Conservation of the Critically Endangered Ocotea monteverdensis and other threatened species in Costa Rica

Second Blog: “Taking care of Ocotea monteverdensis in the middle of the Pandemic, June 2020”

In our first blog, we outlined the four principal objectives of the “Mi Ocotea” project. In this second blog, we are providing more detail on how we are progressing toward each goal.

Protection of mature Ocotea monteverdensis trees.

Protection of mature trees is critical because their seeds are the only source of future generations. Most of these reproductive trees are probably 100-300 years-old. They can be stressed by human development that disturbs their roots or exposes their limbs to more wind, and by climate change that may bring higher temperatures, stronger winds, and/or less rain. While the cutting of large trees of native species is highly illegal without express permission from the Ministry of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica (MINAE), illegal logging or trimming of large branches is still a concern.

Visiting landowners that have at least 7 trees on their property is one of our highest priorities. It is critical that these owners are aware of what they have, and that they hopefully agree to assist in the conservation of this species. We have located 19 properties in this category, and we estimate they contain close to half of the remaining mature trees.

During the first months of 2020 we have spoken with 15 of these landowners, 9 of them for the second time in the past year. All have been supportive of conservation. Most have been willing to allow either signs to be placed on trees, natural regeneration to be located and encouraged, seedlings to be planted on their property, and/or livestock to be fenced out of sensitive areas.

Discussing the issues with Ana Suarez and her grandbaby

Locating young trees with landowner Andres Camacho

We also want to reach out to landowners who have a few trees on their property; so far this year we have spoken with 4 in this category of landowner. Eventually we hope to create a cooperating group of landowners who are aware of what others are doing. Landowners active in these conservation efforts will receive plaques which we are currently designing.

Raising Public Awareness

In addition to landowners, we are endeavoring to provide information to the public at large about the importance of these trees by:

Teaching school classes at all grade levels.
Posting informative signs on trees that are in public locations.
Distributing stickers, pamphlets, and coloring books.
Posting blogs and short videos on the Monteverde Institute web site and on social media.

In the beginning of this year, we taught both the 5-6 classroom and the 9-10 science class at the Monteverde Friends School. This included taking students to look at some of the 10 huge O. monteverdensis mature trees growing on the school property, as well as seedlings of the same nearby. We also spoke with a number of local public school principals and teachers, and we scheduled 5 school visits. Unfortunately, these visits have been postponed due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic.

Fifth and sixth grade students from Monteverde Friends School planting O. monteverdensis seedlings.

Pamphlets have been designed, printed, and distribution begun, chiefly to landowners so far.

One side of the 3-fold pamphlet being distributed.

A project logo is currently being designed with the help of a professional botanical illustrator, Marco Molina. We plan to use the logo on signs, stickers, plaques and other items.

The simple version of the logo.

Population Expansion

We plan to increase the population of the next generation both by planting seedlings and by locating, protecting, and encouraging natural regeneration.

Seedlings ready for planting at La Calandria nursery, run by the Costa Rican Conservation Foundation and Monteverde Institute. — Seedlings ready for planting at *La Calandria* nursery, run by the Costa Rican Conservation Foundation and Monteverde Institute.

The planting of seedlings is just beginning, as the rainy season is normally under way by the first of June. Thousands of seedlings of O. monteverdensis and associated tree species are available in the nursery in Los Llanos pictured above. Normally, study abroad students would be helping a lot with such planting, but unfortunately this year the pandemic is keeping them away. Instead, MVI staff who normally supervise and teach these students will be enlisted for planting. Funds are also being raised to pay local persons to help with planting through a “Go Fund Me” effort.

Locating and promoting natural regeneration. Twenty-three clusters of natural regeneration of Ocotea monteverdensis have already been located. These range in size from 200m² to 6000m² and total over 3 hectares. Obtaining permission from landowners to work with these trees on these parcels has allowed us to locate approximately 1,600 seedlings and saplings, and to improve their access to appropriate light conditions. With some of these same landowners, we are installing fencing to exclude livestock that like to eat young trees and regularly trample on them. More information and discussion of these efforts will be provided in the next blog.

Research

Two research projects are underway. One is examining whether inoculating the seedling potting soil, and transplant hole soil, with mycorrhizae will improve survival and/or growth rate. The other is examining soil and plant pathogens that may be affecting the survival of either transplanted seedlings or natural regeneration. Details and progress in these two studies will be presented in future blogs.

Principal Personnel working on the project:

Forest Protection, Education, and Natural Regeneration:

Dr. Dev Joslin, forest ecologist and soil scientist

Daniela Quesada Cruz, biologist, Monteverde Conservation League

Miguel Matarrita Herrera, biologist, Costa Rican National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC)

Lindsay Stallcup, biologist and director, Monteverde Conservation League

Reforestation and Research:

Debra Hamilton, biologist and director, Monteverde Institute/CRCF

Randy Chinchilla Ramos, GIS specialist, Monteverde Institute

Luisa Moreno Scott, biologist, Monteverde Institute

Lorenzo Vargas, nursery manager and reforestation technician, MVI/Costa Rican Conservation Foundation

Rigoberto Alvarado, reforestation technician, Monteverde Institute

Victor Molina Rojas, Costa Rican Conservation Foundation

Collaborating Landowners or land managers visited this year:

Andres Camacho, Luis Camacho, Jeremy Crandell, Elena Florian, Fonda Vela Hotel, Benito Guindon, Richard Laval, Gerardo Leiton, Mary Rockwell, Carlos Salazar, Marta Salazar, Jeff Stambaugh, Sarah Stuckey, Ana Suarez, Jorge Torres, Richard Trostle, Linda Weisband, James Wolfe

Taking care of Ocotea monteverdensis in the middle of the Pandemic, June 2020