The first thing I noticed when we entered Cerulea Nature Reserve was the temperature. By the time we arrived at the forest, we had already spent part of the morning walking through open pasture under the Caribbean sun to reach this sanctuary of wildlife. It was hot, and stepping into the shade felt like a relief. As we made our way into the forest, the air grew cooler, the humidity surrounded us, and the sounds and movements of the forest began to replace the openness of the dry and exposed landscape we had just crossed.

It was my first visit to the reserve, and I had come hoping to help my teammates find Cerulean Warblers, document wildlife and learn more about the habitats of the region. I did not expect that one of the most important lessons of the day would have little to do with finding a particular species, but rather with remembering whose home we had entered.

Learning to look more closely

The days leading up to our visit had already shown me how much there was to learn. The day before, José Pablo Castillo and Ernesto Carman led me through the surrounding landscape, outside Cerulea Nature Reserve, along an area the team had not explored before. We descended about 500 meters in elevation over a five-kilometer stretch, moving between pastures, active farms, abandoned properties and patches of secondary forest at different successional stages.

Along the way, we encountered signs of past human activity on these neighboring lands. Deteriorating bridges and overgrown paths remained among the vegetation, reminders of how these farms and surrounding areas had been used many years ago. Walking beside José and Ernesto made the experience particularly enriching. Their knowledge of the connections between birds and plants, and the way they shared it, made it easy to see how much more there is to discover beyond simply identifying species. A plant was no longer just a species to recognize, it could be a source of food, part of the forest's structure or a species worth considering in future restoration efforts.

There were also moments of pure enjoyment, such as when we encountered the majestic Morpho cypris, with its striking blue and purple wings, flying across our path and making us stop to appreciate its beauty. The forest had plenty to teach, and we were willing to pay attention.

Entering another world

At Cerulea Nature Reserve, that lesson became even clearer. The difference between the surrounding pastures and the dense forest was remarkable. The land outside the reserve was exposed to the sun, but inside, shade and humidity created a very different environment, one that supported a variety of birds, amphibians, reptiles and insects.

We divided our attention according to our interests. José Pablo looked for dragonflies, Ernesto focused on plants, Diego Rodríguez searched for birds, and I concentrated on forest butterflies. The deep-forest genus Antirrhea seemed to be everywhere right from the start, providing an endless source of fascination as I rarely get to see these butterflies! Meanwhile, a vast array of birds moved through the vegetation: warblers, tanagers, parrots, hummingbirds, flycatchers and antbirds, just to mention a few. Our attention went back and forth, from one creature to the next.

We were not following a route designed to make the forest convenient. We were guests learning how to move through a place that existed independently of us. No trail, no concrete, not even a path at certain points. Just our rubber boots pushing through mud and waist-high vegetation.

Who does the forest belong to?

Protected areas are often described through the language of ownership and management. These concepts are important for ensuring that land can be protected, but they do not tell the whole story of our relationship with nature.

The land may be privately owned and managed for conservation, but the forest is also home to countless organisms that have lived and shaped their environment over generations, long before our laws existed. For the wildlife that lives there, the forest is not simply a property on a map. It is where they feed, find shelter, reproduce and interact with other forms of life. This thought kept coming back to me as we walked.

Humans are capable of changing landscapes with extraordinary speed. The surrounding areas we had walked through the day before, with their traces of past human activity, showed how far our impact can reach. Yet the same landscape also showed how vegetation can gradually return when conditions permit. As a species, we are capable of causing great damage, but we also have a responsibility to prevent it, reduce its impact and, whenever possible, help restore what has been damaged. We can also contribute to restoration, research and the protection of habitats, but these are only small parts of a much larger process, one that began long before we arrived and will continue after we leave.

A final encounter

As we made our way out of the reserve, the heat returned gradually. The walk through the open pasture on the way back to the vehicle left small grains of salt on our faces, and the ground felt hot under our feet as we walked under the intense sun.

Just before we left the reserve, Diego spotted a Semiplumbeous Hawk (Leucopternis semiplumbeus). The bird's quiet presence brought me back to the thoughts I had been having throughout the day. The hawk was at home in the forest, living its life, while we stood a few meters below, trying to photograph it. We were not the main characters in this landscape. We had come to study, observe and document. We had found birds, butterflies, plants and other organisms that made the visit memorable, but they were not there for our benefit, and their value was not measured by how rare they were or how many "likes" their photos might receive on social media. We were fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of their world.

I left Cerulea Nature Reserve with many fond memories, but also with a renewed sense of perspective. Conservation is often about protecting species and habitats, but it is also about recognising that, in an ecological sense, we are not the owners of the natural world. We can help protect and care for the places we have the privilege to visit, but first, we need to recognise that we are guests in the forest. This understanding is at the heart of the work of Cerulea Environmental Association.

Throughout the weekend, nearly 40 people from different regions of the country stepped away from their weekend routines to immerse themselves in the natural wealth of the Siquirres and Guácimo cantons in Limón and join us in this important cause. The main goal was to gather valuable data regarding the presence of cerulean warblers (CERW) within the Corredor Azul (Blue Corridor), a key initiative working to restore and protect critical habitats for both resident and migratory birds, with special enphasis on this tiny warbler.

