El+Lugar+del+Dia

Cloud forests cover some 1% of global woodland and you can find them within tropical or subtropical mountain ranges. Becasue of distinct atmospheric conditions and a thick upper canopy of forests,cloud forests have a consistent cover of clouds,hence the name! Because the sun has a hard time breaking through these clouds the condensation evaporates more slowly thereby producing a breath taking variety of beautiful plants and flowers. The biodiversity found in cloud forests is tremendous. A specific type of plant ,epiphytes, respond particularly well to the moisture in the cloud forest. Epiphytes are plants that grow on other plants. Examples of epiphytes are orchids,lichens,and bromeliads. The environment at the Monteverde Cloud Forest is a specialized ecosystem that cannot be found any where else on Earth.
 * Monteverde Cloud Forest of bosque nuboso in Spanish**

The Monteverde Cloud Forest community was begun by a group of Quakers from Alabama.They were pacifists who were conscientious objectors to the Korean War.Iin 1949 they were searching for a place to live so that they would not have to serve in a military should the country go to war. Costa Rica had disbanded its army in 1948 ( it still does not have a military) and so they decided to settle in Monteverde. They moved to Costa Rica in 1950. They farmed the land and eventually the community grew to its present day number of 7,000 residents. Some of the organizations currently operating in Costa Rica are the Monteverde Institute which focuses on sustainable managemnet practices,CASEM which dedicates itself to promoting the talents of female artists and the Monteverde Friends School which is a bilingual, mutinational school currently teaching children in grades pre K through High School. I am hopeful that during my visit to Costa Rica I will get the chance to hike through the Monteverde Cloud Forest and send back some amazing video to Cole. I also would welcome the opportunity to sit in on a class at The Monteverde Friends School. I will be bringing letters and pictures of my students in the hopes of beginning a pen pal relationship with a school in Costa Rica!