Land Purchase and Protection Campaign (LPPC).
In April 2004 MCLUS began a fundraising effort  The Land Purchase and Protection 20 Anniversary Campaign to raise $1.5 million dollars by Dec. 31, 2007 in celebration of the beginning of the BEN in 1987. We did not reach this high, but we made a good beginning and are committed to reaching it and more.  The money raised by LPPC will be split as follows:  50% will be used to buy land to create wildlife migratory corridors from the BEN to existing patches of remaining forests down the mountain slopes on the Pacific side, buy land along the BEN’s borders that will seal off the gateways used by poachers, buy “inholding lands” properties which are surrounded by the BEN, and pay for all the land related expenses like surveys, land registration and legal fees related to the purchase of land. The 40% will support MCL’s annual expenses for BEN’s protection and reforestation activities, and for environmental education for the BEN’s surrounding communities, repay outstanding loans, and provide operational funds for MCLUS. The 10% goes to a Board-directed fund for future Protection and Operational to be used at the discretion of the MCLUS board for emergencies.

We had 480 donors who donated in excess of $246,000. This represents an increase of over 40% in donations for Land Purchase and Protection over last year and that was after a 50% increase the year before!

Funds raised by the LPPC in 2008 will be spent on Pacific slope land currently being negotiated by the MCL.  The priorities to be considered when selecting a piece of land to buy include how much biodiversity it has. Does the landowner have a clear title to the land? Is the price reasonable?  Does the land lie within a reasonable area to be part of our cordillera to coast corridor goal?  Is it contiguous to the BEN?

The purchase of Olger Badilla’s 115 acres of primary forest was negotiated in October by MCL and added a piece of forest to the BEN that is contiguous to the BEN and that includes and now protects the headwaters of the Aranjuez River.  This is a crucial piece in the biological corridor on the Pacific slope that we have been focusing on.  Many thanks to our donors who made this land purchase possible.

We set a goal to raise $250,000 in 2008 and we did.

Other Donations and Assistances to MCL.

When Dwight Crandell passed away early in the year, friends and family were invited to give donations to MCLUS as a memorial to Dwight.  MCLUS received over $20,000 in his memory.

In 2008 we saw more individual donors who gave between $1000 and $10,000 than ever before. Large donations move us closer to our goals faster.  We are especially grateful for the increased possibility of corporate donors spurred by the efforts of board member, Tom Newmark, and the friendships he is helping create through the CEO hike across the BEN in February.  Whole Foods Markets of southern California had a 5% day in January pledging 5% of their retail sales from all 37 stores to go to the BEN.  We were delighted to receive a check for $103,699.50 from Michael Besancon, head of the southern California division of WFM during the Big Hike across the BEN.  We then received another check for over $50,000 from WFM in conjunction with other partners in their region.  Then $13,000 came from WFM in Austin, Texas. As a result of Tom Newmark’s help Sprouts Farmers Markets held a fundraiser for MCLUS resulting in almost $35,000.  They were so enthusiastic in their campaign to share information with their customers about the BEN.  A Gala party in Hollywood in May brought new folks face to face with the BEN.  Through the generous use of their lovely building Creative Artitsts’ Agency hosted the Gala.  Whole Foods Markets provided the meal.  The tables were decorated with orchids and live violin music filled the air.  It was indeed a festive occasion.  Many people who had never heard of the BEN before got to see Mark Wainwright and Alex Villegas film “Stranded” which was a striking visual portrayal of the beauty and diversity of the forest and the bleak deforested mountainside just beyond our borders.  All had a good time, money was raised, and folks went home knowing a lot more about the rainforest.

A new children’s book The Forever Forest: Kids Save a Tropical Treasure by award winning author Kristin Joy Pratt Serafini and Rachel Crandell (Dawn Publications) came out in February.  This beautifully illustrated book has won 5 awards so far and is in paperback, hardback, second and third printings already.  It would make a lovely gift to your local school and public library.  It tells the story of the BEN through the adventures of little Peter and his mom Anna who have come from Sweden.  She is one of the little kids, now grown up, who helped begin El Bosque Eterno de los Niños in 1987.  They hike through the BEN and encounter wonderful wildlife along the way. Peter wants to help, too, and realizes he can plant trees!  The scientific information about the species in the story appear in sidebars along with the history of the BEN in the back of the book with recommended websites and books, and the coordinates to find the BEN on Google Earth.  When the book is purchased through MCLUS, all the profit goes to the BEN.  Copies were given to MCL to sell at Bajo del Tigre Visitor Center in Monteverde.

Rachel’s children’s book Hands of the Maya had successful sales with many copies sold by MCLUS.  The profits are directed to scholarships for Maya high school students in Belize.  Rachel has contributed her royalties for that scholarship effort in order to help sustain the indigenous people’s efforts to conserve and preserve their local ecosystem and way of life.  In 2008 these funds provided $3,000 in scholarships to students of Maya Centre Village in central Belize.  MCLUS has also channeled funds for 3 scholarships to girls from the San Luis Valley to attend colegio (high school) in nearby Santa Elena in the Monteverde Zone in Costa Rica and one to attend baking school.

MCLUS Eco-tourism trips to the BEN continue to be good fundraisers and educate people about the forest and create new donors.  In 2008 three trips were offered, one  in May and two in July for two weeks each.  The May trip was for students from Fox River Country Day School, and Discovery Bound high school students went in early July, followed immediately by an open registration trip for 19 the last two weeks in July.

The Rainforest Quilt Project
The rainforest has become a hot topic for children in Macomb, Illinois. Almost 200 students and the local Girl Scout troop painted and sewed a Rainforest Quilt. Local businesses were invited to buy donor squares that their names stitched into the quilt and create a border around the colorful squares of animals and plants of the rainforest that the children had created. It is a true work of art with input from kids, teachers, parents, and businesses in the community. The Quilt provided funding to help send a teacher to the Children’s Eternal Rainforest on the MCLUS July trip.

