About us

The Children's Eternal Forest (or “BEN”, in Spanish “Children's Eternal Forest”) provides water to hundreds of surrounding communities and farms, as well as hydroelectric projects that produce more than a third of Costa Rica's electricity. The reserve is the centerpiece of a larger block of protected areas that attracts tens of thousands of visitors from around the world each year and provides the economic livelihood of thousands of local families. It is also home to an extraordinary proportion of the world's biodiversity. 

Although the BEN covers only 0.00015% of the Earth's land surface, it is home to a wildly disproportionate amount of the world's flora and fauna, including 2% of the world's orchid species, more than 3% of the butterflies and almost 5% of the species. the birds of the world. Birds that depend on the BEN include nearly 100 North American species that spend the entire winter there or pass through during their spring and fall migrations. Hundreds of thousands of North American birds (yes, really!) pass through the BEN during their migration. The reserve is also home to numerous endemic and endangered species, and all six of Costa Rica's wild cats, including the elusive jaguar.

There are many valuable natural areas in the world, but very few as biologically diverse as the BEN. Visit and learn about the BEN in the following places:

Bajo del Tigre Reserve (Monteverde)
San Gerardo Field Station
Pocosol Field Station
Steller Estate