Welcome to the Monteverde Conservation League, U.S. blog.

A Father’s Day Gift from the Children’s Eternal Rainforest

As Father’s Day quickly approaches, we prepare to honor the men who taught us to play catch, helped us build tree forts, and lent their fatherly wisdom to enhance our lives. This Father’s Day, consider giving your dad—or any man in your life who has acted as a father—the priceless gift of the rainforest. By making a donation in his name to the Children’s Eternal Rainforest in Monteverde, Costa Rica, you will not only give your dad a thoughtful present, but also make the world a better place for generations to come.

When you make a donation to the Monteverde Conservation League, you help secure and protect the development of crucial rainforest land; plus, you will receive a charming, printable PDF card to display a gift that will far outlast any neckties or golf clubs. You may choose to donate $10, $25, $50, or $100. Thank you for your support and for helping us honor fathers around the world this Father’s Day. The Children’s Eternal Rainforest would not exist with your generosity.

Donate Now

Next Land Purchase for Children’s Eternal Rainforest

Thanks to our donors the Children’s Eternal Rainforest has just added another 20 acres.  It is an essential piece in the Pacific slope corridor that connects two pieces of the Children’s Rainforest.  Half of the land is still original forest, but the other half was cleared years ago and used as cattle pasture.  The Monteverde Conservation League will be able to reforest the compacted, degraded pasture with seeds from the nearby forest and recreate critical habitat.  This is the third land addition since we began the Land Purchase and Protection Campaign!!!

Whole Foods Markets Partner with New Chapter to Replant in Costa Rica

Last year WFM of southern California made a generous donation to the Children’s Eternal Rainforest including coming to Costa Rica to plant trees.  The land purchased is contiguous to the existing protected area but was deforested.  Now the new seedlings Whole Foods planted are taking advantage of the rainy season to get a good head start on returning habitat and food source for endangered species by creating a corridor to New Chapter’s organic farm and protected forest.  Thanks Whole Foods and New Chapter!

In an effort to encourage bloggers to write about their favorite charities, Zemanta launched a “Blogging for a Cause” contest, where they will give $6,000 in donations to the five most blogged about charities. We invite supporters of the Monteverde Conservation League US to help promote the Children’s Eternal Rainforest by taking a few minutes to mention this wonderful cause in their blogs.

Bloggers simply need to post about their favorite charities, then add a tracking link in their blog posts. Here’s the text and link: This blog post is part of Zemanta’s “http://www.zemanta.com/bloggingforacause/”>Blogging For a Cause” campaign to raise awareness and funds for worthy causes that bloggers care about.

There are many things to write about, from the 54,000 acres of land protected in Monteverde, Costa Rica to the free courses and rainforest kits for educators this summer at the Missouri Botanical Gardens.

The contest runs until June 6, 2009. Check out the contest site for more info and blogger directions.

Thank you for your support, and happy blogging!

This blog post is part of Zemanta’s “Blogging For a Cause” campaign to raise awareness and funds for worthy causes that bloggers care about.

Give Your Mom the Gift of the Rainforest this Mother’s Day!

This Mother’s Day, the Children’s Eternal Rainforest has set aside a Mother’s Grove within their 54,000 acres in Costa Rica to honor all mothers around the world who helped protect it. We invite you to give your mom the priceless gift of the Children’s Eternal Rainforest by making a donation to the Monteverde Conservation League US.  With your donation, you will receive a charming, printable PDF card that fits in an envelope to display your love and appreciation for your mother.  You may choose to donate $10, $25, $50 or $100. Thank you for your support and for helping us honor mothers around the world with the Mother’s Grove. The Children’s Eternal Rainforest would not exist without your generosity.

Monteverde Conservation League US is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible. Donate at the Network for Good.

Free Teacher’s Rainforest Workshop in St. Louis

Teachers will receive a beautiful free poster, free training, and suitcase filled with curriculum, DVDs, books, and games can be borrowed free from the Missouri Botanical Garden.  The workshop is June 29 from 9-noon.  The workshop and curriculum are a collaborative effort made possible by the partnership of the Monteverde Conservation League US and the Missouri Botanical Garden.  To sign up before it gets full, email teachertraining@mobot.org.

MCLUS President on NPR

Rachel Crandell’s April 30 interview with Don Marsh on St Louis’ KWMU FM is being streamed by NPR online for the next 6 months.  Much of the hour was devoted to the Children’s Eternal Rainforest.  This was wonderful exposure for our work in the forest.  To listen just click on KWMU.org.

The Children’s Eternal Rainforest Sends You an Earth Day Gift!

