Rainforests of Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s tropical rainforests are one of its most famous ecosystems. As the name suggests, a rainforest is composed of tall and evergreen trees that see frequent rainfall (in Costa Rica, that’s generally 80-260 inches per year). These fascinating ecosystems have the highest biodiversity rate in the world, housing more than half the planet’s flora and fauna but covering only 6% of its surface.

Rainforests are also the oldest living ecosystem on the planet. Some of them have been the same for at least 70 million years! Always humid, rainforests produce about 75% of their own rain through evaporation and condensation. The way rainforests work is that they are stratified into four distinct layers from bottom to top. You’ve got the forest floor, the understory, the canopy, and the emergent layers. Each has unique characteristics, receiving different levels of sunlight, water, and even fresh air.

The emergent layer, for example, sees the most sunlight. The forest floor sees not even 5% of the same light due to the density of the trees. This changes a lot the species that live on each layer. Many animals will only spend time in one of these layers because of how different they can be.

Despite these differences, it all works together as one single ecosystem. For instance, when a large old tree falls, it breaks nearby trees on its way down. This opens up space for younger trees to grow. As the fallen tree decomposes, it slowly becomes a source of nutrients for the surrounding plants, fungi, and insects. They in turn become the food of larger animals, and the cycle continues.

Costa Rica is very famous for its rainforests. They cover all of the Caribbean coastline and are most present in the central and southern zones of the Pacific coast. They also cover many parts of the northern lowlands and are found on Coco’s Island. They stretch right into the foothills of mountains before becoming montane forests. You might be surprised by how much the weather and climate of Costa Rica’s rainforests can vary!

Because of the amount of biodiversity they protect, tropical rainforests are incredibly important to the planet. These forests help regulate both local climates and worldwide weather patterns. One of their most important characteristics is that they purify the air we breathe. There is a reason why the Amazon forests are known as the Lungs of Planet Earth: we need them to regulate the levels of chemicals that pollute the air.

This functionality is as simple as it is essential. The trees of the rainforest absorb the carbon dioxide from the air and then releaseoxygen to the atmosphere. Trees and plants then use the carbon dioxide to build raw materials for their own growth. Nothing ever goes to waste!

High tree density also helps reduce heat. The trees absorb the sun's rays and prevent them from heating up the ground or buildings nearby. Incidentally, this is also the reason why cities without trees are so hot! Rainforests, which are always lush, also provide abundant food, shelter, and even raw materials for various species of flora and fauna.

Many different parts of Costa Rica have rainforests, but the climates of each one can vary depending on where it is located. For example, the Central Pacific region is known for its high temperatures and humidity. However, under the canopy temperatures are often much cooler than those found in the Northern Pacific Coast.

The reason for these differences is largely due to variations in elevation. Higher altitudes in the mountains of the central Pacific are often accompanied by lower temperatures. Further north, temperatures increase and the vegetation becomes tropical dry forests. Rainforests also differ from cloud forests by elevation, as cloud forests are found in the cooler-climates of the central mountain region.

And while temperatures can exceed 100 °F (37 °C) in the daytime during the height of the dry season, they can also fall to the low 60s (around 15 °C) at night. It's a very interesting ecosystem with a lot of variance.

If we didn’t have rainforests, the planet would change so much that we would lose most of the plant and animal species in the world. Sadly, we have been destroying rainforests at an alarming rate for the past century.

Unsustainable industrial, agricultural, and cattle farming practices are the main factors. Deforestation and fire are used to open up space for these economic activities. The forest, which requires decades to grow adult-sized trees, never has a chance to recover. Because the ground is exposed, soil erosion is another consequence of deforestation. Frustratingly, this renders the soils unusable for agricultural purposes.

It’s important to protect rainforests because of all they bring into our lives and everything they do for nature. Costa Rica’s main rainforests are protected in national parks and nature reserves for this very reason. Not only are they beautiful but also they are intrinsic to our survival. Unpredictable weather patterns, loss of biodiversity, and potential scarcity of vital resources are just examples of what we can experience without them.

You’re welcome to explore Costa Rica’s rainforests, but make sure to apply best practices. Small steps like picking up your trash and never disturbing the local wildlife will go a long way. Also, choosing reputable tour operators or eco-consicous hotels and resorts will aid in the preservation of these natural wonders.

Costa Rica’s rainforests present such a dense biodiversity it’s hard to narrow down a list of everything you can find there. Flora and fauna will change slightly depending on location, but there will always be plenty to admire. Rainforests are also the areas where you can do most activities. Canopy zip line, hanging bridges, swimming, hiking, birdwatching, horseback riding, waterfall chasing, white water rafting… the list goes on.

From crabs and bats to lizards, shiny tree frogs, four species of monkey (squirrel, howler, capuchin, and spider), peccaries, sloths, armadillos, anteaters, pumas,and jaguars, opportunities for nature and wildlife enthusiasts are endless. Birdwatchers will also be able to observe a variety of resident and migratory species everywhere they go, including the iconic keel-billed toucan and both green and scarlet macaws.

Many of Costa Rica’s rainforests have relatively young trees (not yet 100 years old), so this makes Costa Rica a prized location for birders, since the trees are a little smaller and birds are easier to spot. closer to the ground.

Rainforests are a wonderful thing to experience up close. They are found in the foothills and in the lowlands on both the Atlantic and Pacific sides of the country. Many destinations in Costa Rica have rainforest trails that can be visited in small groups with or without a guide. There are too many to mention them all, but always take the chance to explore them if you can.

It truly is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Life both great and small abounds in tropical rainforests. The Osa Peninsula, and in particular the Corcovado National Park, is an excellent spot for those who want to go off the beaten path to explore nature. The Caribbean coast, in particular Tortuguero National Park, is another great location to be surrounded by nature. Manuel Antonio National Park and the Arenal Volcano area are other great places to really admire and learn about the natural beauty of tropical rainforests.