Heredia

With the introduction of coffee to Costa Rica, the fertile southern slopes of Barva Volcano became populated with plantations of this crop. The steep and very rainy northern slope did not become populated until much more recently. The Sarapiquí River, which is navigable upstream from the San Juan River (which flows into the Caribbean) as far inland as Puerto Viejo (Old Port) de Sarapiquí at the volcano's base on the northern side, was an important transportation route for those few hardy settlers who first moved into this region. As recently as 1953, a mere three thatched-roof houses were all that comprised the village of Puerto Viejo.

Continuing upstream from Puerto Viejo, the river picks up gradient and becomes one of the country's finest rivers for kayaking and white-water rafting. The further upstream you go, the more challenging the rapids become. Above the town of San Miguel it becomes suicidal to attempt to run the river, but from there down to La Virgen it makes an intense Class IV-V run in a kayak. Downstream from the bridge at La Virgen, the river is suitable for inflatable rafts. This narrow waterway is ideal for white-water novices, as well as families, all of whom will enjoy its moderately flowing rapids, interspersed with tranquil stretches. The journey is also excellent for bird-watchers and other nature lovers. The river stretches its way through lush vegetation that is home to hummingbirds, toucans, woodpeckers and scores of other native bird species. Don't miss this classic tropical river experience!

2) La Selva Biological Station:
One of the premier neotropical sites for biological studies, La Selva is a Mecca not only for scientists, but also hard-core birders and serious naturalists. The state-of-the-art laboratory facilities on the edge of the rain forest have allowed researchers at La Selva the opportunity to make many exciting new discoveries about the workings of this most incredibly complex and biologically diverse of the pla's ecosystems. The more than 60 kilometers of well-maintained trails that crisscross the 1,536-hectare property allow excellent access to the forest.

La Selva is one of three biological stations in Costa Rica owned and operated by the Organization for Tropical Studies (O.T.S.), a consortium of some 50 U.S. and Costa Rican universities dedicated to supporting tropical research endeavors.

CChristmas Bird Counts have been conducted annually at La Selva since 1985, and have produced a total of more than 420 species observed within a 14.5-kilometer radius that includes the lower portion of the Braulio Carrillo National Park extension as well as lowland areas surrounding the station property. Additionally, within the boundaries of the station, 25 species of lizards, 44 species of frogs and toads, 56 species of snakes, and 114 species of mammals (in large part, bats) have been reported, not to mention a staggering variety of plant and insect life. Some of the more commonly seen species include poison-dart frogs, green iguanas, giant tropical ants, Central American agoutis and the highly venomous Fer-de-lance snake.

Both day visits and overnight stays are possible with prior authorization. For overnight stays, contact the O.T.S. office in Moravia at (506) 240-6696. Day visits can be arranged directly with the station at (506) 766-6565. All day visitors must be accompanied by a local naturalist, whose fee is not included in the individual entrance fee.

To get there from San José, take the Limón highway through Braulio Carrillo National Park and upon reaching the lowlands take the first left turn, towards Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí. About 28 kilometers down this road, look for a covered bus stop on the left with the OET logo (Spanish for O.T.S.) around the sides of the roof. Turn left on the gravel road beside the bus stop and follow the road for about half a kilometer to the La Selva gate. (If you come to the bridge over the Sarapiquí River, you've gone too far.)

Public buses to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí from San José will let you off by the bus stop, but make sure the bus goes via the new highway and not the old route through Heredia and Vara Blanca.

The climate at La Selva is quite warm year-round, although the temperatures are tempered by the amount of cloud cover that affects the area and also brings an annual average of four meters of rainfall. The rains are spread throughout the year, but the rainiest periods are from June to August and from November to January.

The original 587 hectares that comprised La Selva were purchased in 1968 from tropical forester Dr. Leslie Holdridge, who had owned the property since 1953 and used it for experimentation with timber trees and crops such as cacao and peach palm. Even in 1968, access was an adventure consisting of a tortuous four-hour drive through the mountains followed by a four-kilometer ride in a dugout canoe to reach the site of the main building, which had minimal creature comforts (but lots of creatures!) and no electricity or telephone.

The importance of the site as a place for conducting tropical research inside a rain forest, combined with the urgency to understand these ecosystems caused by their greatly accelerated destruction during the 1970's and 1980's, led to the transformation of those rustic beginnings to the modern facility that La Selva Biological Station is today.

The size of the property has tripled since 1968 with the acquisition of eight adjoining parcels throughout the years. Additionally, the creation of the Braulio Carrillo National Park extension in 1986 effectively connects La Selva with a forested elevational transect that stretches right to the top of Barva Volcano. Nevertheless, with the rapid colonization of the Sarapiquí lowlands since the 1970's, conversion of rain forests to agricultural land has turned La Selva into a forested peninsula when not long ago it was part of a vast forested region.

The construction of churches, so that the populace could comply with its religious obligations and ceremonies including weddings, baptisms, and funerals, was an important aspect of the development of communities during colonial times (in modern times, soccer fields seem to have replaced this function). In 1706, the first parish church in the Heredia region was erected in Lagunilla, near the village of El Barreal, but in 1717 was moved several kilometers to the north to the site that would become the city of Heredia. It is reported that houses in outlying areas were even burned so that their occupants would move closer to the center of the developing town. Variously known throughout the colonial period as Villa Vieja or Cubujuquí, the name Heredia comes from the man who managed to obtain the title of "villa" for the newly formed settlement, don Gonzalo Fernández de Heredia. The present-day church in the center of Heredia is one of the oldest in Costa Rica, dating back to 1797.