A Weekend Dedicated to Science and Community

The event not only achieved its scientific goals but also strengthened community ties and collective learning through an action-packed agenda:

🗓️ Saturday, September 5th: Welcome and Education

The journey began at 2:00 PM (14:00 h) with a warm welcome and a family birding session at the beautiful Las Brisas Nature Reserve, one of the key supporters of the event.

As evening fell, participants moved to the La Esmeralda Community Hall. There, they attended an educational talk on the ecology and natural history of the Cerulean Warbler, followed by the assignment of monitoring routes and a shared dinner.

🗓️ Sunday, September 6th: The Big Count

The main event started early. From 5:30 AM to 12:00 PM, volunteer teams took to the field across 8 monitoring routes. Binoculars in hand and notebooks ready, they recorded every sighting. The grand finale took place at 1:00 PM (13:00 h) at the Community Hall at San Bosco, where everyone enjoyed a closing lunch and shared their experiences from the weekend.

Results that Support Conservation

Every single observation recorded during these days provides crucial scientific data to better understand the stopover, feeding, and resting sites of the Cerulean Warbler in Costa Rica. This data enables the Asociación Ambiental Cerúlea and the international scientific community to make informed decisions to ensure the species' survival along its migratory route.

Beyond the ecological impact, the count generated a positive economic ripple effect in the region. Thanks to the attendees, local economies were boosted through the use of community lodging and micro-businesses, including Casa Valle Verde, Cabañas Río Vueltas, Siquirres Mountain Lodge, Maquengue Falls, Casa Pedernal, Villa Esmeralda House, and Finca Río Perla.

Thank You for Making It Happen!

This achievement is the result of outstanding teamwork. From Asociación Ambiental Cerúlea, we extend our deepest gratitude to every participant who volunteered their time and knowledge, to the route coordinators, and especially to our allied organizations and sponsors who backed this event:

• Sam Shine Foundation

• Las Brisas Nature Reserve

• Birding Experiences

• Flyway Birding Tours

• Café Cristina

Every person matters, every observation counts, and every effort brings us closer to safeguarding the future of our migratory birds. See you at the next count!

Terra Reserve is a private nature reserve located adjacent to the middle basin of the Reventazón River, near the area flooded by the Reventazón hydroelectric project 10 years ago. This strategic location serves as an integral component of the Barbilla-Destierro biological sub-corridor, playing a critical role in protecting and restoring vital forest habitats for wildlife movement. Furthermore, this reserve sits within the most critical stopover and refueling site in the region for the Cerulean Warbler during its autumn migration—a species currently facing severe threats due to habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation.

A great first highlight of this alliance took place during the month of June, 2026. A multigenerational group of more than 40 volunteers—including children and adults—worked side-by-side with the dedicated Terra Reserve team and our crew. Together, they successfully planted 550 trees of 35 native species ecologically adapted to the local soil and climate.

The carefully selected species planted by our volunteers include:

• Vachellia ruddiae

• Pseudosamanea carbonaria

• Inga marginata, I. ruizana, I. sapindioides, and I. leiocalycina

• Carapa guianensis

• Hura crepitans

• Miconia longifolia

• Minquartia guianensis

• Lonchocarpus sp., Dussia sp., and Virola sp.

This hands-on community effort directly accelerates landscape restoration. By combining local knowledge with scientific rigor, our volunteers and partners are successfully building resilient, biodiverse habitats to safeguard future generations of wildlife.

We express our deepest gratitude to Terra Conservation Reserve for generously providing their property and opening their doors to host these vital planting events. This flourishing relationship is just beginning, and we are confident that by continuing to combine our strengths and resources, this partnership will yield outstanding, long-term conservation benefits for the entire ecosystem.

The benefactors of the Foundation are Luis Rodriguez and Sharon Cheever, husband and wife. Luis was born in Costa Rica and considers it his second home. Both Sharon and Luis felt the need to make a meaningful impact on wildlife conservation, after their first visit to Africa. With the biodiversity of Costa Rica, its environmental focus and Luis’ ties to Costa Rica they chose the Reserve and its Mission.

The Reserve is strategically located in the Barbilla-Destierro Biological Corridor (Corridor). The Corridor is a critical connector between the Central Volcanic Cordillera of Costa Rica and the Cordillera de Talamanca that stretches into Panama. The Corridor acts as a link between these two large mammal (Jaguars and Pumas) habitats. The Corridor has been highlighted by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) as a priority for conservation at both a national level and a regional level within Latin America. The Reventazon River Valley which lies at the heart of the biological Corridor provides a safe passage for large mammals migrating between the two Cordilleras.

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CSG works to finding solutions to:

• Minimize the harm and reduce the threats to our most vulnerable species

• Protect people and wildlife from human-wildlife conflicts

• Provide and protect crucial habitat for declining species

Program examples include:

• Research: Wildlife tracking to inform threats and mitigate human-wildlife conflict

• Conservation: Voluntary lead-free ammunition distribution programs to protect scavenging wildlife

• Education: Educational events to inform the public about the effects of lead ammunition on scavenging wildlife

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