The Children's Eternal Rain Forest (CERF) is located in the Tilarán mountain range, in northwestern Costa Rica. This range presents a steep sinuous topography which is characterized by peaks and mountain ridges, valleys and canyons as well as abundant rivers of rapid currents that drain both Pacific and Atlantic slopes of the country.

The CERF is 22,000 hectares (54,000 acres) in size and encompasses primary and secondary forest as well as regenerating areas. The CERF, along with other private reserves and the Arenal National Park, forms a forest block under

protection of about 50,000 hectares (110,000 acres).

In general CERF can be categorized into three forest types: seasonal evergreen forest, Cloud forest and aseasonal rain forest. This later type being the most representative within the reserve. However, within the CERFarea are 6 out of 12 life zones present in Costa Rica as well as a great variety of habitats between 450 and 1,800 above sea level.

Within CERF we have management areas where we maintain infrastructure for research, education and protection. We also have experimentation areas with native species of trees and forest restoration treatments. In addition, we maintain trails to be used by ecotourists, students and researchers.

...and people from around the World have made it come true in Costa Rica

A Monteverde Conservation League project that has caught the imagination of children and adults around the world is the Bosque Eterno de los Niños, the first international children's rainforest in the world and the largest private reserve in Central America. It borders Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve to the north and east. The dream of a rainforest saved by the children began in 1987 at a small primary school in rural Sweden. A study of tropical forests prompted nine-year-old Roland Teinsuu to ask what they could do to keep the rainforest and the animals that live in it, safe from destruction. Young Roland's question launched a group campaing to raise money to help the League buy and save threatened rainforest in Costa Rica. With the guilding hand of teacher Eha Kern and her husband Bernd, and the assistance of tropical biologist Sharon Kinsman, who introduced the Monteverde project to the school, Roland and his classmates raised enough money to buy six hectares of rainforest at a cost of $250 per hectare, including surveying, title search, and legal fees connected with this purchase.

Out of this initial success a group of children dedicated to saving the tropical rainforest formed Barnens Regnskog ("Children's Rainforest"). The vision took hold, sweeping the globe, with contributions flocking in from the far corners of the globe. Fundraising projects have been as varied as a child's imagination. Children have collected aluminum cans and glass, baked cookies for sale with rainforest ingredients (ginger, chocolate, vanilla), or asked for a parcel of rainforest as a Chirstmas or birthday gift (land-purchase cost is $100 per 0.4 hectare). One-fifth of every donation goes into an endowment fund for protection and maintenance of the forest.

The original six-hectare preserve, established near Monteverde in 1988, has grown to more than 22,000 hectares (over 54'000 acres) of land, the largest private reserve in Costa Rica, bordering three sides of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. More land awaits purchase.

Flora and Fauna

The Children's Eternal Rain Forest and Monteverde, as well as other nearby areas, have been the focus of numerous studies and vast collections of both plants and animals. Since the 60¹s, many naturalists, students and biologists have contributed to the knowledge of the cloud forest and other adjacent habitats.

To date, there have been registered in this area 60 species of amphibians, 101 of reptiles, 425 of birds and 121 species of mammals. This makes a total of 707 species of land vertebrates

that represents 50.5% of the total known species in Costa Rica.

The diversity of plant species in the zone is also great. Three thousand and twenty one species of vascular plants only have been recorded, that is one third of the total species of such taxonomic group reported for the whole country.

The climatic conditions and the topography of the terrain have allowed habitat diversification and a high degree of endemism. Monteverde is known worldwide to many people due to the now extinct golden toad (Bufo periglenis). This species inhabited only the high and humid parts of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve.

Other little known species are also endemic to the zone. For instance, about 10% of the total flora recorded is considered endemic to the Tilarán mountain range.

We invite you to visit and explore the wonders of the Bosque

Tourist Facilities

• A self-guided interpretive trail
• Chance to see mammals including coatis, white-faced monkeys, agoutis and porcupines
• A lot of species of birds including keel billed toucans, blue-crowned motmots and long-tailed manakins
• A Children´s Nature Center and gift shop
• Spectacular sunsets over the Gulf of Nicoya

Entry fees

• Adults $ 7.00
• Students $ 4.00

Guided night walk of 2 hours from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Entry fee $15.00 (reservation required)