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5/1/1996 - The Rainforest Aerial Tram by Donald R. Perry

The Rainforest Aerial Tram SAN JOSE Costa Rica May ByDonaldPerry Years letter Institute April ended cliff hangerabouttheinstallationoftheAutomatedWeb forCanopyExploration atRara Avis Costa Rica That project finished several years I started other itistimetobringtheInstituteuptodateonwhatI vebeendoing Asyoumayknow Ihavebeenpioneeringthedevelopmentofcanopy accesstech niques since The canopy upper inaccessible region forest At thattimeverylittlewasknownabouttropicalrain forestcanopies eventhough nowbelieved possess complex communities planet Myworkbeganby inventing crossbow arrow method raising thecanopy whichisthemost popularclimbingmethodinusetoday Thiswasfollowed system appeared cover Scientific American magazine Rope websystemsarecurrentlybeingusedbyseveralresearchers thecostismini andthey offerbetter access canopythan cranes The ropewebled Au tomatedWeb whichwassupportedbyaRolexAwardfor Enterprise aswellas myICWAfellowship AUTOMATEDWEB I installed Automated Web Rara Avis nature lodge themountains ofCostaRica sAtlantic sloperainforest Afterconsiderable effort fortune operational January Significantly firstvehicle forinvestigatingthe canopy TheAutomatedWebis radio controlled cable systemwitha people At Rara Avis meter cable spanned precipitous The departed cliff traveled directly breathtaking waterfall Ii lilli could descend point along hundred meter transect expanse untouched forest Itwasanawe inspiringjourneyintooneofna smostbeautiful ecosystems The cover article January New York Times SundayMagazinedocumentedthe construction Automated Web Thiswas followedbyadocumen taryonNationalGog aphic Explore aswellasmanyin ternationalpublicationsandtelevision specials Since thenseveral scientists havebegun study canopy French Francis Halle built inflatable raftthat istransportedbydirigibleandlow treetops expense longer operating catwalks built various tions construction cranes installed several forests A crane costs about installed Twenty Au tomated Webs could installed price These would provide access least twenty timesmore enough money would support severalresearchers foralongtime Also theAutomated Web mobile relocated little weeksto anewarea forest Evenwithouttaking effectiveness accountmorevehicles equalmorere search knowledge Onecan funding foranopyresearch tools better allocated inthe future A serious disadvantage cranes Au tomated Web searchers cannot tween limbs regions where greateSt biodiversity encountered To solve problem I engaged inesigning tomated version called Superman system The Superman allow scientist through rainforest No other comes ciose matching extent cessthe uperman system willhavewitnthe forest Thismonth Iworkedwith constructiOn build first treetop research facility Costa Rica This story treeh0use meters above groUnd Theyd lower flo0rhasa doUble stove against insects weather The upperlevelisan observation Itistrulyspectacular RAIN FORE ST AERIAL TRAM Despite decade efforts profit organi zations media search devastation natural habitats continues accelerated rates It clear reaching local populations preservation nature To approach problem Ihavedivertedmyattentionfromcanopy research develop Rain Forest Aerial Tram mynewprojectthatwilleducate thousands local people travelers about forestpreservation The potential success project suggested influx tourists Costa Rica wanted nature Many hadseenorheardabout theAutomatedWeb wanted canopy The Automated Web however designed fortourists anditdidnothavethe capacity largenumbersofpeople Howwould AerialTram funded As efforts develop Attomated Web profit scientific friendlyagencies Icontactedshowednointer thoughmybusinesswouldleaimed forest preservation education ployrnent locals With ofNorman Fast I turned private placement stock sales Johan vonder Goltz Boston Capital Ven tures great faith project tained millions dollars necessary completion A business assembled sites cated designs prepared surveys propertypurchased Three years I moved Costa Rica Roberta oversee strUction Aerial Tram We rented house minutes San Jose We split eachweekbetween San Jose house puter washing machine shower telephone Rancho E1 Toro where running water river flowed through front The Aerial Tram minute drive capital San Jose Costa Rica