His involvement in nature conservation did not happen overnight. “I can’t pinpoint the exact moment when I decided to start donating,” says Laurens. However, his environment did play a role. His girlfriend Denise had been a donor to the WWF for a long time, which made him think.

At the same time, his life was (and still is) pretty full. Working as a soldier in the armed forces, teaching, and also working on a PhD program: it leaves little room to actively organize something for a good cause. “I simply don’t have the time to do that properly. That’s why I prefer to support people and organizations that can,” says Laurens. What was important in this regard was a shared preference for nature conservation goals. Together with his girlfriend, he came to feel that nature conservation is not an “extra,” but a necessity.

The feeling of a ‘point of no return’

Why nature in particular? For Laurens, the answer is clear. “I strongly feel that we are heading toward a point of no return. Once certain natural habitats have disappeared, they will never return.” That makes nature conservation goals fundamentally different from many other charitable causes. “Other causes sometimes feel temporary: you help improve or solve something, but then it’s done. With nature, it feels different. If we don’t take action now, it will only continue to deteriorate.” That urgency was the deciding factor. Not later, not someday, but contributing to protection now, before it’s too late.

Via Costa Rica to Adopt Rainforest

The road to Adopt Rainforest ran through Costa Rica. Due to COVID-19, a planned trip had to be canceled twice. During the preparations, he read extensively and searched for information about nature in the country. That’s how he ended up at Adopt a Rainforest online. “The website immediately appealed to me.” What stood out in particular was the broader approach. Not only protecting what is still there, but also investing in education and employment for the local population. “That felt like more than just sticking plasters. It’s not a short-term solution, but something that can really last.” That vision inspired confidence and led to a monthly donation.

“Since I’ve had children, I’ve become much more aware of this. You automatically think more about the world you’re leaving behind.”

Being a parent changes your perspective

The arrival of children changed something. There are now two young children in the family, and that brings a new perspective. “Since I’ve had children, I’ve become much more aware of this. You automatically think more about the world you’re leaving behind.” The first period with one child felt relatively straightforward. With two young children, time becomes scarcer, but motivation grows. Precisely because the future suddenly takes on a face. The idea of starting a fundraising campaign around the birth did not come out of nowhere. Through friends, there was already a family that had done this. “That stuck with me,” says Laurens.

A different kind of baby gift

The idea took shape when their daughter was born in January 2024. Even before she was born, her parents decided they wanted to do something similar. Not more stuff, but something that would have a greater impact. “We wanted to teach her right away that having lots of stuff isn’t the most important thing,” says Laurens. “That consumer society is not what we want to teach our children.” That is why they opted for a fundraiser for Adopt Rainforest as an alternative baby gift. A call was added to the birth announcement: anyone who wanted to give something could contribute to the protection of the rainforest.

The responses were positive. Many people thought it was a nice and original idea. “Most people responded very positively and enthusiastically.” At the same time, there were also people who asked questions. Why would you do that? Why not give a ‘normal’ gift? It was precisely those questions that proved valuable. “It sparked conversations,” he says. Conversations about what we find important, about sustainability, and about the world we are passing on to the next generation. A friend who had previously set up a similar campaign later said how special he found it to see that his idea had inspired others. That chain reaction felt like an added bonus for Laurens and Denise.

This choice has now been made twice. A fundraising campaign was set up for both children. This is no coincidence, but a conscious decision. “It’s important that the children can look back on this later. That they know: this was something we considered important from the start.” It’s not about perfection, Laurens emphasizes, but about intention. To show that you can make choices that go beyond yourself. That a gift can also consist of protecting nature, creating opportunities for local communities, and building a future.

Inspiration for others

This donor story shows that impact does not always have to be big or complicated. Sometimes it starts with a personal choice, at a special moment in life. By offering an alternative, you invite others to think along with you, and perhaps even join in. Adopt a Rainforest is proud of donors who contribute in this way. Not only by giving, but by telling a story. A story about caring for the earth, about responsibility, and about what we really want to leave behind for our children.

Would you also like to contribute to the rainforest in a special way? Be inspired and discover what your impact can be!

Also give rainforest as a baby gift

Het bericht Donor story: Rainforest protection as a baby gift verscheen eerst op Adopteer Regenwoud.

Nature lover and birdwatcher Nienke recently visited the breathtaking rainforests of Costa Rica. In the coming period, she will recount her experiences in vivid detail in a series of stories. Enjoy reading this second blog!

