Last Saturday, I had the privilege of taking a tour of Price Peterson’s coffee plantation in Alto Quiel. Besides the wonderful coffee varietals that I saw, Price took me further up the mountain on a road through ancient cloud forests. Almost 1,000 acres have been set aside by the Peterson Family Foundation to preserve the natural vegetation of the high altitude forests on the side of Volcan Baru.
The Foundation has been the sponsors of many educational endeavors including the local library and a number of study groups. He sponsors class visits by the local schools so the children can actually see what a high altitude cloud forest is like and study the flora and fauna. We had a treat when I saw a mushroom, the likes of which I have never seen before and neither had Price.
They stood over a foot tall and had a grey velvet cap that was oozing a red-gold nectar. Lichens were everywhere and the forest was so alive.
The trees are the lungs of the earth and when you breath in, you could smell the rich air and taste the richness of these ancient forests. It is no wonder that the Smithsonian Tropical Institute selected this area and the Foundation allocated several plots and different altitudes for the study of climate change and the affect on the forest.
For many years into the future, they will be able to study and measure the impact on this great forest thanks to the Peterson Family Foundation.
See the rest of my pictures here
Thank you again Price for sharing this experience with me.