picturesque highway It winds through beautiful mountainous center country called Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo which adjacent AerialTram property The highway atLimon connecting San Jose important Atlanticport Dosel S A corporation I founded tares acres ofrain forestpropertyintheAtlantic foothills It shares three kilometer border Brau Carrillo Park The forest reserve other words itcouldhavebeencut TheAerialTramproject UNESCO Man Biosphere Re serve As buffer project helps protect Braulio Carrillo fromhuman activities theTram falls under Category Biosphere Reserve Theland isnowapreservethatprotectsthe Author Nils Erickson skMift expert riding theAutomated Web wildlife hunting plant collecting malpoachingand logging In December construction began kilometerro thehighway Site where facilities would built During construc I everything possible minimize disturbance nature The survey moved avoid trees eventually route found placed major length pasture Our Costa Rican contractor installed kilometer banana harvesting system found plantations haulmore 000pounds ofmate rials build steel concrete footings twelve towers A wooden trail built under banana prevent traffic erosion floor The trail constructed trees property thatwere andhad fallen longbefore In February after extraordinary negotiations general manager Michael Skelly helicopter hired Sandinista Air Force Institute Current World Affairs Helicopterusedtotransporttowerstotheirpositions theforest transport steel nearby field It wonderful machine armed engaged peaceful activity The pilot course neverdone thistype ofworkandhedem onstrated impressive prowess though thread needle towers lowered their through small holes created forest These holes Selecting trees might obstruct tower placement setting ropes pulling where would damaged forceful chopper When aircraft ropes moved trees holes canopy closedbackup overthe towers To knowledge first forest cleared during installation It biggest obstacle operation tremen success It somewhat dangerous quite scary Upon tightening final entire workers breathed collective relief TheR ainForestAerialTramisaunique kilometer modified system designed John Williams longtime friendwho helpedwith canopy access methods group consulting gineers It twenty carry people The separated minimum riders enjoy private canopy The permanently attached cable rotates carryingthem through darkhumid under story through bright spaces canopy where distant volcanic mountains DRP broad vistas forest prevail The round takes about hours During Roberta I design significantly reduced system impact forest Theincomingcarswouldrideabovetheout going F shaped towers allowing rower corridor through forest about comparison twenty corridor necessary atypical liftwithT shapedtowe John Williams I stood firmly support newidea aswebadgered reluctant consulting neers solve design puzzle All We butwecan tguaranteethat itwillwork Well works dream Threaded through forest Aerial Tram virtu invisible It truly nature eliminates problems velop large numbers tourists visit sensitive habitat I happy Tram people cages E1TOROandtheRIOMOLINETE Our country house Aerial Tram Rustic capture ruggedness Costa Rican pioneer Long abandoned quarters recent occupant young Roberta swept floor layer thatmust mixture ofdung anything quagmire lived inside I floorhad region Thehousealsohadbatsspiders wasps snakes The indoor spiders would almost urbanite wandered But those spiders understated emissaries their thatlurkedinthejungle surroundingourhouse Climbingupaslopeoneday Ireachedtowardarock handhold stood skittered Myheart raced The tannish objectwas spider legspanofnearlyteninches close totheworldrecord Our roofed dining stingless swarmed every started Oddly these swarmed whenever tried beams termites It could concluded mites somehow telling their distress They stuck delivered moderately painful bites species sting When termites alone beesgrewcalmand finallysodidwe In decided together species proper niche disturbing another Overoneofthebedswasalargewaspnest Its crea2 totswerebig black wasps typically nest0nthe Undersides roofs The wasps particularly aggressive attack sight could seemed docile They house gleaning nearby fields caterpillars insects I c0uld approach quitecloselyand alltheywould ismillaroundon surface flicking their wings The movement nervous