Our Student Ambassador program for the years 2005, 2006 and 2007 came to a close, but Gay Townsend started a fund (to honor her late husband) that would send a teacher or student on an MCLUS trip to the BEN.  This year Merran Waller was selected and took full advantage of the opportunity.  She had just completed the fifth grade at Principia Lower School.  She kept a thorough journal and was up extra early almost every morning to get additional birding in before breakfast.  Three other children were on the trip with their families, all from St. Louis.  When they returned home three of them organized the Forever Forest Group and began to look for ways to raise $2000 for the BEN.  They chose to make note cards from their own digital photos and glue them on 100% post consumer recycled paper with a sticker on the back that explains 100% of their profits go to the BEN.  Then they proceeded to look for festivals and speaking opportunities to market their cards.  They reached their goal of $2000 by October and promptly raised the goal to $5000.  They also invited the three past student ambassadors from St Louis to join their FFG club and help give talks and put more cards together.  This is a wonderful example of the activist alive and well in children who have experienced the magic of the Children’s Eternal Rainforest firsthand.

Facebook Cause Campaign: In early January we initiated a Cause campaign on Facebook that raised about $1200. This contest is revealing a whole new generation of young and eager philanthropic givers who are willing to donate their time, money and attention to deserving causes such as the Children’s Eternal Rainforest. It demonstrates the power of social networking sites to make a real difference through their millions of motivated members.  It was our first attempt at using the internet to fundraise.  The Mother’s Grove campaign last week brought in $640 in 3 days.

Other projects and actions
E-Newsletters are going out monthly to our supporters and interested persons via Internet.  The E-Newsletters are being archived on our website www.mclus.org for updated information.

Dream the Forest Wild
Dream the Forest Wild Book Project: How Children Saved a Rainforest by Sue Memhard with Jim Crisp. This is the remarkable, true story of how El Bosque Eterno de los Niños (affectionately known as the BEN, in English – The Children’s Eternal Rainforest) came to be saved thanks to kids from around the world. Now, twenty years later, the lyrical story Dream the Forest Wild continues to inspire kids everywhere and invites kids to be their own illustrators. Kids can read the story online and ask their teacher if they can be part of the KIDS BOOK PROJECT by drawing their own illustrations and going to www.dreamtheforestwild.com to get them published. What a great way to spread the word about the BEN.

Rainforest Rachel on NPR
On April 30 Rachel Crandell was interviewed on KWMU for an hour on St. Louis on the Air.  It is being streamed on NPR’s website for the next six months.  It offered good exposure for our efforts to protect and expand the BEN.

The Uruta Draga Project
The Uruta Draga Project in Panama has moved forward.  We were able to facilitate receiving a free lab test of the oil by the Danforth Plant Center.  We found a donor for the $25,000 needed to fund the initial plantingby theEmberá people of the 9,000 trupa palm trees near the village of Manene in Darien, Panama by the Emberá people.  Rogelio Cansari, head of the Foundation to plant the trees, declared this “a new beginning for my people.”

Emberá Stories
Emberá Stories in Spanish and English went to press.  Joanna Crandell has done the layout work after many proof reading sessions by Spanish and English speaking friends.  Rogelio has also completed the Emberá transcriptions so we are finally ready to print the Emberá-Spanish version.  It is this version that will be placed in the village schools throughout the two comarcas in Panama.

Liability Insurance.
We purchased liability insurance to protect MCLUS for our eco-tourism trips.  It has been a good idea and we will continue this practice. Monteverde Institute. In the past we have accommodated the transference of funds for the Monteverde Institute as they do not have a nonprofit sister organization in the United States, but concluded this practice in 2008.  MCLUS found a donor for $200,000 to buy a piece of land owned by MVI to be set aside as forever protected.  This land is adjacent to MVI land and has been added to another piece to create a reserve now called the Dwight Crandell Memorial Reserve.  This was a great help to MVI in their financial bind.  MCLUS is happy to help support in this way the fine work this institution is doing in the Monteverde community.

Summary.
The MCLUS officers and Board of Directors are pleased with our continued progress and can foresee growing benefits to the BEN and every other activity which MCLUS supports.  We raised more money than in any previous year largely due to the efforts of Tom Newmark and the partnerships with Whole Foods Markets, Sprouts Farmers Markets and the Gala in Hollywood in May. The Forever Forest: Kids Save a Tropical Treasure came out in time to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the BEN.  An article about the BEN and the work of MCLUS came out in Green Business Quarterly.  That is more public awareness about our work.  We have deep and constant gratitude for the faithful and willing support of so many who have responded to our requests.

Click below for pdfs

mclus receipts/disbursements pdf

mclus balance sheets pdf

mclus lppc-distribution pdf

Land Purchase and Protection Campaign (LPPC).
In April 2004 MCLUS began, with the approval of MCL, a new fundraising effort – the Land Purchase and Protection 20th Anniversary Campaign – to raise $1.5 million dollars by December 31, 2007 in celebration of the beginning of the BEN in 1987. We did not reach this high goal, but we made a good beginning and are committed to reaching it and more. The money raised by LPPC will:

• help create wildlife migratory corridors from the BEN to existing patches of remaining forests down the mountain slopes,
• buy land along the BEN’s borders that will seal off the gateways used by poachers,
• buy “inholding lands” – properties which are surrounded by the BEN,
• support MCL’s annual expenses for BEN’s protection and reforestation activities and for environmental education for the BEN’s surrounding communities, and
• create a Board-directed quasi-endowment for future Protection and Operational expenses

This was the third and final year for the LPPC annual competition among schools to fundraise for the BEN and win the three free student ambassadorship trips. Parents and one grandmother of the three student ambassadors accompanied their children as part of the eco-tourism trips offered by MCLUS. The Student Ambassadors came free and promised to share their experiences with other schools
when they returned home.