We think of it as a gift when the rainforest occasionally reveals one of its secrets to us. Very recently some hikers crossing one of the remotest areas of the Children’s Eternal Rainforest received such a gift. They were taking a lunch break along the Rio Peñas Blancas in the heart of the BEN (El Bosque Eterno de los Niños) when a puma came to the edge of the river. Like a silent phantom it appeared and disappeared back into the forest. One of the brothers was quick enough, and had presence of mind enough, to snap this photo. Now we can all share in the gift. Puma are prevalent in this forest. We see their tracks. The forest guards know their territorial scrape marks. But they are seldom seen. To be part of the coincidence of a stealthy wild puma and human beings in the daylight in the midst of a 54,000 acre wilderness is truly a gift and a wonder. This couldn’t have happened if the BEN were not protected and maintained by our brave forest guards and the donations of our loyal supporters. The gift goes both ways. Happy Earth Day!

Frogbags Save on Plastic Waste and Raise $$ for the BEN

Katherine Phillips, one of our Student Ambassadors to the BEN in 2007, and a friend gave birth to an exciting environmentally friendly idea: personalized reusable grocery bags! In addition to providing the public with a practical product, Frogbags’ goal is to be as environmentally friendly as possible by helping reduce plastic waste. They will donate 5% of the their profits to the Children’s Eternal Rainforest. Frogbags will start production the middle of May. To find out how to order your Frogbag contact frogbags4you@gmail.com.

Space Available for the June 10-23 and June 22-July 5 Trips to the BEN

Still considering that long awaited trip to Costa Rica? Airfares are lower than ever right now. MCLUS trips focused on conservation with fabulous photo ops in the rainforest both have some spaces still available. Check out itinerary on mclus.org/eco-tourism/ and see if this is the trip for you. $1895 includes everything for two weeks except airfare. Ask your questions at info@mclus.org.

MCLUS Spring Talks, Festivals, Annual Meeting and Trip

April 1 Principia Lower School, Town and Country, MO
April 7 Washington University, St Louis, MO
April 8 Women’s Voices, Ethical Soc, Clayton, MO
April 12 Webster University, Webster, MO
April 16 Principia Biology Department, Town and Country, MO
April 18 Missouri Botanical Garden, St Louis, MO
April 18 DKG Conference, Springfield, MO
April 20 REI store, Brentwood, MO
April 23 Principia Preschool, Town and Country, MO
April 24 Our Lady of the Snows, Edwardsville, IL
April 26 Earth Day Festival, St. Louis, MO
May 11 MCLUS Annual Meeting, St Louis, MO
May 18 Wolf Branch School, Swansea, IL
May 18-27 Fox River Country Day, Monteverde, Costa Rica

Donate to the Land Purchase and Protection Campaign

Earth Day is a perfect time to send your support to the protection and expansion of the Children’s Eternal Rainforest. Please donate online or send your check to “MCLUS”, 1128 Weidman Rd., Town and Country, MO 63017. Thank you, and Happy Earth Day!

Bosque Para Siempre: The Collaborative Forest Forever Project

MCL and MCLUS are part of the collaborative that is working to protect and reforest Pacific slope.  Recently the U of Vermont graduate program sent  well-trained students to help create a layered map showing land priorities that local biologists and members of the collaborative feel are the most important criteria for us to be saving.  Things like mitigating stream sedimentation, creating buffer zones, protecting habitat for endangered, endemic or keystone species, connectivity, distance from streams, if existing forest is primary or secondary forest.

The largely deforested Pacific slope with the Gulf of Nicoya in the distance.  Our goal is to create corridors connecting the existing patches of forest and bring back habitat for migrating species from the protected areas of the Children’s Eternal Rainforest in the mountains to the gulf.

The U of VM students are defining objectives we want to include and establishing monitoring protocols.  They asked lots of questions to be sure the computer models they will make represent the needs of the collaborative in choosing the most important pieces of land to protect.

A major point of discussion was the optimal landscape design that meets the natural and social needs of the people and the wildlife while protecting forest habitat at each elevation zone and enhancing the socio-economic well being of all the communities within the corridor.

Participating Costa Rican members of the collaborative which includes the Cloud Forest Preserve, Monteverde Conservation League, and the Fundacion Conservacionista de Costariccense and the U of Georgia in San Luis.  All smiles after hearing the presentations of the U of VM folks.  A big help in planning which pieces to buy and protect.  We appreciate their dedication to making this a useful tool in our land acquisition.

“Earth” movie from Disney starts Earth Day