convincing enough anything No wanted remove itstayedinthehouseformanymonths Lying there watching wasps flick their wings wonder glued ceiling It amazing become accus tomedto thing One Richard friend helped renovate E1 T0ro stung while pounding hammer apparently little close Wasps comfort Richard swelled bright The point where poison injected erupted intoalesionafewdays later Itwasweeksbe healed completely Richard moved gutter wasps goneafterthe firstrain Food stored tight containers cooler The conspicuous residents forest adscouts cutter arrived ranch tedious regularity search scraps Just about would attract within plastic An would about diameter circle plastic Aided growing number companions connectedholeswould soonbe The leafy vegetables circles other items cheese snipped manageable sizes A broccoli could disappear inone night Often circles plasticwere carried along booty abandoned route littering trails house The compost serviced trodden Nearthe Ofthe boarding station authorand engineerJohnWilliams admiring adriveshaft Institute ofCurrentWorld Affairs cutter trail Certain pieces carried abandoned manner plastic trail intriguing mosaic colorful leftovers At night E1Toro insects fruit kitchen where remained inaccessible forest occupants An other species ofbatcame ourbedroom thewalls screeched often after midnight Night vision equipmentconfirmedmy suspicions theywere vampire The screeching alone could cause fitful night alarming mosquito colli sions A night discussion devoted whether these collisions accidental matter remains mootto I always concerned after asleep might unknowingly fromunderthe Getting night E1 Toro OnenightIwaswakenedbyafrogchirpingsteadily I searched living flashlight found these calls would The front frogwas calling while backhalfwasbeing devouredby snake In front dining areawas Rio Moli Itwaspartiallyconcealedfromviewbya Calliandra This riparian gives forth burst flowers about every three weeks sought hummingbirds It pleasure there early mornings drinking coffee often seeing seven species hummingbird including green thorn black crested coquette capped scuffling positions flowers The Molinete flows virgin forests ofBraulio CarrilloNationalParkandthrOugh Dosel property The pristine river crystal clear aquatic plants freshwa crabs birds mammals Thisis characteristic touched Neotropicaljungle Roberta broughtinacrabclawfroma speci menwhose carapace musthavebeen seven inches across We large becamereluctant still poolin front E1 Toro Tapir however enjoyed sitting there lounged about allow ingmanyphotographs tobetaken Often heaps tapir river bottom Even though water boiled Worris0me thoughts alwayscame tomind aCupof coffee ranch A country CoSta Rican Once amusing water Story He hiking other people forest after DRP several hours It season drinking water Every stream passed finally place running stream where quench their thirst Thewater itwassaid hadanoff lowtint Curios compelled travelers climb small bankment examine upstream On meandering stream mounds moundsof tapir feces throughwhich water trickled amber Fortunately stercoraceous brewcausedno illeffects Sometimes river otter raced gracefully al6ng Molinete their sleek bodies alternately jumping diving water Rock hopping upstreams isalsoagoodway forpeople tohikeinthe forest although rocks extremely slippery avoids tangle plants noxious animals snakes forest floor Onour river excursions oftencame across Construction station scats rocks A visitors riding excellent photo opportunities sunbathing otterwere spottedbeneath I Zopilota stout black snake measure eight swimming across Rio Molinete several times These pretty snakes approached Although possess venom glands known defense They constriction acting venom combination overcome their other snakes includingthe deadly lance During tower installation I noticed black andyelloW stripedbody sticking under I grabbed pulled One workers shook headincaution Itwasacoralsnake Handling animals dangerous careful While cutting grass outside E1Toro chete I large beige tennid spider inches across including And hairy Roberta The Rain Forest AerialTram teased Why little scare I myself relishing thought scream I grabbed split second I screaming myself The animal chelicerae mandible finger blood Roberta laughed couldbe poisonous THEJOURNEY The Tram opened business October At completed