There is something magical about discovering a foreign country, a feeling that you are on the verge of something bigger than yourself. Patrick and I travel not only to see, but above all to feel. To find those moments as human beings when we can encounter nature. Often harmonious, sometimes painfully contrasting.

While I am aware of the global environmental crisis, I am still driven by my passion for nature and birds. That passion takes us to places like Costa Rica. Because we are aware of the impact of such a long journey, I want to give something back. That is why I support local projects that contribute to nature restoration and protection. This time, I donated to Adopt Rainforest, through which we symbolically adopted our own piece of rainforest. What I couldn’t have imagined beforehand was that during this trip I would be so directly confronted with the necessity of this initiative, especially in a country known as one of the most biodiverse in the world.

Plantations, plantations, plantations

We traveled by car. Anyone who knows Patrick knows that he has a soft spot for alternative routes. Zooming in on the map until a thin line appears, often challenging routes to navigate without a scratch. Unfortunately, more than once, such a route led us past plantations: a stark contrast between biodiversity and monoculture. Pineapples, bananas, and palm trees as far as the eye could see. The lush jungle we had been in just a short while before had given way to a green desert. Neat rows without the singing of birds. Anyone who didn’t know any better would be amazed by the sight, as banana plants and palm trees conjure up images of the tropics. We missed the kind of nature that makes us feel humble and reminds us that we are only a small part of a greater whole.

Other initiatives

Fortunately, we always find places of hope, love, and connection. During our trip, we visited The Nest Nature Center, a private nature reserve dedicated to the conservation and restoration of ecosystems through nature education, ecotourism, and scientific research. The owner, Juan, bought the land from his father when it was still a coffee plantation. Through experimentation, trial and error, he has restored the ecosystem bit by bit. As a result, animals (now 225 bird species registered on eBird!) are returning and the land is able to sustain itself naturally. His goal is to inspire the region and show that restoration is possible, and he hopes to connect different nature reserves through collaboration so that animal migration can take place, as in the Adopt Rainforest reserve.

During our visit, we had the opportunity to observe birds up close from carefully placed observation huts and platforms. I could talk endlessly about encountering two striped owls, mother and child. Or about the white-collared manakin, which I heard before I saw it, with the recognizable flapping of its wings as part of its dance. But the real magic lay hidden in the story of this powerful, individual initiative: a small paradise on a former plantation where life is finding its way back. At the same time, it also became clear how fragile recovery is. At the neighbors’, we saw a hectare replanted with European subsidies, but with only one fast-growing tree species. Juan explains: chosen for its timber yield, but this does not help nature here.

Small change for a big difference

What this experience showed me is that change often starts small. With one person deciding to do something. That is what Adopt a Rainforest stands for: giving nature back its space. Every protected piece of rainforest ensures that life can return. This trip has shown me that every contribution counts, and that it is mainly about simply starting somewhere.

Help up by adopting rainforest!

Het bericht Nienke’s story: ‘The necessity of this initiative’ verscheen eerst op Adopteer Regenwoud.

“When I close my eyes, I’m back there again…“

“…In the heart of an overwhelming oasis of greenery, where the rainforest embraces me like a loyal friend. The wind whispers softly, the leaves sway rhythmically to its message. The sun always finds a crack to peek through and casts one last glimpse. Evening falls, the cicadas give the signal. The rainforest of Costa Rica never sleeps—and will always remain with me.”

My name is Nienke, I am married to Patrick, and together we share a love of bird watching. Our motto: “Follow the birds and you’ll find the most beautiful places.” That brought us to Costa Rica for five weeks in the spring of 2025, the country I still dream about. In this blog, I’ll take you to one of our first birding moments during this trip: an experience that further fueled my passion.

Help to protect the rainforest!

Preparing for our birding trip through Costa Rica

Five weeks of intensive birdwatching requires some preparation. Standard travel guides don’t tell you where to find the Long-tailed Manakin (“you say what?!”). That’s why Richard Garrigues’ “The Birds of Costa Rica” was already worn out before we left. Our list of target species grew into a true mantra.

The moment Patrick shouted “Honey, Oropendula!” at 5:30 a.m., I knew the journey had begun. As on many mornings after that, I jumped out of bed, put on my hiking pants, and grabbed my binoculars and camera. Even though we had five weeks, it felt like we had no time to lose. I wanted to take in everything this beautiful country had to offer.

