Katherine Watier (S. T. E. P. Box 3705 Union
Maine
Dear Katherine Watier
Thanks for everything you are doing with the enthusiastic group - S.T.E.P. I enjoyed speaking with the young women at the booth at the Common Ground Fair.
There are still many acres to purchase for Bosque Eterno de losNinos in the Monteverde region of Costa Rica. The enclosed article"Protected Forest United" (Tapir Tracks, February-April 1992)specifies the plans for future purchase.
The Children's Rainforest U.S. is a sister organization ofChildren's Tropical Forests U.K. With several other "Children'sRainforests" we are member of an International Children's
RainforestNetwork. We stay in contact and in some cases work together on the same projects.(The common project that linked us originally is Bosque Eterno de los Ninos.)
To date we (The Children's Rainforest U.S.) has focused on
Bosque Eterno de los Ninos in Costa Rica. Sometime this year we will be
gathering information on the projects you mentioned (Thailand,
Guatemala, and a new project in Ecuador). Then, depending on decisions
of the Board of Directors we may set up ways for donors here to
contribute to those projects. Until we do so, unfortunately it would be
necessary for you to work with Children's Tropical Forests U.K. to
contribute to the projects in Thailand and Guatemala. I know this poses
some difficulties in fund transfers; it would be best to write to Robin Jolliffe to learn if funds can be wired from your account to theirs
(Tina Jolliffe passed away recently).
The other questions you ask I'll answer briefly here; they are best answered more specifically by Ree Sheck, Public Relations Director of the Monteverde Conservation League(Apartado 10165-1000, San Jose, Costa Rica). I am forwarding to her a copy of your letter (with the questions highlighted), as well as a copy of this letter. (1) "When will the Children's Rainforest open?" Right now it is possible to visit portions of Bosque Eterno de los Ninos that are contiguous to Monteverde. Some other portions of BEN are quite remote. The Monteverde Conservation League will be determining when those areas are "open." I have not heard from the League recently on this question and expect to learn more when I am in Monteverde in March 1993. (2) "In the re-forestry program, are a diverse group of species . . . ?"
"Are indigenous people . . . ?" The region of CostaRica in whichBEN is located has not been home to native people for some time. Apparently,Costa Rica's population of indigenous people always was sparse. The nativegroups extant in Costa Rica reside predominantly in eastern and southeasternCosta Rica (especially in the La Amistad Biosphere Reserve).
I look forward to hearing more about your project. I will be outof the country for most of March - August. Perhaps you could give me a callimmediately should we need to talk. Your work is tremendous; we have long beena fan of S.T.E.P!
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