engine housesthe diesel generators Oneofourbiggestworri6s diesels would noise The building soundproofed obsessive degree ensure thattheTramwouldrunquietly Oneembarksontheincrediblejourney attheboard station With slight reminiscent drive Starship Enterprise floats amongthe leaves aboatona glassy climbs silence tothehanginggardens oftherain forest An advantage design thatthe cable travel speed almost miles hourlTwo miles hourmay sound butwe vefoundthat isthe perfect speed mostvisitors smell reallyexperience canopy A guide walkie talkie rides something interesting occupants lowsthem totakevideosorphotographs Sub sequent where Ononeofmy firsttrips Iwasjoinedbytwo agents Attower tenthereweretwo lattice tailed trogons perched rotten stump They magnificent birds Trogons colorful living jewels forest Emerald green shOulders appear wearingajacket radiant orange We approached noiselessly I within anarm sreachofone Itflew twentyfeetaway watched disappear through tunnel leaves Duringtwenty years exploring canopy closest trogon The experiencewasrepeated several rides laterneartowereleven Roberta spottedthe slatytrogon Wedidn Thecarroundedthe station began return The wasinthesamespot Itflewasweapproached thenlanded twobrancheslowerwith large erpillar itsmouth Trogons arecommonat I accompaniedmyfriend B arryHammelon Tram He works Missouri Botani Garden where besides publishing numer scientific papers experts Institute Current World Affairs preparing Flora Costa Rica describe Costa Rica plants Given there estimated species plants Braulio Carrillo National Parkalone contiguouswith forest isamonumentalundertaking Ienjoyfindingfoodplantsintherain forest I looking Vanilla quite while NowIhadtheopportunitytoaskBarry orchid First walked gravel trail where namesofsomeplantsIhadtagged Inotedthat orchids common ground To orchids fallen visit canopy Later asweglidedthoughthehumidunder storybetweentowers fiveand Barrywhis pered There Vanilla Severalhours Ofhunt ingonthegroundhad resulted notevenone terrestrial orchid Now front Vanilla rooted ground climbed twentyfeetupasmalltree Vanilla extracted Vanilla Thisplanthadneitherflowersnorbeans Iam flower infrequently little known about their natural pollinator domes varieties pollinated This seems incredible I going discover pollinator which I wouldguessisa euglossine orgoldenbee On different Roberta I coatis relatives raccoons clambering treesnearthe Vanilla vineandrooting forgrubs indeadwoodontheground Itwasremarka blethatinthefulllightofdaythecoatiswere Mywife Roberta walkingonthegravel looPtrailattheTramsite difficult They blended perfectly harsh shadows ofthe forest floorthathad satmotionlesswewouldn thaveseenthemat This forest mammals I anteaters mandua limbs twenty whose color would camouflaged perfectly stayed still One ofmyjungle fantasies tomake awildchoco Chocolate originated Central America where ancient times traded indigenous peopleasmoney Itwasprobablyanexclusivedrinkof upper class There three trees along ridge trail beyond tower which final tower where people debark through forest impressively large forest The Aerial Tram provides opportunity teach people about forestandits products Ourforest avocado trees papaya heart muchmore Rain forestsareatremendousgenetic store houseandwemustcontinuethe fight savethem DRP RICHERTHANLASELVA I asked Barry thought about forest confirmed I thinking sometime On basis forest appears richer epiphytes plantsthatgrowonotherplants bromel finca La Selva This significant observa La Selva earned attracted inter national research because recognized diverse forests planet Its forest appears richer those M0nteverde Santa Rosa Osa Peninsula which Costa Rica Barro Colorado Island research center Canal Zone Panama owned Smithso Institute Why might epiphyte species La Selva Studies shown water vationplayimportantrolesin species richness Atanel evation about meters La Selva receives around millimeters It drive The Aerial Tram elevation hillsaboveLa Selva meters Humidairblow inginfromtheCaribbean risesup foothills cools andbecomesheavywithmoisture onalmosta dailyba Asaresult wereceivebetween sixandeight milli meters fifty percent La Selva Our mixture highland lowland plants whileLaSe lvahas strictlylowland species STUDENTS As floral faunal lists Tram there surprises They already Ours first recorded three Costa Rican species Vochysia