The Student Ambassadors for 2007 were:

• Ben Swank, Principia Lower School, St. Louis, MO $2746
• Katherine Phillips, Walk w/Animals Homeschool, Scottsville NY $2000
• Elaine Gorom, Hinchcliffe Elementary, O’Fallon, IL $1575

In August MCLUS once again received a $20,000 gift establishing a $1 matching grant for every $2 received for all LPPC donations (up to $40,000) during 2007. We had 398 other donors who donated in excess of $152,500. This represents an increase of over 50% in donations for Land Purchase and Protection over last year! We were aiming for $100,000 and exceeded it.

Funds raised by the LPPC in 2007 will be spent on Pacific slope land currently being negotiated by the MCL. The priorities to be considered when selecting a piece of land to buy include how much biodiversity it has. Does the landowner have a clear title to the land? Is the price reasonable? Does the land lie within a reasonable area to be part of our cordillera to coast corridor goal?

The Dickey land given to us in 2005 on the Nicoya Peninsula is still owned by us.  The two year waiting period for resale has past. We have given the MCL authority to pursue selling the land for us when they feel the time is right.

MCLUS Board approved a 50% for land, 40% for protection and 10% for endowment split for the monies that came in through the Land purchase and Protection Campaign. In 2007 the donation to MCL for operations for protection amounted to $61,000. $27,108 was added to the quasi-endowment retained here in the US. $137,756 was sent to MCL for land purchase and protection.

Other Donations and Assistances to MCL.

When a young man, Ignatius Piediliato, tragically passed away early in the year, his parents invited donations to MCLUS from their family and friends as a memorial for him. He must have been dearly loved because MCLUS received over $15,000 in honor of him.

The St. Louis Rainforest Advocates gave $900 to send to MCL to be spent in this way: $400 for land purchase, $400 for environmental education, and $100 for the Pro Nativa project at Bajo del Tigre trails in the BEN.

A Rotary Club in Ohio donated $9000 for the hydroelectric project at Poco Sol. They also sent a contingent of 9 people to Costa Rica to help lay the pipe, work on the new building and clear trails at Poco Sol. A big thank you to Chuck Stocking and Rotary for continuing their interest in our work.

Rachel Crandell donated $15,000 to pay the first year salary of an environmental educator hired by MCL. Sergio is a young man with education and experience. He has a very hands-on approach to working with young children and has begun the enormous task of taking the message of conservation to 40 villages on the eastern side of the BEN. MCL has been without an environmental education component for some years now. We welcome this wonderful advance.

MCLUS Eco-tourism trips to the BEN continue to be good fundraisers and educate people about the forest and create new donors. In 2007 three trips were offered in March, July and in October (Namibia) for two weeks each with profits of almost $15,000. These profits are in addition to $200 tax-deductible gift from each trip participant amounting to $9000 more in benefit to the BEN from the 45 participants. Three trips are planned for 2008 for students from Fox River Country Day School in May, for Discovery Bound in early July, followed immediately by an open registration trip the last two weeks in July.

Rachel’s children’s book Hands of the Maya had successful sales with many copies sold by MCLUS. The profits are directed to scholarships for Maya high school students in Belize. Rachel has contributed her royalties for that scholarship effort in order to help sustain the indigenous people’s efforts to conserve and preserve their local ecosystem and way of life. In 2007 these funds provided $3,500 in scholarships to students of Maya Centre Village in central Belize. MCLUS has also channeled funds for 3 scholarships to girls from the San Luis Valley to attend colegio (high school) in nearby Santa Elena in the Monteverde Zone in Costa Rica and one to attend baking school. An additional scholarship is sending a girl from Meno Village on the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea to high school in Ambunti.

Gabe and Kristin Serafini encouraged us in a Facebook Cause campaign that raised over $1200 through an online social networking site for the BEN and has identified over 200 new individuals who have an interest in our work. This will help us grow our donor list.

In 2007 we saw more individual donors who gave between $1000 and $10,000 than ever before. Large donations move us closer to our goals faster. We are especially grateful for the increased possibility of corporate donors spurred by the efforts of board member Tom Newmark.

Other projects and actions.
E-Newsletters are going out monthly to our supporters and interested persons via internet. The E-Newslettersare being archived on our website www.mclus.org for your updated information. Thanks go to Serafini Studios for guiding us through the computer technology maze to update our website and send out newsletters. They have billed us for only a fraction of the work they have done. Thank you, Gabe.

The Christian Science Monitor series on Global Warming started off with a front page article on Monteverde that ran for five pages on June 21, 2007. It was a wonderfully written explanation of how we know that rising temperatures on the planet are effecting wildlife. Though not specifically about the BEN, it brought attention to the Monteverde area, and our forest plays a critical role in the protection of that region. To prove that point we can look at the discovery of Mark Wainwright and Dr. Andrew Gray when they discovered the two populations of frogs that were thought to be lost, one inside the BEN and one in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve that the BEN surrounds.

UNESCO. The BEN is part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve called Agua y Paz. The signing of the designation was in Geneva during the visit of the MCL board members to Sweden to celebrate with Eha Kern the 20th anniversary of the BEN.

MCLUS Intern. We are especially grateful to MCLUS Board member Gay Townsend who has been volunteering for several months as an intern with MCLUS. Her environmental studies degree work allowed her this hands-on opportunity to learn how a nonprofit conservation organization works. Her help has been invaluable. We are thinking ahead as to what steps we need to take to make our organization sustainable. So far it has been largely dependent on the work of a couple of people. In order for us to have continuity into the future, to be able to sustain the BEN, we need to have a plan. Gay has guided us to several good books that are reshaping our approach to writing appeal letters and thank-yous.

Our Student Ambassadors this year have done more to spread the word than in past years. We are grateful for their enthusiasm, accuracy in telling the BEN story, and direct contact with other children who may become supporters as well.

