As the ‘dry’ season wraps up here at the finca, we’ve been reflecting on the progress that’s been made by our team here at FBV over the last several months. Our guys succeeded in ‘git’n er done’ and we met all of our goals and then some since December. Our pedestrian suspension bridge is getting its finishing touches, the bath house at the base area is completed, and a crew is working rapidly on the communal kitchen/dining area and an open-air rancho at the base area. Several new stone pathways, continuation of the access road work, and many other improvements are underway all around the reception area (base camp). We found a combination of equipment to make improvements to the existing road with far less impact on the surrounding area, which we’re very happy about (note the light-footed tank-tread dump truck in the photos- the only one of its kind in Costa Rica…). Last but definitely not least, our tree house is done! As we put the furniture in today, the gravity of accomplishing such a feat really hit us.

With each passing day, hike and visitor, we all get to know and see a little bit more of the finca. A botanist with lots of localized knowledge of the flora and fauna came here last week to assess the suitability of trees on some owners’ lots. He can read the forest like an open book and shared so many of his observations that would normally go unnoticed. We learned a lot about this particular piece of land, and his insight will help to guide many of our decisions here in the future as well.

Word is out in the local communities that we are doing something a bit different up the hill here at Finca Bellavista. We’ve had lots of visitors, and the schoolchildren in La Florida are chomping at the bit to come and tour the tree house now that it is finished. How we’re going to organize 60 schoolchildren to visit is beyond me at this point…but we’re working on it!