Birdwatching in the Nectar Pollen Reserve, Costa Rica

On the third day, we visited the Nectar Pollen Reserve, a private estate where more than 300 bird species have been observed via eBird. This is where my enthusiasm was ignited. Together with our guide and two local retirees, we explored the densely vegetated terrain. The birds here rarely show themselves at feeding places, so it requires real detective work. My eye was not yet trained enough to distinguish every silhouette among the greenery, but listening helped me along. That’s how we discovered a beautifully colored bird with a striking tail: the Broad-billed Motmot. This bird species hunts large insects from a fixed perch. That gave me time to observe and take pictures. That alone made the day a success for me! But we came here with one specific bird in mind.

The special encounter with the Long-tailed Tyrant

After a walk through hilly terrain, we suddenly saw it: perched on the very top of a dead tree was an elegant bird with long tail feathers and a white crown. The Long-tailed Tyrant—a flycatcher that breeds in dead trees, sometimes in abandoned woodpecker holes, and feeds on insects such as stingless bees. Our local walking companions, true bird lovers, were unaware of the existence of this bird. We stood there together, amazed and happy, enjoying this special moment. Afterwards, we exchanged contact details and shared our observations via eBird.

Birdwatching as a connection with nature and people

For us, birdwatching means more than just seeing birds: it’s about wonder, connection, sharing passion, and respect for nature. That experience in Costa Rica deepened my love for birdwatching and strengthened my commitment to nature conservation. Because caring for birds starts with caring for their habitat.

Help to protect the rainforest!

Het bericht Nienke’s story: ‘Follow the birds and discover Costa Rica’s bird paradise’ verscheen eerst op Adopteer Regenwoud.

Introducing myself

I am Annemarie Silkens, 56 years old and I live in Hilversum. I have a family with 4 children, I work at the social neighborhood team of the municipality of Soest. I also row, do yoga, walk and read a lot. Since September 2022 I work as a volunteer for the Foundation Adopt Rainforest.

Particpate and adopt rain forest!

Why did you become a volunteer?

In April 2022, I unexpectedly got the chance to go to Costa Rica. A friend was going and asked if I wanted to come along. Well, of course I wanted to! It had been a long time since I had taken a faraway trip and a long time since I had been in the jungle. What an opportunity! I immediately started investigating what I would like to see in Costa Rica.

On the map I found the Parque Nacional de los Quetzales. Wow! Now it so happens that I am a big bird lover, and especially wanted to see the quetzal. So I had to go there. I wanted to go into the rainforest anyway. And what I already knew about myself became clear again…..I love the rainforest!

Movingly beautiful, impressive, vivid, colorful, in a word: fantastic! A peace came over me, a kind of serenity. It was – and this sounds crazy, but it is really true – very special that a softness came over me, which I did not have in the busy life in the Netherlands. Even the face ID of my mobile phone didn’t work anymore… Bizarre right?

What did you experience in Costa Rica?

With a guide, we were able to set off through the rainforest in search of the quetzal, other birds, insects, frogs and many other animals. Enjoying the sloth hanging from a branch just along the path, the beautiful colors and smells, swarms of hummingbirds, the roar of the howler monkeys, the sounds of the forest, of life.

In Costa Rica I totally came to rest, and a world opened up for me! The beautiful and impressive nature. Because I speak Spanish, I was able to converse with the locals. And what struck me most; all of them are proud of their country and of nature, of the rainforest. And all of them want to protect it, they are outraged about the felling of precious old trees and forests for the construction of palm oil plantations, among other things.

Back in the Netherlands

Once back in the Netherlands, I really had to get used again. To the structure, the busy life, the full schedule. But something in me had changed. I knew I wanted to stay connected to this beautiful and impressive piece of earth. I knew I wanted to dedicate myself to raising awareness and preserving the beautiful and indispensable nature.

With this experience, I set out to find. What could I do! How could I contribute something? I started searching and soon came across the Adopt Rainforest Foundation. I came into conversation with Matthijs Bol, who told me how Maarten and he realized their boyhood dream years ago in Costa Rica. How they made their way through the jungle in search of a place from which to shape the Foundation. When I heard his story, I was sold….ja, this is what I want to contribute to! The boy’s dream has now grown into a beautiful reserve, where students come for research, where volunteers work, where the local population is involved, where education is given, where in the meantime beautiful cooperation has been created with Trees for All and the University of Utrecht, with the TUI Care Foundation, among others. And a foundation that works well with the government in Costa Rica, so that protected rainforest is and remains protected. Yes, I would like to contribute to that as well.

Still active!

