Long-term research project with Utrecht University
Stichting Adopteer Regenwoud’s research project is entering an exciting new phase thanks to a long-term collaboration with Utrecht University. The foundation was ready for a new step to professionalize the research project and Utrecht University was looking for a stable and reliable partner in Central America to conduct solid research in the rainforest. So for both parties this is a wonderful collaboration! Because of this we will make a big step in professionalizing our current research on biodiversity in our reserve. Together with the visiting students we will focus on scientific research in which the diversity and development of nature in our reserve, with an emphasis on flora, is central.
From fauna to flora
In recent years, we have been able to host and supervise hundreds of students and volunteers from different educational levels and institutes. This mix of MBO, HBO and WO interns provides a varied learning environment for all participants and will continue to be a core value of our research project. Together we have learned a lot about the biodiversity in our reserve, observed rare and endangered species and even found undescribed species. In doing so, we have been especially looking for animals because they are relatively easy to name. Now we will work on plant diversity, and PhD students, professors and others specialists will also contribute to the knowledge of our reserve.
Influence of land use
The background of the study has everything to do with the genesis of our beautiful reserve. Man has had a great influence on nature in our project area for centuries. Deforestation, agriculture/livestock but also rainforest regeneration have created a mosaic of different habitats. So the rainforest we protect within the boundaries of the reserve is not all one and the same nature. For example, parts of the reserve used to serve as pasture or forestry plantation, while others have been covered by ancient forest for a very long time. Thanks to the studies we conducted in recent years, we know that the entire reserve fulfills an important function as a safe habitat for numerous (special) plant and animal species. With the new research, however, we are zooming in further and asking what past land use is currently affecting life in the various habitats.
Differences in tree species
Life in the rainforest obviously depends on the trees there in many ways, for example as a source of food, shelter, substrate for other plants and so on. Different tree species provide different services in this regard and make the presence of other plant and animal species possible or impossible. Moreover, tree species sequester carbon dioxide in different ways in trunks, branches and roots. Therefore, the number of trees and their species composition are a very important factor in rainforest biodiversity. We want to investigate whether there are differences between the habitats found in the reserve. Does rainforest that was pasture 40 years ago differ from rainforest where there was once a forestry plantation, for example. And how do they compare to an old, pristine rainforest?
Reservation in compartments
In the coming years we will divide the reserve into a large number of imaginary boxes. These boxes will be stored using GPS. Within these courses we will take measurements. In a first phase we will look at the thickness of the trees and their species composition in different courses. These data will tell us what influence land use decades later has on tree diversity and CO2 uptake. Moreover, by re-examining the courses annually, we will see how the forest continues to develop there. In addition, we can combine the knowledge we have gained about the animals with the knowledge of trees to reveal new relationships. In a later phase, we will also start surveying the rest of the vegetation (herbs, mosses, bromeliads, orchids, etc.) in these courses to get an even more complete picture. Research projects done on this scale and precision are scarce and of great value worldwide.
Input from researchers at Utrecht University
This ambitious research plan is only possible with the professional input of researchers from Utrecht University and from other institutes. However, the help of our students and volunteers remains indispensable. The knowledge we will gain will help Foundation Adopt Rainforest to understand the value of the reserve even better and possibly make more targeted choices for future rainforest acquisition or land use recommendations in the region. In addition, our data will serve a much broader purpose in the longer term, as regeneration and reforestation are of great importance globally in the fight against climate change, habitat fragmentation, and species and biodiversity conservation. Our project can serve as a show-case in the future and data can be extrapolated to large bids in the tropics so that conservationists can take effective action.
We can’t wait to get started with our students and volunteers on this monster job, which will take several years to complete, and hope that (potential) visitors are equally excited about the new research skills you can gain here. In addition, we remain active with ongoing research on tropical animals, so there is something for everyone.
In Costa Rica, you can’t ignore them: the Oophaga pumilio. Pumilio means dwarf, and although they are barely 3 cm tall, it is hard to miss the poisonous strawberry frogs. In English, they are called Strawberry Poison Dart frogs because indigenous peoples used to use their poison to makepoison darts. They are also affectionately called the “blue jeans frog,” because they often look like red frogs in jeans. Although they are by no means all the same colors. There are some that are completely red or blue, rather yellow, green or orange, or with black stripes or dots. In total, there are some 15 to 30 color variations.