The Uruta Draga Project in Panama has moved forward. We were able to facilitate receiving a free lab test of the oil by the Danforth Plant Center. It is an extraordinarily good oil, not only for cooking but also for lubrication. Rogelio Cansari has submitted a budget for the project and Karin Holser is finding donors and investors for the project that will benefit the Embera people of the Darien. Embera Stories in Spanish and English is ready to go to press. Joanna Crandell has done the layout work after many, many proof reading sessions by Spanish and English speaking friends. Rogelio has also completed the Embera transcriptions so we are getting ready to print the Embera-Spanish version. It is this version that will be placed in the village schools throughout the two comarcas in Panama.

Liability Insurance. We purchased liability insurance to protect MCLUS for our eco-tourism trips. It has been a good idea and we will continue this practice.

Monteverde Institute. We continue to facilitate transference of funds for the MVI as they do not have a nonprofit sister organization in the United States. MCLUS is happy to help support in this way the fine work this institution is doing in the Monteverde community.

2008 Fundraising Goal. In direct support of land purchase for the BEN we would like to raise $250,000 to enable the purchase and protection of corridor land on the Pacific slope of the Tilaran Mountains connecting the BEN with remaining patches of forest habitat.

Whole Foods Markets of Southern California Donation. On January 30 a 5% day at 37 WFMs raised $103,669.50. Part of the funds were to be allocated to Luna Nueva along with $17,500 raised by New Chapter to purchase land along the Chachagua River creating a corridor along the river between the BEN and Luna Nueva organic farm. Part of the funds raised were to reforest and protect the corridor. Then Luna Nueva will give the reforested land to MCL. The remaining monies will be directed to buying critical land on the Pacific slope to create migration corridors and habitat. A big thank you to Whole Foods and to New Chapter. We are awaiting a written statement regarding this proposal before allocating the funds.

Clarification of MCL Priorities. Statement from Julia Matamoros regarding the most urgent needs of MCL so that we can be supporting their mission in the most helpful ways. This will include a decision on how to set up the endowment in a more binding way and whether or not we need to hire a lawyer to help with this step.

The Big Hike. On February 5 and 6 a group of 23 hiked from the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve across the BEN to Poco Sol. CEOs of Seventh Generation, Whole Foods US, Whole Foods Southern California, Pet Promise, Kopali Organics, Nude Cosmetics, New Chapter, a reporter and photographer from the New York Times, and numerous good friends from MCL made the hike. New friendships were formed that may be very useful to MCLUS in future fundraising. An article appeared on the front page of the second section in the New York Times on March 1 that got our name out there.

The Hollywood Gala. On May 8 there will be a fundraising party a Creative Artists Agency in Hollywood with a video prepared by Mark Wainwright and Alex Villegas called “Stranded” to tell the urgent story of the need for creating Pacific slope corridors. Movie star, Daryl Hannah, will be the mistress of ceremonies. Tom Newmark is spearheading the gala with lots of help from his daughter and sons and many recruited friends.

The Forever Forest: Kids Save a Tropical Treasure by Kristin Pratt-Serafini and Rachel Crandell is in bookstores now to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the BEN. It is a gorgeously illustrated children’s book that will tell the story of the BEN to countless children who are already fans of Kristin’s books. The Forever Forest sells for $16.95. If purchased in bookstores Rachel will receive less than $.50 to donate to the BEN. However, if purchased directly from MCLUS, we will receive $8.50 as a donation to the BEN from each book. $20 will include postage and an autographed copy. Kristin accompanied the March 2007 trip to the BEN and began her paintings and research in situ.

Sister City, Estes Park, Colorado. Nick Mole from Estes Park made a film called “The Monteverde Experience” shown in Colorado celebrating Monteverde as their Sister City. Nick has sent us a copy of the DVD. It is well done and should promote the BEN and bring us some good publicity.

Summary. The MCLUS officers and Board of Directors are pleased with our continued progress and can foresee growing benefits to the BEN and every other activity which MCLUS supports. We raised more money than any previous year. Prominent articles featuring forests in Monteverde appeared in two very prominent newspapers, and a new book has just come out for children about the BEN. That is a lot of public awareness about our work. We have deep and constant gratitude for the faithful and willing support of so many who have responded to our requests.

Treasurer’s Report for FY2007 – Available on request to: info@mclus.org

The year 2006 marked the fourth full year of activity of the Monteverde Conservation League U.S., Inc. (MCLUS) since its establishment in April 2002 with its mission “to support the conservation, preservation and rehabilitation of tropical ecosystems and their biodiversity.” MCLUS officers and board members have been carrying out its mission by volunteering time and effort to present informational programs and eco-tourism activities, to carry out fundraising efforts and to provide labor, advice, equipment and funds for activities in Costa Rica and Belize. MCLUS is closely allied with the Monteverde Conservation league (MCL) in Mont3everde, Costa Rica. MCL owns and manages El Bosque Eterno de los Ninos (BEN), a 54,000+ acre nature preserve – the largest private reserve in Central America.

Land Purchase and Protection Campaign (LPPC).
In April 2004 MCLUS began a fundraising effort – Land Purchase and Protection 20th Anniversary Campaign – to raise $1.5 million dollars by Dec. 31, 2007 in celebration of the beginning of the BEN in 1987. The money raised by LPPC will:

• help create wildlife migratory corridors from the BEN to existing patches of remaining forests down the mountain slopes,
• buy land along the BEN’s borders that will seal off the gateways used by poachers,
• buy “inholding lands” – properties which are surrounded by the BEN,
• supportMCL’s annual expenses for BEN’s protection and reforestation activities and for environmental education for the BEN’s surrounding communities, and
• create a Board-directed quasi-endowment for future Protection and Operational expenses

LPPC has included an annual competition among schools to contribute money by
April 22, celebrated as Earth Day in the United States. A total of $ 8895.70 was
donated by 19 schools from 13 states during the second year of the contest. Parents
of the three student ambassadors accompanied their children as part of the eco-
tourism trips offered by MCLUS. The Student Ambassadors came free and promised
to share their experiences with other schools when they returned home. The Student
Ambassadors for 2006 were:

• Dylan Sheets, Principia Lower School, St. Louis, MO $2896.99
• Madeline Petrie, Little Red School House, New York, NY $859
• Ellen Terry, Eckstein Middle School, Seattle, WA $764

In August MCLUS once again received a $20,000 gift establishing a $1 matching grant for every $2 received for all LPPC donations (up to $40,000) during 2006.
363 other donors donated in excess of $92,528 throughout the year with over $45,333 being received after the November annual appeal letter was sent insuring that the January 2007 LPPC payment would be met.

