Kyra’s Volunteer Story – October 28, 2011
Omar, Kyra and Miguel after a long day planting
La Reserva is a very refreshing place. Whether you are walking through the reserve or taking a lunch break, you are surrounded by trees and all sorts of wildlife. If you look at the ground you will see countless leafcutter ants blazing new trials through the forest each day, as well as innumerable bugs that appear to be a cross between your average American insects, crustaceans, maybe dinosaurs, and a rainbow. It is not just the environment that is refreshing, but the success of the reserve as well. Forested areas that Omar, the forest manager, planted, are generating saplings that we used to fill in the new forests we were planting. It was incredible to see that in less than twelve years these trees had grown from arbolitas standing less than a foot tall into an entire forest. It’s nice to think that one day the trees we planted will be a forest just like the one Omar planted years ago. La Reserva really is making reforestation happen.
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By Zach Chissell
My arrival at La Reserva came after being in Costa Rica for 2 months. Although I had seen a good bit of the country, the attitude and life style here is that of one of the few places I’d been to that embodies LA PURA VIDA.
Zach (left) and Omar, having made and installed
new informational signs at La Reserva’s entrance
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Day 1:
Monday was my first day of work on La Reserva. I followed Omar, who works at the reserve and I currently live with, as we made a trek around the perimeter of the forest, clearing trails and repairing fences. Omar would pause to point out some of the wildlife we would encounter. Once we finished we fed the chickens and the rest of the animals. Roberta, one of the project managers, showed me her permaculture garden and explained some of the techniques she uses to maintain soil health and fertility.
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“Something I will Remember and Cherish for the Rest of my Life”
By: Chris Long
Prologue:
It took a four and half hour flight, one night in San Jose and a four hour bus ride to Tilaran, but I finally made it! Forty-eight hours earlier, I was living in the hectic, fast-paced and insane life of New York City. Now, for the next month, I was to live in Costa Rica with a local family while working to help preserve the beauty and awe that this country’s rainforests provide. Let’s get started!
