 fee you may loan one. Curriculum for grades 2-4 and 5-8 are available for download at: http://www.mobot.org/education/web.asp For further information, contact Tracie Cain with the Education Division of the Missouri Botanical Garden at 314-577-5147.

Teachers at the Rainforest Workshop at the Missouri Botanical Garden talk with Rachel Crandell, former MCLUS President. Rachel was involved with updating the kits and preparing for the workshop.

The Forever Forest Group Reaching for Their $5,000 Fundraiser Goal

This small but dedicated bunch of students and parents have been striving to raise $5,000 for the Children’s Eternal Rainforest since August 2008. Comprised mostly of former ‘student ambassadors,’ or students who won free trips to the BEN, these kids have used their photographs from the trip to make blank notecards. They have been selling them at a variety of fairs and even have gone door to door selling them. They have also given a number of talks about their trip. For more information about the group, feel free to contact Terry Sheets at dtsheets@sbcglobal.net

Two members of the Forever Forest Group sold notecards at the Alton Earthtones Festival.

For the forest,
Friends and Board of MCLUS

Monteverde Conservation League US is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
All donations are tax deductible. Donate at the Network for Good.