In October New Chapter, an organic vitamin company whose Costa Rican farm almost borders the BEN, gave us $15,000 and then only two weeks later gave us another $4,500. They are our first corporate sponsor!! Thank you to Peter Raven for suggesting that Dwight and Rachel meet Terry and Tom Newmark. Tom is the president of New Chapter and outlined a plan whereby his company immediately began raising money for the BEN. It has been pure pleasure and benefit for the BEN ever since. The company’s dedication to tropical conservation will continue to benefit our forest in the future. It’s a joy to have such good “neighbors”.

With the LPPC and New Chapter’s extraordinary gifts we were able to raise enough money not only to make the January 2007 second payment on the Santamaria property, but enough to make the January 2008 payment as well. We are now awaiting word from MCL as to which piece of land will be the object of their next purchase. It might be a corridor piece on the Pacific slope. An older woman who is finding it more difficult all the time to live alone on her farm has asked the Monteverde Conservation League to buy her 100 acre farm which is half forest and half pasture. She plans to move in with her daughter and would use the proceeds from the sale to help her daughter’s family. After her hand was crushed in a sugar cane press, she was no longer able to milk her cows and do the farm work on her own. This would be a piece of land that we could reforest and create habitat from the seeds of the remaining forest, an idea we have been committed to from the beginning, as well as be a help to a Tico family. The landowner wants the land to go to conservation.

In September 2005 MCLUS received from Paul Dickey a donation of 59 hectares of land on the Nicoya peninsula in Costa Rica. A recent audit required that the land be appraised professionally. It was originally said to be worth $36,600, but thought to be more valuable, maybe worth $145,000. But the appraiser officially valued it in 2006 as worth almost $3 million. We are holding the land for two years and then plan to give it to the MCL.

As per allocations designated by the Board for LPPC (50% for land, 40% for protection and 10% for endowment) the 2006 donation to MCL for operations amounted to $29,224. $7306 was added to the quasi-endowment and $36,530 was sent to MCL toward the purchase of the Sr. Santamaria’s piece of land inside the BEN.

Other Donations and Assistances to MCL.
MCLUS offered a challenge grant of $4750 to the Board of MCL to make improvements on the San Gerardo Field Station to make it more ready for eco-tourism. Eco-tourism allows the BEN to pay for itself, being a sustainable way of producing income from the forest for the forest. Ecotourism also will increase public awareness of the value of the BEN and the conservation efforts of the MCL. Dwight donated $4750 personally to be matched by another $4750 from MCLUS to cover 2/3 of the proposed project costs. The MCL Board accepted our challenge and is working to raise their part, the additional $4750. So far our funds have provided two new trailers, tile in the shower stalls, hydrological study and pelton wheel in an effort to generate hydroelectricity for the San Gerardo field station to provide hot showers, electric lights and refrigeration.

MCLUS has helped to facilitate a second loan of $50,000 and another one for $20,000 to MCL at a better interest rate here in the U. S. than MCL was getting for the same loan at BancoNacional in Costa Rica, saving MCL substantial money. In all $120,000 has been loaned by individuals to MCL. The repayment of these loans is being done through MCLUS in order not to transfer funds to Costa Rica and then back again paying for bank transfers and money exchange twice. We are also paying the bills to the Wilderness Medical Association to provide the Wilderness First Responder course offered by MCL in the BEN. This cuts costs for MCL when paying bills in the U.S. We are also glad to continue to provide the service to the Monteverde Institute of processing their donations and course fees through our non-profit organization giving their donors tax-deductible donation status.
Rachel Crandell’s talks, book sales and eco-tours.
MCLUS continues to offer eco-tourism trips to the BEN as a fundraiser. In 2006 two trips were offered in June and in August for two weeks each with profits of almost $16,000. These profits are in addition to $200 tax-deductible gift from each trip participant amounting to $5,600 more in benefit to the BEN from the 28 participants. Three trips are planned for 2007, two to Costa Rica (one for teachers from Portland, OR) and one to Namibia in October. Two trips are already scheduled for 2008 for students from Fox River Country Day School in May and for the St. Louis Zoo trip in July. Rachel’s classes and talks given to schools and groups around the country brought in over $7000 in 2006.

Rachel’s children’s book Hands of the Maya has had successful sales with many copies sold by MCLUS with those profits directed for scholarships for Maya high school students in Belize. Rachel has contributed her royalties for that scholarship effort in order to help sustain those indigenous people’s efforts to conserve and preserve their local ecosystem and way of life. In 2006 these funds provided $3,500 in scholarships to students of Maya Centre Village in central Belize. MCLUS has also channeled funds for 3 scholarships to girls from the San Luis Valley to attend colegio (high school) in nearby Santa Elena in the Monteverde Zone. An additional scholarship is sending a girl from Meno Village on the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea to high school in Ambunti.

Other projects and actions.
Earth Day postcard appeal was just sent out a few weeks ago. This second mailing each year continues to bring in added funds from our faithful supporters. The message read:

Happy Earth Day 2007
Good News for El Bosque Eterno de los Ninos (BEN) in Monteverde, Costa Rica

Thanks to your strong response to the Land Purchase and Protection Campaign we paid off the in-holding piece of 250 acres of forest, the first land purchase added to the Children’s Eternal Rainforest since 1995!
Please join us in raising $100,000 in 2007 to purchase and protect corridor land for endangered species providing connected habitat between remaining forest fragments on the Pacific slope of the BEN essential to migrations. The sooner we buy, the more we can buy and protect. Land prices only go up.

