THE MOUNTAIN CLOUD FOREST
A PROGRAM FOR NATURALISTS

There are very few, if any, major cities in the world that can offer incursions into a 10.000 year old untouched mountain cloud forest just three hours from Rio de Janeiro.

The term cloud or mountain rain forest adequately describes the climate. Rainfall is high, occurring mainly between the months of December and March, with Spring rains occurring in September.

The temperature ranges from a possible low of 34-36 degrees Farenheit on a July Winter night to 77-86 degrees during a Summer day.

The private ecological station, called Sitio Bacchus, is a half timbered house with three comfortable double and two single bedroom , two common bathrooms, and plenty of space to use the adequate botanical and ornithological reference library. There is a swimming pool and a sauna. The house is set in a one acre clearing, 1.450 meters above sea level, in the middle of the virgin forest; and due to its location, a great deal of the forest and its contents can be comfortably observed with or without binoculars from the swimming pool deck while sipping a well earned drink.

Home cooking prepared on a wood burning stove, gas lighting and candles, wood fire to heat the house, and no telephone , all help to remind you of the ancient environment.

The ecological station itself is approximately 1.000 acres in size and is covered by heterogeneous forest. The boundaries are well delineated by mountain edges rising from about 2.600 to almost 5.000 feet above sea level. The overall shape is that of a wide triangle with the wide part at the lowest levels, tapering upwards to a high narrow valley.

Numerous streams and three or four small valleys and ridges flow downwards from the apex, like fingers of an open hand.

Some hardwood trees have been extracted from this area over the years and a portion of the lower part, about 50 acres, was badly burnt 20 years ago, otherwise the forest is completely untouched.

The main caracteristics of this mountain cloud forest are the enormous variety of trees, the second level forest beneath these trees holding populations of tree ferns and palms, the immense population of epiphytes and climbers and the richness of the flora .

To date, 66 varieties of orchids were identified within the property; the principal genera being Oncidium, Epidendrum, Octomeria, Zygopetalum, Sophronitis, Mazillaria, Grobya, Promenaea and Encyclia. A large population of increasingly rare Scuticaria, known locally as "rat-tail", lives at about 4.000 feet in a second level forest of high altitude palms, and at this height above sea level branches of large trees can be found covered with Sophrontis grandi flora, locally known as "butterflies". There is also a large number of as yet unidentified miniature and ground orchids, some of which are extraordinarily beautiful.

Within the region there are still significant populations of Laelia Crispa to be found, together with several varieties of Cattleya.

On a less exotic, though no less interesting plane, over 20 varieties of Bromeliad have been identified.

In some of the higher parts of the property all large trees are heavily weighed down by Epyphyte genera. Most Bromeliad species, commonly found as house plants in Europe and the USA, can be seen here in their natural state.

Begonias are the third most intriguing familiar plant species to be found in the forest. Amongst the 10 varieties commonly seen, two are climbers, behaving and looking rather like ivy, but, with masses of dramatic white or pink cream inflorenscence. The lilies, Fuchsias, scarlet Gesneries together with the flowering trees, most notable of which are the "Quaresma"Tibuchina sp. with their purple flowers varying from deep Royal to almost white, add another marvelous dimension to the forest.

The bird life is also very rich and tends to be at tree top level, so light binoculars are essential for study. The major exception is the hummingbirds, 12 varieties of which can be seen within any 15 minute daytime period. Tanages, finches, flycatchers and tree creepers predominate, while several varieties of thrush can commonly be seen, and always parokeets and parrots move in noisy bands, seeking out fruit trees and becoming silent as soon as they have settled.

Of the cold-blooded species, the most striking is the "golden'toad (brachycephalus eohippus) first collected by Charles Darwin in this region on his Beagle voyage, considered so rare by the British Museum that they urged us to send no more specimens but to photograph and study "in Situ". Snakes, poisonous or otherwise, are uncommon but boots are always worn when walking through the forest.

The walks we have designed include all the enviroments mentioned abve with their most typical orchidacae; the canopy can be examined from paths on steep slopes which look down on it, as well as by careful searches on fallen forest giants. We have cut trails through deep forest , along rivers and to mountain tops .

Day by day description of our suggested 04 day/03 nights programme:

Day 01 - After breakfast, depart your hotel in Rio de Janeiro and transfer to Nova Friburgo - around two and a half hours up the mountains. There you will change to a four wheel drive jeep to climb the last 24 kms up to the private station, situated 1.40 meters above sea level. After lunch, a short walk will be made around the station, including a visit to the orchid nursery. Dinner and overnight.

Day 02 - Early morning excursion for birdwatching, breakfast and trek into the virgin forest. Lunch and after a little rest, another trek on small trails to look for orchids, bromelias and other interesting plants. Dinner and overnight.

Day 03 - After a rich breakfast, your specialized guide will take you to the spring region of a mountainriver to look for the "golden"toad (brachycephalus eohippus). Back to the station for lunch. Late afternoon discussion about the region including plants and animals. During this time, one can observe up to 12 varieties of hummingbirds coming and going to the feeding place. Dinner and overnight.

Day 04 - Breakfast and a last trek through the forest, lunch and transfer back to Rio de Janeiro (hotel or airport)

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