The Global Vibrations of the Trees

The Global Vibrations of the Trees – The gentle drip, drip, drip, of clouds returning to the Earth, the crackling of small animals making their way through the undergrowth, the majestic orchestra of birds in the canopy, the smell of moss and something sweet —like ripe fruit… There are a million things to love about the cloud forest; and, having lived here my whole life, I have gotten to know this environment, come to appreciate this ecosystem as a unique living being made up of countless cells working in unison, keeping its heart pumping fearlessly, endlessly. I have been blessed with some of its secrets, and I have a favorite. This is the one I will share with you today. It starts in the Sahara.
When you think of the cloud forest, in Monteverde, Costa Rica, several things might come to mind. Biodiversity perhaps, is at the top of that list. Further down the line, however, the word “isolated” might pop up: as anyone who has visited this treasure can tell you, the rustic dirt roads winding up the Tilaran mountain range leading here are no smooth ride; our town is small, only a couple thousand inhabitants; and for any major errands a two hour trip down the mountain is a must. While the tourists make the human link to the outside world for the people who live here, nature needs no plane tickets and no nationalities. For nature, it’s in the air.
So, what was I saying about the Sahara? Epiphytes are one of the most astounding feats this tropical paradise has to offer; more accurately, the relationship between these tree dwellers and the forest as a whole is miraculous. A single tree can be home to a plethora of species that work, not against, but in mutualistic symbiosis with their host. This rhythm in itself is a wonder many dedicate their lives to studying. However, once more, nature takes our hand and delivers in our palm an invaluable gem. The epiphytes are fed and watered by their environment: by the “cat hair” that drizzles down around them and the nutrients it brings. Among these nutrients: grains of sand from the Saharan desert. The wild winds that blow across the Atlantic bring with them miniature pieces of the African continent into our treetops, fertilizing the epiphytes for which the cloud forest is so famous.
Maybe not so isolated after all.
It is little facts like these that make living here infinitely inspiring. Nature is full of these little wild connections that have the power to make you feel minute, while at the same time building that bridge between you and the rest of the world. While you walk through the forest now, don’t worry about spotting that rare bird you need to catch on camera for your friends and family to see. I have learned that the wonders of this forest might be beyond that which our naked eye can observe: walk, walk in awe, walk in wonder, walk in respect and admiration for the perfectly balanced ecosystem in which you find yourself. And feel blessed. It really is a miracle – The Global Vibrations of the Trees.