What’s with the fur? Why do sloths sleep so much? This month, the three-fingered sloth is the animal of the month at Adopt Rainforest. And what’s more fun than hearing from one of the founders of Adopt Rainforest some fun facts that you won’t find in a standard biology book. Maarten van der Beek is one of the biologists at Adopt Rainforest and lives on the Work With Nature reserve in Costa Rica. (more…)
Did you know… in the wet months the frogs in Costa Rica show themselves more often? They are less prone to drying out because of the wetness and are singing because many species lay their eggs in the rainy season. Earlier we talked about the glass frogs, but there are many more frogs to be seen in this period. (more…)
Now that student Sonny, a pure night tour specialist, is about to finish his internship, a lot of great discoveries are made at the last minute. To top it all off, last week we found a special glass frog in the reserve. This Hyalinobatrachium dianae – Diane’s Bare-hearted Glass Frog was only discovered and described […]
Critically endangered parrot species Yesterday the research program of Adopt Rainforest participated in the Censo Internacional de la Guacamaya Verde 2022. Or in English the International Sensus of the Great Green Macaw. Throughout its distribution, dozens of organisations participate in the next days to get an understanding of the current state of this parrot species. […]
And then there you are, atop a hilltop, having a good cry. Or frantically trying not to let your fellow volunteer see how touched you are. My name is Zoë, I live near Hasselt in Belgium. I am an adult education teacher, and enthusiastic but very novice when it comes to nature. I would like to tell you about my wonderful experiences as a volunteer in the reserve of Adopt Rainforest.
Do you want to offset your CO2? But have no idea how CO2 offsetting works? In this article we will tell you all the ins and outs about CO2 compensation so that you can reduce your CO2 emissions and offset them in the right way.
What is sustainability and why is it important? Sustainability is a much-used word, for example, sustainability can have a meaning in relation to the environment and climate, but it can also have a social and economic meaning. Because it is such a broad concept, it can be quite difficult to properly understand what sustainability actually […]
With green plants that originated in the tropical rainforest. By: Annemarie Silkens Costa Rica is known for its amazing flora and fauna, especially in the rainforests and cloud forests. Costa Rica‘s plant world is very extensive and varied. Over 12,000 different plant species (of which more than 1200 species of orchids!) are found. Climate, soil […]
In the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica most rain falls in May to August. The fact that it rains is good for all life of course, but can be quite difficult for our biologists in the Work with Nature reserve; the paths become muddy, the laundry doesn’t dry and the project is sometimes briefly inaccessible because rivers are filling up. (more…)
We all know how important trees and plants are for producing oxygen and absorbing CO2. Especially lately there has been a lot of news about the climate crisis, global warming, sea level rise, CO2 offsetting and the importance of preserving trees, plants and forests. In this blog you can read some background information on how trees store our CO2 emissions.
We are extremely proud to tell you that the reserve has been expanded by 48.5 acres! And it is not just any expansion, it is finally the connection between the reserve of Adopt Rainforest and Barbilla National Park that we have been working towards for so long. 48.5 hectares, that’s almost 100 soccer fields and […]
The Ceiba tree, also called kapok tree, is an impressive sight with its trunk full of thorns and a growth rate of 2 to 4 meters per year. Those thorns allow the tree to protect itself from all kinds of animals. The tree is one of the forest giants of the tropical rainforest and grows […]
In July we told about the expansion of Adopt Rainforest’s reserve through the purchase of 48.5 acres of land. This parcel is very important because it forms a land bridge between the foundation’s current reserve and Barbilla National Park. Much of the new plot is existing forest, but there are also several acres of pasture […]
Supporting a good cause. How do you do that? There are so many charities that it is difficult to choose. To which charity do you donate money? Which charity is reliable? And where do you actually start supporting a charity? The choice is vast in the jungle of charities. If you want to support a charity, it is important that the charity suits you. Choose an organization that does things you find important. This will make donating to charity a lot easier for you. With the tips below, you can be sure that you will soon be supporting a charity in a conscious manner. (more…)
Last summer we were able to open the proverbial champagne bottle again! Despite all external influences, we managed to formalize the purchase of a beautiful and especially strategically important piece of rainforest! It concerns the 9 hectares on which the research center is located. (more…)
For my Wildlife business management degree, I have done several internships, mostly revolving around animal care but this time I chose to visit a different type of organization. In August 2023, I landed in Costa Rica to spend 8 weeks with the research project of Adopt Rainforest.
Let’s start right away with a fun fact: Costa Rica covers only 0.3% of the Earth’s surface, but you will find almost 5% of the world’s flora and fauna species! Per area, Costa Rica has the highest biodiversity in the world!
