Today we began our proper exploration of Montaverde and its famous cloud forests. On our 3 hour hike we came across many different animals, plants, hanging bridges, and saw some of the conservation efforts in effect.

It is no secret at this point that Costa Rica has very good efforts around sustainability and conservation. The product of this is the lush greenery that has surrounded us the second we ventured into Montaverde. Due to this we also saw plenty of bug and animal life.

Unfortunately we learned that animals such as the Quetzal have had to progressively move up the mountain over time. Due mostly to their natural habitat. They require a cloud forest and it is slowly disappearing across the country. The clouds are getting higher and are staying in the forest for shorter periods of time. All of this is contributing to smaller and smaller areas they are able to stay in.

While we had the pleasure of being able to walk alongside Quetzals today it may not continue without some SERIOUS conservation efforts. As we learned from Don Guillermo while Montaverde belives it is being very green and conservative, the reality is that it has alot to improve upon. Just the plastic waste thrown into the rivers is a major problem. In addition, other countries around the globe are needed to aid in this goal.

There are a few main ideas the globe must consider when going through this process. Productivity, conservation, and sustainability. While we do require housing and such to survive, this should make up only a small portion of what we require from nature. We must be conservative in our approach and make sure we take all of the sustainable practices we know of into account. Sustainability is the single most important ideas of these three for that reason. If we can think and act sustainably we can ensure a better world for us and the Quetzals.