A side benefit from the audit was their recommendation that another person be involved in keeping track of the finances besides a husband and wife team. Jocelyn Quinto of our Board has willingly offered to review the finances periodically so that there is increased board oversight.

It has been five years since we received for our tax-exempt status as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization from IRS, and therefore time to have our status reviewed for continued recognition by IRS. We are working through that process now.

E-Newsletters are going out periodically to our supporters and interested persons via internet. The E-Newsletters are being archived on our website www.mclus.org for your updated information.

UrutaDraga Project in Darien of Panama. Rogelio Cansari, head of the NGO, Water and Plants, an Embera Indian organization, has proposed a sustainable use of trupa palm fruits to extract a high grade nutritious oil for cooking. These indigenous people have the traditional knowledge to harvest and process the palm that is now endangered. They want to bring it back from the brink of extinction, plant it in plantations on land that was cleared in the past, harvest it, process it, and sell it. This would bring economic benefit to the people, save the species, and bring respect to the traditional knowledge. The Embera name for trupa palm is Uruta. The scientific name is (Oenocarpusbataua). The Panamanian government has rejected their grant proposal of $49,000 to support the project. MCLUS could be a facilitator by allowing donations from those interested in supporting this project to be given though our non-profit organization.

Saving the Embera Stories of TiempoAntiguo. Rachel has been asked by the Embera to help them record their stories that have never been written down and print them in a trilingual book. She has video-taped storytellers telling 89 stories in a dozen different villages along the Sambu River in Darien, Panama. Working with Rogelio Cansari as transcriber and translator, they now have 31 of the stories in Embera, Spanish and English. Embera artists are working on illustrations for each story. They hope to publish volume one within the next year and would like to accept donations for the publishing through MCLUS.

BEN School Contest Final Year. Our Student Ambassadors have had a wonderful time visiting the BEN, but because this effort has not brought in many additional schools to fundraise, and because it costs us to give away these trips, we recommend discontinuing the contest.

Reprint Brochure. It’s time to reprint our handsome brochure. We have gotten many admiring comments on the design done for us by Karen Shanuik. With some slight changes in wording, we reprinted including a supply for New Chapter to distribute in their outlets around the country.

2007 Fundraising Goal. In direct support of land purchase for the BEN we would like to raise $100,000 to enable the purchase and protection of corridor land on the Pacific slope of the Tilaran Mountains connecting the BEN with remaining patches of forest habitat.

Grant Applications and Inquiries. In 2006 MCLUS assisted MCL in applying for an $80,000 Tourism Cares international grant program. The application was unsuccessful, but we actually made a grant application after several years of non-activity in this area.

Collecting the Reminiscences in Celebration of MCL’s 20th Anniversary. Rachel has requested past members, board members, staff and volunteers of MCL to submit their individual stories and reminiscences to be included in a History of MCL, First 20 Years. Leslie Burlingame has volunteered to coordinate the collection and writing including annual reports and interviews.

Liability Insurance. We are investigating the possibility of carrying trip liability insurance to protect MCLUS.

Megafauna. MCL has partnered with the Monteverde Cheese Factory to create along the Pan American Highway a tourist attraction that consists of a trail winding through the woods with over 30 life-size statues of prehistoric creatures that would have (mostly) lived in Costa Rica millions of years ago. The Mega Fauna Theme Park is attracting a lot of attention and dollars. The statues were paid for by a member of the MCL board. The land belongs to the Cheese Factory. They bulldozed the road and will hire the guides. The revenues will be shared, and MCL’s part will be used to provide environmental education in the Monteverde Zone. The MCLUS trip to Costa Rica in March visited the Mega Fauna park.

UNESCO World Heritage Site. Letters have been written by Peter Raven, Rachel Crandell and many others to recommend the BEN to UNESCO for designation as a World Heritage Site. President Oscar Arias is in favor of this idea and has begun the process of nominating the BEN. This process can take some years.

Sister City, Estes Park, Colorado. Nick Mole from Estes Park made a film called “The Monteverde Experience” and will be shown in Colorado celebrating Monteverde as their Sister City. Nick has offered to send us a copy of the DVD. It should promote the BEN and bring us some good publicity.

Dickey Land. We have held the Dickey land for almost two years as we were required to do. It is unclear at this moment whether or not it will be more advantageous for us to give it to MCL and let them sell it, or if MCLUS should sell it and give the money.

Summary. The MCLUS officers and Board of Directors are pleased with our continuing progress and can forsee growing benefits to the BEN and every other activity which MCLUS supports. We have deep gratitude for the faithful and willing support of so many who have responded to our requests.

Treasurer”s Report for FY2006 – Available on request to: info@mclus.org

The year 2005 marked the third full year of activity for the Monteverde Conservation League U.S., Inc. (MCLUS) since its establishment in April, 2002 with its mission “to support the conservation, preservation and rehabilitation of tropical ecosystems and their biodiversity.” MCLUS officers and board members have been carrying out its mission by volunteering time and efforts to present informational programs and ecotourism activities, to carry out fundraising efforts and to provide labor, advice, equipment and funds for activities in Costa Rica and Belize. MCLUS is closely allied with the Monteverde Conservation League (MCL) in Monteverde, Costa Rica. MCL owns and manages El Bosque Eterno de los Niños (BEN), a 54,000+ acre nature preserve – the largest private reserve in Central America.