canopy genus These discovered Rainer Thiele student Germany He studied their pollination biology Master degree collected plesofcanopytreesatour OneofthesewasaMa tayba species Costa Rica In thesummer Jan Schipper Schuyler Greenleaf mammology students Colorado studied nocturnal mammals daily rigorous schedule involved climbing canopy treesand tending their traps Tomyknowledge first study They found several species through obser vations weights measures photos discoveries about arboreal rodents They returned school write paper another visit continue these studies Last summer school students studied activitiesofthelargestmammalatoursite thetapir They documenting something I noticed Many ferns eaten tapir This itself noteworthy because Daniel Janzenfs Costa Rican Natural Histol contains article states vertebrates known trunk ferns As turns tapir trunks These students trudged through infested undergrowth tapir carry ticks measuring ferns study They found ferns favorite fifty percent eaten Which knowl tapir Of course getting exciting moments At onelpoint students heard gnashing teeth This startled should abandoned their temporarily The sound described probably thewarning threat peccaries MEDIA Right journalists began showing Aerial Tram Articles appeared Costa Rica Today The Tico Times La Nation In articles peared Sunday travel sections The New York Times October Los Angeles Times November December Miami Herald Der Spiegel Ger MacLean Canada compare TIME magazine The publicity wonderful In February scenes movie Congo werefilmednearRanchoE1Toro Itwasmy first experience helping seconds footage A Spanish beauty contest visitregularly despitetheincongruity ofrainand another feature works March several documentaries planned Even Playboy magazine asked could Author cameraman movie Congo heading somefootage InstituteofCurrentWorld Affairs spread declined respectfully THEFUTURE O forest destructioncontinues EverydayI seehuge tractor trailers straining climb mountains their burden gigantic forest So forests appears havinglittle effect Approaching forest conservation innova tivetacktheAerialTram iseducatinglocalyouthona grand scale Each donate thousands seats students Costa Rica Last though swamped start tasks Costa Rican students Tram learned forest valuable standing Hillary Duffy isthe directorofthisprogram Sheteachesenvi ronmental studies grade levels focusing forestconservation This number visitors approach about people making AerialTram important forest canopy education center world I expect number visitors reach This offer resources develop canopy research center Amongour visitorswere president ofCosta Rica members U S Congress members General Council United Nations executives World Bank International Monetary Fund This presents possibility Never influential group people magnifi cence ofarain forestcanopywith theirowneyes Along citizens Costa Rica these people whose decisions determine future remaining forest Our message reaches these people andIbelieve thisprojectwillmakea difference CONCLUSION While gliding through trees I experience feelings thatW H Hudson expressed hisbook Green Mansions published The forest ering world floor floor height above height drifting cloud Where writhing wisps climb drying where earth mixandemerge Huge crowns wondrous mysterious foreboding Forest jewels perch green leafy walls among canyons limbs beyond They shimmering birds insects metallic They gaudy spiders flashing dewlaps anole lizards flickering light rnorpho butterfly wings Broadcast pools humid linger spicy sweetfragrancesofhiddenflowersand fruit Over there phallic philodendron flower releases heady perfume while hiding producing gency scarlet heart And there anthuriurn necklace edible rubiesbeckons dispersed Sym phonia flowers striped white permint candies Siparuna fruit erupt evert their opalescent interior walls studded opulentseeds Therich green pecan sized fruit miniature avocado dangles Oco supplicant offering lures trogons themselves thebejeweledkingofbirds Allbatheinthesunwhose dance trickling surfaces subtending streams There shadow reptilian scales basaltic black hunts others A kaleidoscope blues yellows oranges shattered spectrums these nature priceless offerings displayed luxurious verdant blanket The canopy world above worlds world within worlds where become dream Sadly thedreamisfading