The Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve is a private property under management by the Tropical Science Center, a non-profit organization for scientific research and education, with headquarters in San José.  The reserve, forms part of the Arenal Conservations Area and consist of 11,931 hectares of rainforest divided between the Caribbean and Pacific sides of the Tilarán Mountain Range.  This wilderness area was created to protect the waterways and the flora and fauna of the region, and to carry out scientific research, such as programs of environmental education.

Identification has been in the region of 400 species of birds, including the resplendent quetzal, 490 species of butterflies, 100 species of mammals, some of which, such as the tapir, jaguar and ocelot, are threatened with extinction, 2,500 species of plants, among which there are 300 species of orchids that mainly flower in March, and 200 species of ferns.  This biological wealth is distributed over a range of 1,040 metres above sea level on the Caribbean slopes to 1, 719 metres at the summit.

The constant and heavy rainfall (3,000-5,000 mm) on the eastern face, where the continental divide is found, feed an infinite number of streams, all tributaries of the River Peñas Blancas, which flows into the River San Juan with the name of San Carlos.  On the southern face the rainfall is seasonal (88% falls between May to November), feeding the River Guacimal,, which flows into Nicoya Gulf.  This river carries water even during the Pacific dry season due to cloud and rain spillovers caught in the dense foliage of the reserve.  This “sponge effect” that takes place on the peaks of Monteverde encouraged a group of American Quakers, already mentioned, to protect over 554 hectares of cloud forest, which were later donated to the Tropical Scientific Centre.

The village of Monteverde, located to the south of the cloud forest, was built at the beginning of 1950, by a Quaker community that had come to Costa Rica in response to its pacifist ways and its commitment to disarmament.  The Quakers settled in the region and began to produce milK and fine cheeses.  As time went on, they founded a company in which, today 80% of the stockholders are Costa Ricans. 

The Monteverde Conservationist League also works at Monteverde.  This non-profit organization is concerned with purchasing land for reforestation, research, nature conservation and environmental education. The Children’s Rainforest and the Eternal Forest were established within this context. The land was purchased by donations made by children, most of whom were Swedish.

The biological reserve is world famous because of the golden toad, and endemic species that is deaf and dumb and lives on the continental divide.  The males are a striking bright orange colour and the baby toads can be seen from the end of April to the beginning of June.