Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
QUAKERS IN MONTEVERDE
In 1949 four members of the Society of Friends, or Quakers, were jailed in Alabama for
their refusal to be drafted into the Korean War. Since Quakers are obligated by their reli-
gion to be pacifists, the four men were eventually released from prison. However, in re-
sponse to the incarceration, 44 Quakers from 11 Alabama families left the USA and
headed for greener pastures, literally. The Quakers chose Monteverde (Green Mountain)
for two reasons: a few years prior, the Costa Rican government had abolished its military,
and the cool mountain climate was ideal for grazing cattle. Ensconced in their isolated
refuge they adopted a simple, trouble-free life of dairy farming and cheese production. In
an effort to protect the watershed above its 15-sq-km plot in Monteverde, the Quaker
community agreed to preserve the mountaintop cloud forests.
The Quaker community is still active in Monteverde, both in preservation of the land
GOOGLE MAP
; meetings 10:30am Sun, 9am Wed) or the
Monteverde Cheese Factory
.
If
you're willing to give at least a six-week commitment, there are numerous volunteer op-
Activities
Bosque Eterno de los Niños
HIKING
US$12/6, guided night hike US$20/17, Estación Biológica San Gerardo all-inclusive US$52;
7:30am-5:30pm, night hike 5:30pm)
What became of the efforts of a group of schoolchildren to save the rainforest? Only this
enormous 220-sq-km reserve - the largest private reserve in the country. It is mostly inac-
cessible to tourists, with the exception of the well-marked 3.5km
Sendero Bajo del Ti-
the entrance there's an education center for children and a fabulous vista over the reserve.
Make reservations in advance for the popular two-hour night hikes. The Estación Bioló-
gica San Gerardo, reachable from a rather gnarly 2½-hour trail from Reserva Santa Elena,
