My biggest disappointment in this region is so much of the tropical lowland forest has been cut and carved by man. Only pockets of what use to be lowland hardwood forest are left remaining. I realize now why lowland tropical forest is so vulnerable. It is much easier to cut and slash flat lowland jungle than it is to attack a highland rain forest. However, even at Savegre, I was amazed to see where apple orchards and other crops grew on steep slopes.
All rain forests are susceptible.
This afternoon, Dennis and I visited Finca El Bejuco. This was barely mentioned in a guidebook and sounded intriguing. We found the trail map to be confusing as we had to backtrack several times and take the same way out. A rain forest without a trail map is the most difficult maze ever created. Several white-collared manakin males surprised us with the whirring of their wings and the snapping sound they make to attract a mate.