Adopt Rainforest employs a lot of volunteers who do amazing and, above all, very diverse work. In this blog post we would like to share the experiences of Annemarie, who has been volunteering for Adopt Rainforest since September 2022. (more…)
In the spring of 2023, there was suddenly an opportunity to go to Costa Rica for Adopt Rainforest. I was also in Costa Rica a year earlier and there someone tipped me off about an organization of two Dutch guys who were working to protect and restore the rainforest. When I got home I decided […]
This year we once again celebrated the three days of Dia del Arbol with the enthusiastic school children of our village! Check out this impression of the event, in which we highlighted this year’s theme: water. From building dams and filtering water to exploring frog pools and an exciting water obstacle course – it was […]
Is it possible to restore the original rainforest in a deforested area where cows have been grazing for years? In Costa Rica at least they accept the challenge. This article tells in short how a Dutch foundation in Costa Rica is trying to transform degraded land back into a fully fledged rainforest. (more…)
Despite the fact that there are no students because of the Corona crisis, the research continues (partly).
In the Netherlands, some students are busy analysing data, but also in Costa Rica inventories are still being made. Accompanied by guide Tapa, Hanneke and Maarten walk the transects in different habitats.
If you are about to stay at Adopt Rainforest in Costa Rica, you will definitely meet one of the project’s key people: Gerald. This smiling young man whose age no one really knows, will help you find your way in the jungle forest and will teach you how to use a machete. He knows just everything about trees and insects and if you’re lucky enough to be Dutch, he can even hold a conversation with you in your native language. Gerald is a discreet person who has made himself indispensable: in the garden, or in the jungle he always finds his way.
Discover our special partnership with the Bromelia Specialist, where passion for the Bromelia plant and the conservation of Costa Rican rainforest come together. For three years, the Bromelia Specialist has supported the work of Adopteer Regenwoud in protecting the origins of the Bromelia plant, while providing Europe with the most beautiful Bromelia products. Behind the […]
When a butterfly flies by, most people do stop for a moment to follow it with their eyes. They often have beautiful colors and the large soft wings compared to the small body make them look almost cuddly. In Costa Rica there are more than 1200 species of butterflies and of course we are very curious about the species that occur in the reservation of Adopt Rainforest.
Humanity has cleared countless acres of forest over the centuries. But not all forests are the same. Sure, a forest in Costa Rica has trees and squirrels, just like a forest here in Europe. But while we can certainly draw comparisons between our temperate forests and tropical forests, there are many differences. In this blog post, we take a closer look at why tropical rainforest logging is even more disastrous and how the consequences extend much further. And logging is certainly ongoing. Globally, the tropics lost 4.1 million hectares of primary forest in 2022, 10% more than in 2021, the platform Global Forest Watch reported.(more…)
Most species are between 7.5 and 13 cm in size. You would almost think it is an out-sized bumblebee! Hummingbirds (Trochilidae) are the smallest birds in the world. They are a family of birds of the order swift-like. The family includes more than 300 species. Most species are found in South America. It is so much fun (more…)
This beautiful blue butterfly, measuring up to 15-20 cm, seems to appear and disappear with every flick of its wings. In fact, its underside is a clever trick of Mother Nature. On the underside, it is inconspicuous reddish-brown, with eyes to deter attackers. The bright iridescent blue, in turn, is to deter competition and attract females.
Last week we had the pleasure of welcoming professors Edwin Pos and Yann Hautier of Utrecht University to our project in Costa Rica. It was a week entirely dedicated to local collaborations. Our project managers Maarten and Hanneke together with the professors visited different organizations in Costa Rica to strengthen existing collaborations and initiate new ones.. (more…)
In recent years we have already seen many rare and unusual animals in our reserve such as the Northern Nacked-tailed Armadillo, Black-and-White Hawk-Eagle and several felines. However, what we recently encountered is many times more interesting to scientists. In 1989, Epigomphus houghtoni, the Limon Knobtail, a dragonfly species was described by Stephen Brooks based on […]
A family adventure at Adopt Rainforest by Zoë Schreurs World Family Day, also known as International Family Day, is celebrated worldwide on May 15 to recognize the value of family bonds and family relationships. This day emphasizes support, love and cooperation within families. While we at “Adopt Rainforest” are of course all a little bit […]
on with Utrecht University. The foundation was ready for a new step to professionalize the research project and Utrecht University was looking for a stable and reliable partner in Central America to conduct solid research in the rainforest. So for both parties this is a wonderful collaboration! Because of this we will make a big step in professionalizing our current research on biodiversity in our reserve. Together with the visiting students we will focus on scientific research in which the diversity and development of nature in our reserve, with an emphasis on flora, is central.
