The Settlers

In 1951 Wolf and Lucky Guindon left Alabama for Costa Rica, seeking refuge from the Korean war draft and what they felt was the increasing militarism of the U.S.  Within a couple of years, more than 30,000 Americans and at least 1.5 million Koreans would lose their lives.  As Quakers, Wolf and Lucky objected to war on religious and moral grounds. Costa Rica which had just abolished its army, was a good fit for those seeking a peaceful, simpler life.  That was Monteverde then.  Let them tell you about Monteverde now.

The Conservationist

“Without a doubt, I was a great destroyer of nature.” That was Eladio Cruz then:  a young man pioneering the forest. But when he began working with biologists in the 1970′s, Eladio became a force of nature himself, helping to expand Costa Rica’s Monteverde Cloud Forest to become the largest private forest reserve in Central America. This is Eladio Cruz now: one of the most dedicated conservationists in one of our world’s most biologically diverse ecosystems.

The Guide

Maria Saenz is a nature guide in Costa Rica’s Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve — the only female guide in a profession dominated by men. Exploring the theme of change, Maria observes how erratic weather patterns are affecting the migration of local animal and plant species.

The Biologist

Shifts in temperatures and traditional weather patterns should take millennia, not decades. But in Monteverde the coffee growing seasons are lasting noticeably longer.  Biologist Paty Ortiz demonstrates how the long-term vision and work of scientists can help us all see with greater clarity the new pace of change that is happening all around us.

The Cowboy

Sandro Quesada may be young, but he has clarity well beyond his years. Growing up in Monteverde, life was quiet.  That was Monteverde then. In Monteverde now, more than 250,000 tourists arrive each year and, inevitably, some people stay.  He sees the toll this growth takes both on the environment and his community. With eco-tourism being one of our planet’s fastest growing industries, does Sandro have reason for concern?

The Educator

While Costa Rica’s Monteverde Cloud Forest is considered one of the most beautiful places on our planet, things aren’t always what they appear. Milton Brenes, who’s lived in Monteverde his whole life, sees things that others may not notice.  But because of his work with local children, the beauty of the cloud forest and the people who live there are more visible than ever.

The Researcher

Debra Hamilton has been studies the Three-Wattled Bellbird which is on the IUCN’s “Red List” for fear of extinction. Are erratic weather patterns due to climate change affecting the bird’s food source? Debra and seven conservation groups are not waiting around to find out.  Together they have set out to establish a biological corridor to allow the Bellbird and other species to migrate from the cloud forest’s continental divide down to sea level.

The Tech Guy

When 250,000 tourists visit Costa Rica’s Monteverde cloud forest every year, a lot of waste is left behind. Carlos Nyreen and high school students from the “Cloud Forest School” found one way to deal with the impact of such a huge influx of people…and power their school at the same time.

The Dairy Farmer

Six days a week Jose Zamorra hauls milk from a local farm to the Monteverde Cheese Factory. He’s seen a lot of change throughout the years and clearly remembers going into the forest with his father to hunt or set fires to prepare the land for crops. After all, that’s the way things have always been done. Can things change?

The Tour Operator

Norman Santamaría followed closely in his father’s footsteps hunting wild animals that roam Costa Rica’s Monteverde cloud forest. But as the years passed, he began to observe the destruction of the forest and scarcity of animals. Norman now makes it his passion — and business — to protect one of our planet’s most biologically diverse ecosystems.

The Coffee Grower

What could coffee possibly have to do with climate change? Well, just about everything. For decades coffee was Costa Rica’s biggest source of income, driving the transformation of hundreds of thousands of hectares of tropical forest into endless rows of coffee that require carbon-based fertilizers and pesticides. Oldemar Salazar worked the conventional plantations for years, but is now making peace with forests, biodiversity…and well as our taste buds.