Land Purchase and Protection Campaign (LPPC). In April 2004 MCLUS began, with the approval of MCL, a new fundraising effort – the Land Purchase and Protection 20th Anniversary Campaign – to raise $1.5 million dollars by December 31, 2007 in celebration of the beginning of the BEN in 1987. The money raised by the LPPC will

• help create wildlife migratory corridors from the BEN to existing patches of remaining forests down the mountain slopes,
• buy land along the BEN’s borders that will seal off the gateways used by poachers,
• buy “in-holding lands” – properties which are completely surrounded by BEN,
• support MCL’s annual expenses for BEN’s protection and reforestation activities and for environmental education for the BEN’s surrounding communities, and
• create a Board-directed quasi-Endowment for future Protection and Operational expenses

At its April 26, 2005 Annual Meeting the MCLUS approved all its BEN fundraising to be apportioned 50% for Land Purchase expenses, 40% for annual Protection and Operational expenses and 10% to be placed into a Board-directed quasi-Endowment for future Protection and Operational expenses. This action was retroactive to January 1, 2005 with donations for unrestricted or Annual Appeal being incorporated into LPPC on July 1, 2005.

LPPC includes an annual competition among schools to contribute money by April 22, celebrated as Earth Day in the United States. A total of $14,243.03 was donated from 35 schools in 16 different states. The three winning schools (given further below with the amount of their donations) each selected a student ambassador who went for a weeklong trip to Monteverde and the BEN free in August. Their dads and teachers traveled there also, at their own expense. It was glorious! Check the website for details on the three elementary school girls who were the student ambassadors:

• Principia Lower School, St Louis, Missouri, $3644

• Hockinson Intermediate, Brush Prairie, Washington, $1763

• Little Red School House, Greenwich Village, NY. $1113

In August MCLUS received a $20,000 gift that permitted establishing $1 match for every $2 received for all LPPC donations (up to $40,000) during 2005. 292 other donors donated in excess of $58,000 throughout the year, with over $36,000 being received after November 15 — insuring that the matching was met and exceeded! Online donations to MCLUS increased fourfold through Network for Good.

The LPPC CD PowerPoint presentation about the BEN has been sent to more than 80 individuals, schools or organizations to aid them in spreading the word about the needs of the BEN and MCLUS’ efforts.

MCLUS sent $50,175 to MCL in Costa Rica in 2005 in order that MCL could begin negotiating for land contiguous to the BEN. A tourism developer was interested in the same parcel and was willing to pay more than MCL and MCLUS can afford. But the landowner was willing to bargain with MCL as he preferred to have the forest under the BEN’s protection. (A successful purchase agreement was achieved on January 16, 2006 for 102.5 hectares with a $47,000 down payment and with two subsequent annual payments of $32,000.)

With the approval of the students who have attended the Tropical Ecology classes of the University of California system in Monteverde, MCLUS has incorporated into LPPC the funds received from those students’ Creating Corridors fundraising effort.

As allocated as part of 2005 LPPC donations, MCLUS has also supported the Protection and Operation activities of MCL through donations over $24,000 in money, laptop computers, camera and miscellaneous equipment and supplies.

In August a $10,000 Certificate of Deposit was purchased as the initial investment for the MCLUS Board-directed quasi-Endowment for future Protection and Operational expenses.

In September MCLUS received from an American citizen the donation of a little over 59 hectares of land on Costa Rica’s Nicoya peninsula. The land may have a value exceeding $145,000. MCLUS anticipates eventually donating the land to MCL for its own use or disposal.

Other Donations and Assistances to MCL. Through other non-LPPC sources MCLUS was able to donate $3,600 for improvements to San Gerardo and Bajo del Tigre facilities, $2,400 for drainage pipe and other expenses at the San Miguel/Rotary Road improvement at Poco Sol, and $15,000 for reducing the principal of a MCL bank loan in Costa Rica and for aiding in the purchase of a newer vehicle by MCL.

MCLUS helped to facilitate a loan of $50,000 to MCL at a better interest rate here in the U.S. than MCL was getting for the same loan at Banco Nacional in Costa Rica, saving MCL substantial money.

Rotary Grant for San Miguel Community/Poco Sol. Dwight Crandell through his Rotary Club in St. Louis, MO obtained a Matching Grant from Rotary International to improve seven (7) kilometers of primitive road on the eastern slopes of the Tilaran Mountains which is used by the San Miguel community and leads up to MCL’s Poco Sol Biological Field Station. The road has previously been beset by poor drainage design which meant, during the heavy rains in the latter half of each year, the road was often impassable and even completely washed out in two or three places in the latter half of 2004. A total of $4,500 was approved in April; the drainage and road improvements were made in May and June of 2005; Dwight was there for part of the project which was coordinated by Crisley Cespedes of MCL.

National Association of Biology Teachers Exhibit. As it did last year, MCLUS had an exhibit booth at the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) Annual Convention in Milwaukee, WI October 5-8 in order to promote the LPPC as well as to encourage teachers and their classes to schedule visits to the BEN and to stay at its biological field stations.

Rachel Crandell’s talks, book sales and eco-tours. In order to gain funds specifically for environmental education, scholarships and specific equipment needs for the MCL, Rachel continues to be very active in giving talks and organizing eco-tours to the BEN. She has given 11 illustrated presentations to school classes, writer workshops and other groups, including two talks to students at St. Michael’s Independent School in Stuart, FL which proposes a long-term partnership with the BEN for field trips as well as fundraising.

Each year Rachel organizes and leads eco-tours focused on tropical conservation to Monteverde and Costa Rica. The fees paid by students and adults include contributions to the LPPC. In 2005 there were two such tours – one in May for Fox River Country Day School 7th and 8th graders and one in June for 18 individuals. Additionally, Rachel was the leader for the trip in August for the student ambassadors. As of December 15, MCLUS had received reservations for 14 persons for its June 19-July 2, 2006 trip with a second trip (July 30- August 12, 2006) receiving strong interest.

Rachel’s children’s book Hands of the Maya has had successful sales with many copies sold directly by MCLUS with those profits directed for scholarships for Maya high school students in Belize. Rachel has also contributed her royalties for that scholarship effort to help sustain those indigenous people’s efforts to conserve and preserve their local ecosystems and way of life. In 2005, these funds have provided $3,000 in scholarships to students of Maya Centre Village in central Belize.

