Today, we visited the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and were reminded of the importance of conserving the forest and protecting nature. As we reached the Monteverde Cloud Reserve, it looked as if we were in another country. There was very little visibility while up that high. We began our hike on a guided tour, where most forms of biodiversity were pointed out and given an explanation. The first creature we ran into was a group of bats nesting inside a hollow tree. We finished our guided tour with an amazing view of a waterfall.

We then began our journey without the guide, checking out the rest of the reserve. During that time, we had the opportunity to see a lot of creatures that we would never have had the chance to see in the wild back home in the US. We made an extreme hike to the higher point of the Cloud Reserve, hoping to see a monkey. The group I was with, and I, all had seeing a monkey on our bucket list. We hiked higher and higher, and everyone began to lose hope. Right before all hope was lost, a white-faced capuchin monkey appeared out of nowhere. It was a good reminder that the most rewarding things take time and patience.

After the hike, we had a talk with Nacho at the Monteverde Institute about economics and conservation. Nacho had a presentation that made the group really think about the complex relationship between productivity, conservation, and sustainability. On one hand, Monteverde thrives off the revenue generated from tourism and agriculture. But on the other hand, these two things can threaten the delicate cloud forest if not managed correctly. Monteverde is left in a challenging position where balancing economic needs and environmental preservation is of major importance. If I were to focus on one, it would be sustainability. Sustainability allows present needs to be met while ensuring that the magic of the Cloud Reserve will still be around for future generations to witness. Even one small monkey sighting can feel like a small miracle.