VOLCÁN ARENAL NATIONAL PARK

Located 15 kilometers from Fortuna in the northwest part of Costa Rica, between the foothills of the Cordillera de Tilarán mountain range and the San Carlos plains, Volcán Arenal National Park is one of the most visited destinations in the Northern Zone. Several trails-Heliconias, Coladas, Tucanes and Los Miradores-allow observation of much of the park's flora and fauna, as well as the remains of lava tracts. The park covers a 12,124-hectare area.

CHILDREN'S ETERNAL FOREST-POCO SOL BIOLOGICAL STATION

The Poco Sol Biological Station is located at 720 meters above sea level on the Atlantic slope of the Cordillera de Tilarán, inside the Children's Eternal Forest private preserve. Around the station there are some 10 kilometers of trails through primary and secondary forest and pastures in regeneration. The site features a variety of environments, including a 3.8-hectare lake, waterfall, fumaroles and hot springs. As at the San Gerardo Station, the area's forest is classified as premontane pluvial forest, and is always green. Though at a lower altitude and close to transition to a different type of forest, the Poco Sol Station is unique in terms of biodiversity and scenic beauty.

CAÑO NEGRO WILDLIFE REFUGE

Caño Negro is a RAMSAR site of worldwide importance for wetlands conservation. The refuge is vital to the environmental balance of the country's Northern Zone. This habitat shelters a wide variety of plant and wildlife species, many of which are unique or in danger of extinction, including seabirds such as the jabiru and reptiles such as caimans and turtles.

During the dry season, the refuge becomes an important feeding ground for the thousands of seabirds that arrive at the wetland. The plumage of some of these birds will change color and take on a pinkish hue due to the mollusks consumed by the birds. The natural wealth here includes plant and animal species found nowhere else in the country, including the prehistoric Gaspar fish-considered a living fossil.

JUAN CASTRO BLANCO NATIONAL PARK

Located east of Ciudad Quesada, this park is surrounded by the Aguas Zarcas, Venecia, Zapote, Laguna, Tapezco, Altamira, Sarchí Norte, Toro Amarillo and Río Cuarto districts. The area features thermal pools (Fila Chocosuela), active volcanic vents (Volcán Platanar), inactive volcanic vents (Cerro Viejo, Cerro Pelón), volcanic cones and rugged topography. Wildlife is varied, and includes species such as quetzals, wild turkeys, chachalacas, black guans, monkeys, armadillos, agoutis and tapirs. The source of around 50 rivers, the park is home to Pozo Verde Lake and some of Costa Rica's biggest waterfalls: Toro, Aguas Gatas, Gorrión and Río Claro.

LA SELVA BIOLOGICAL STATION

Located in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, at the confluence of two great rivers, La Selva Biological Station comprises 1,600 hectares of tropical wet forest and deforested land in regeneration. Wildlife here is diverse, and includes large animals such as jaguars, pumas and tapirs. Thousands of arthropod species are currently being recorded here, and more than 400 species of birds, both resident and migratory, have been observed-that's almost half the bird species found in Costa Rica. One of the rainiest places in the country, La Selva receives an average of four meters (more than 13 feet) of precipitation annually, constant throughout the year. La Selva Biological Station is one of the most important sites in the world for tropical wet forest research.


Source: Content and Images from Costa Rica Tourism Board - www.visitcostarica.com