Other projects and actions. In 2005 MCLUS coordinated donations of cash towards paying for two Emberá men from Panama’s Darien to receive training in 2006 as naturalists/guides. MCLUS completed coordinating a high school scholarship from The Principia for Lidieth Fuentes of San Luis who graduated from the Colegio in Santa Elena in December. Students from Principia also gave a graduation gift of a laptop computer to Lidieth as she prepares to attend university in Costa Rica.

MCLUS’ website, www.mclus.org, was revised in December, making the site more user friendly and more informative. In conjunction with those changes, MCLUS has begun to provide more timely progress reports via e-newsletters.

Summary. The MCLUS officers and Board of Directors are pleased with our continuing progress and can foresee growing benefits to the BEN and every other activity which MCLUS supports. We have deep and constant gratitude for the faithful and willing support of so many who have responded to our requests.

Treasurer’s Report for FY2005 – Available on request to: info@mclus.org
]]> http://mclus.org/annual-report-2005/feed/ 0 http://mclus.org/annual-report-2004/ http://mclus.org/annual-report-2004/#comments Sun, 07 Nov 2004 01:39:00 +0000 admin http://mclus.org/staging/test-post-2/ 1. MCLUS received two Rotary International grants for $1,000 each which enabled us to refurbish and repair the two nature centers at Bajo del Tigre and Finca Steller including signage. With help from staff and volunteers new hands-on exhibits and a beautiful mural were designed and painted. The Open House for the Casita Nature Center at Bajo del Tigre was a great success with over 250 students and their teachers from eight local schools participating in hikes, activities, storytelling and an art contest. The exhibits engaged the children in activities about seed dispersal, birds and beaks, leaves and their adaptations, puzzles to match bats with what they eat, matching games about animal classification and specimens to look at through a magnifying glass. The Rotary grants also allowed us to purchase much needed field guides for the libraries in each Casita and at both field stations as well as tables and chairs for the classroom and have special insect boxes made so that we could receive a wonderful donation of a moth collection from Dr. Richard Whitten. An non-Rotarian $1000 gift provided for a professional exhibit fabricator to create a stunning exhibit on mutualism of not only plants and animals, but people and the forest. An article appeared in the March 2004 Rotarian International Magazine about thisproject sharing this success widely.

2. MCLUS has also provided volunteer support in improving San Gerardo and Poco Sol’s accommodations so that the visitors who come for unique birding opportunities and hiking in deep forest will have safer more convenient stays including hammocks and repaired rocking chairs for relaxed birdwatching and volcano viewing.

3. MCLUS purchased 4 computers for better record keeping and communications for MCL and one computer for Arbofilia.

4. MCLUS sent out the MCL annual appeal letter from the US on recycled paper, printed as a donation, saving on international postage, and MCL staff time.

5. MCLUS has initiated a Land Purchase and Protection Campaign on Earth Day 2004 with the goal of raising 1.5 million dollars by the 20th anniversary of MCL in 2007. The fund will help purchase inholding farms within the BEN and land on the Pacific slope of the Tilaran Mountains to create biological corridors by replanting native species of trees to connect existing patches of forest so migratory species will have expanded protection and habitat. (www.creatingcorridors.org)

6. MCLUS officers hosted a meeting of the directors of the four major institutions in the Monteverde Zone interested in creating biological corridors on the Pacific slope. Collaboration between the Tropical Science Center, the Monteverde Insittute, the Monteverde Conservation League and the Bellbird Conservation Center will facilitate our common goal.

7.MCLUS is offering free trips to the BEN for one student from each of the three schools that donate the most money between Earth Day 2004 and Earth Day 2005 as an incentive to help the Land Purchase and Protection Campaign. The students will travel to Costa Rica June 30-July 6, 2005 and visit the BEN for themselves.

8. MCLUS’ generous gift for trail rehabilitation has allowed for maintenance of safer and better trails including purchase of tools and entrance road improvement.

9. MCLUS led two eco-tourism trips this year with contributions built into the cost of trip. Custom family and student trips are now available. We always include a visit to a local school bringing a donation of school supplies and a service project of trail maintenance or tree planting as well as lots of adventure and hikes with expert biologists.

10. MCLUS continues to give slide shows around the US educating students, garden clubs, and friends about biodiversity and need for protecting tropical forest and creating biological corridors.

11. MCLUS provided funding for a study of alternative energy systems to meet the needs at Poco Sol and San Gerardo field stations.

12.MCLUS president and secretary/treasurer got to meet and share history with the Swedish founders of Bosque Eterno de los Niños, Eha and Bernd Kern in Monteverde.

13. MCLUS helped with balancing the 2003 budget of MCL by donating over $26,000.

1. MCLUS was recognized as a 501(c)(3) tax deductible non-profit by IRS.
2. MCLUS received a donation of a ‘91 Toyota pickup truck which was driven to Costa Rica and donated to the MCL for their work including poacher patrols.
3. MCLUS sent out the MCL annual appeal letter from the US on recycled paper, printed as a donation, saving on postage, MCL staff time, and with an expanded list yielding twice as much income as recent past years.
4. MCLUS has set up a fund for land purchase on the Pacific slope of the Tilaran Mountains to create a biological corridor by replanting native species of trees to connect existing patches of forest so migratory species will have expanded protection and habitat. (www.creatingcorridors.org)
5. MCLUS has begun an endowment for sustaining the work of tropical conservation.
6. MCLUS has received a generous gift to begin rehabilitation of trails within the BEN.
7. MCLUS has inaugurated an annual eco-tourism trip to Costa Rica that benefits conservation work.
8. MCLUS has printed a cookbook, “Robert’s Recetas”, of recipes prepared by the station manager at San Gerardo and we already need a second printing.
9. MCLUS has been giving slide shows educating students, garden clubs, and friends about biodiversity and need for protecting tropical forest and biological creating corridors.
10. MCL has weathered a 4 year long legal battle over title to a large chunk of the BEN. Protection of the forest is their #1 priority and their steadfastness paid off.