An Organic Farm &
A Private Rainforest Reserve

The Reserve:
Our reserve, called Terra Folia, is located at the northern edge of Braulio Carrillo National Park in the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica. With 700 acres of dense forest, rolling hills, steep canyons, pristine rivers and exciting wildlife, Terra Folia is truly an ecological treasure.

Terra Folia sponsors activities in research, education, and wilderness adventure. Based on the concept of BIOPATHS^TM we are developing a unique trail system to highlight exciting features of the rainforest--towering trees, cascading waterfalls, diverse habitat--with much less detrimental impact on the native flora and fauna than conventional tourist operations.

Guest facilities include cabins at Patas Peladas, the site of our pineapple nursery, and the new "monkey house," El Bobo, an innovative, low-impact two-story cabin on a forested ridge above the Tiger River for serious naturalists who want total rainforest immersion.

Terra Folia is considered a "buffer zone" for Braulio Carrillo National Park which encompasses over 1000 square kilometers of protected wildlife habitat and ranges from volcanoes in the Central Cordillera over 10,000 feet to the Caribbean plains near sea level. This important migratory corridor boasts one of the highest levels of biodiversity on the entire planet.

In the immediate area of forest surrounding Terra Folia, more than 340 different species of birds have been identified, including large numbers of parrots, hawks, hummingbirds, tanagers and toucans, and unique species like the Crested Guan, the Resplendant Quetzal, the Solitary Eagle, the Three-Wattled Bellbird, and the Umbrella Bird. Among the many interesting mammals in the area are Collared peccary, Baird's tapir, agouti, brocket deer, jaguar, ocelot and puma. Near where you stay or on trail you may see coatimundi, arboreal anteaters, three-toed sloths, howler, spider and white-face monkeys.

This is a fantastic area for 'herps' (reptiles and amphibians). 'Poison-arrow frogs' are very common. Fortunately, sightings of Fer-de-Lance and Bushmaster are less frequent. At Terra Folia you are just a short walk to most of the plant species endemic to Braulio Carrillo National Park, including striking heliconias, valuable hardwoods, a 400 million year-old species of tree fern (the oldest tree species), the unique Plastic Plant, and the endangered Stained-Glass Window Palm which occurs nowhere else on Earth.

The Organic Farm:
In 1985 my wife and I decided to build a permanent family homestead in Costa Rica's mountainous Central Valley. Luckily we discovered an abandoned dairy farm on the southern slopes of a national park just a short distance from capital city San Jose. Although resident squatters had other plans for the property, after two emotional years of legal wrangling we finally prevailed in May of 1987. The farm's name is La Ronda.

Blessed with rich, well-drained volcanic soils in the cool, moist climate of the north central highlands, at La Ronda we propagate a wide variety of temperate and tropical fruits, herbs, vegetables and hardwoods both for habitat restoration and for seed, barter, or sale. To preserve the native ecology and maintain good health we raise each crop "biodynamically" using only natural, organic amendments.

On the edge of wilderness, we share our homestead with horses (Chispa and Filly), dogs, rabbits, ducks, chickens, and an extraordinary diversity of native wildlife, including hummingbirds, pygmy owls, motmots, tanagers, saltators, toucanets, parrots, parakeets, egrets, herons, kingfishers, dove, quail, hawks, agoutis, porcupines, weasels, etc.

We also sponsor community service projects and wilderness treks there. For example, in recent years students and instructors of the North Carolina Outward Bound School have joined with local schoolkids to plant trees and collect trash along the gravel road to the national park, an event later punctuated with a cookout and cross-cultural soccer match.

At La Ronda you can go straight from the airport to LR and avoid in San Jose, yet still be only 15 minutes from the capital for shopping, etc. The farm has all the accomodations -- telephone, hot water, bus system, garden, etc -- only a short walk from Braulio Carillo National Park.