BOTANICAL INVENTORY - Finca Bellavista

July 17, 2012
FINCA BELLAVISTA BOTANICAL INVENTORY
Made possible through the funding of The Mikelberg Foundation page 2
Introduction
The botanical inventory of Finca Bellavista was started in 2011 and represents 10 months of intensive collection
and identification. The project was led by renowned Costa Rican botanist Gerardo Rivera and assisted by
Marysol Nuñez and Justin Olexy. Various researchers also contributed to this study, which essentially
documents the flora found on site at Finca Bellavista. The inventory, which currently contains over 900 plant
species, will continue to grow and act as a base of information future biological research in the region.
The study took place within the property of Finca Bellavista located in the southern zone of Costa Rica 3km
from La Florida de Piedras Blancas in the province of Puntarenes. The property is mountainous with an altitude
of about 300 meters.
Samples were collected using various methods such as rope saws, extension pruners, and arboreal tree-climbing
techniques.
Knowing the existing flora is useful for multiple reasons, and is particularly helpful in determining what animals
roam and feed in the area. Understanding the fruiting and flowering cycles helps biologists to determine when
and where certain animals will be foraging. This can help determine when and where to set up camera traps
and conduct intensive studies that provide data useful for estimating numbers and assessing a region’s overall
health.
This is a preliminary study in a very diverse forest. In a relatively short time 5 new species were discovered.
This is an indication of the level of biodiversity in the region and the need for future studies. It is important to
protect this region of exceptional diversity.
Botanical Inventory
Identification
National
Herbarium
Photos Field Collection Description
Preservation
Figure 1 Components of the Botanical Inventory