BEN Land Purchase Information

The Monteverde Conservation League U.S. has an ongoing and urgent Land Purchase and Protection Campaign to create wildlife corridors for migrating species through currently deforested lands on the Pacific slope. GOALS:

* Purchase existing farms which are being offered for sale by their owners and are surrounded by or next to the BEN

* Support the establishment of Pacific slope biological corridors through land purchase, conservation easements and collaborative efforts with local Monteverde organizations

* Provide funds to offset annual expenses for protection, reforestation and other operational activities of the Monteverde Conservation League

Protecting Biodiversity

Quetzals fly from lush forest across barren cattle pastures where they are vulnerable to hawks and other predators.

The BEN is the largest private reserve (more than 22,000 hectares or 54,000 acres) in Central America, but its forests cannot protect migrating species throughout the entire year. Resplendent quetzals, three-wattled bellbirds, bats, hundreds of butterflies and other creatures become more vulnerable as they leave the protected forests of the BEN to migrate to isolated forest fragments at lower altitudes each year. These birds, mammals and insects are extremely important in dispersing seeds and pollinating many unique plants and trees which exist within those remaining patches of native vegetation. Entire ecological niches are quickly disappearing. Some species are threatened with extinction.

Several patches of farms, forests and degraded pastures must be purchased and/or protected through agreements in order that many plant and animal species can survive. The permanent protection of these additional parcels of land means that we need your help for purchase costs, survey and legal expenses, patrolling against poaching, reforestation, research, and environmental education activities for local school children and their families.

To purchase the lands will be more expensive than in the 1980s and 1990s. While some remote degraded pasture lands might be purchased for $400 or less an acre, land parcels near rapidly growing Santa Elena and vital to the bellbird population may cost over $15,000 an acre. The average cost of an acre is likely to exceed $1,000/acre (which includes legal and long-term protection expenses.)

But we will not be working alone to save these forest fragments. We are coordinating our efforts with Monteverde Conservation League, Monteverde Institute, Tropical Science Center(TSC), and Fundacion Conservacionista Costarricense(FCC) in recognizing the need to take action and to avoid competition in purchasing land and in raising funds. We have mutual concerns about these vital protection activities.

Kids and their schools can help now by participating in the Dream The Forest Wild Kids' Book Project, and by sending a donation.

Orchid

Willow Zuchowski

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