And so it came about, now I am already 2 years active as a volunteer for the foundation. We have a nice team of volunteers who contribute in many ways. For example, you can follow our news on Facebook and Instagram, or you can read our blogs on the site. I feel proud to be associated with this enthusiastic team at the Foundation.

Have you become curious? Would you also like to contribute something? You can always sign up as a volunteer. Or you can adopt a piece of rainforest yourself. Or give a piece of rainforest as a gift, and in this way give even more publicity to the work of the Foundation.

Particpate and adopt rain forest!

Het bericht Volunteer Profile: Annemarie verscheen eerst op Adopteer Regenwoud.

Written by: Zoë Schreurs

Humanity has cleared countless acres of forest over the centuries. But not all forests are the same. Sure, a forest in Costa Rica has trees and squirrels, just like a forest here in Europe. But while we can certainly draw comparisons between our temperate forests and tropical forests, there are many differences. In this blog post, we take a closer look at why tropical rainforest logging is even more disastrous and how the consequences extend much further. And logging is certainly ongoing. Globally, the tropics lost 4.1 million hectares of primary forest in 2022, 10% more than in 2021, the platform  Global Forest Watch reported.

1. Small area, great biodiversity

Tropical rainforests are the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world. They are home to more than half of all plant and animal species, even though they cover less than 10% of the Earth’s surface. Each patch of rainforest is a living, breathing paradise full of unique organisms found nowhere else on Earth. When a tropical rainforest is cleared, many of these species disappear forever.

Temperate forests, on the other hand, also have rich biodiversity, but not to the same extent as tropical rainforests. Although the loss of temperate forest still has a serious impact, some species are better able to survive and recover. The difference is not only in the number of species, but also in their vulnerability.

The more forest is cleared, the more fragmented the forests become. This means that wild animals increasingly have to move through human areas, which is not without danger. Not all animals manage to do this, cutting them off from other populations and increasing the risk of inbreeding and genetic impoverishment.

However, both types of forest face different threats such as pesticides and excess fertilization of neighboring agricultural lands, invasive species that upset the balance, overexploitation through hunting, logging and overuse of natural resources, and others. And, of course, diseases that often bring entire species to the brink of extinction. For example, the populations of bats and frogs around the world are under severe pressure. This is the reason why last year the Adopteer Regenwoud Foundation placed several frog pools in its reserve in Costa Rica. As a result, the nearly extinct Lemur Leaf Frog is back in the area. Hopefully from here it can begin its rise again.

2. Tropical CO2 reservoirs.

Forests play a vital role in regulating the climate, we all know. They act as huge carbon sinks, absorbing carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere and storing it in trees and plants.

Tropical rain forests store much more carbon dioxide per square meter than other types of forest. This is because they have more biomass per square meter, due to the large, old trees and dense vegetation. When these forests are cut down or burned, that carbon is released, contributing to global warming. Meanwhile, however, tropical forests have been so degraded and reduced in size by forest fires and logging that they are no longer carbon-positive, but almost carbon-neutral. That was revealed in a study published in the journal Nature Geosciences in October 2023.

3. Poor soil, rich trees

The difference in soil conditions between tropical rain forests and temperate forests is striking. The soils of temperate forests are richer in nutrients and generally better able to recover from deforestation. This makes reforestation and ecological restoration easier in temperate areas.

Tropical rain forests have soils that are extremely poor in nutrients. This is because most nutrients are held in the plants and trees themselves, not in the soil. Dead material, with plenty of moisture and heat, has the ideal conditions to decompose at lightning speed. In our latitudes, the dead material quietly forms a rich layer of humus, but it doesn’t get the chance to do that in the tropics. For not only is the material rapidly decomposed, but it is also immediately reabsorbed. Not surprising when you consider that some trees, such as the Ceiba Pentandra, can grow as much as 3 meters per year. Moreover, heavy rainfall can wash away a lot of nutrients in a short period of time. 

When rainforest is cleared, the soil quickly loses its fertility and becomes even more susceptible to leaching and erosion. Recovery from this poor soil can take centuries, and in some cases the ecosystem may never fully recover.

4. Irreversible damage

Although temperate forests are slow to recover, the effects of cutting down tropical rainforests are often permanent. Animals going extinct, ecosystems being destroyed, and climate change being felt throughout the world – it is a devastating cycle that is difficult to break. In Latin America and the Caribbean, animal populations shrank by as much as 95 percent between 1970 and 2020. Hardly imaginable, but unfortunately true. The diversity of plants, trees and animals is also declining. And this is not only disastrous for the population itself, but also has a knock-on effect on other species. Not only are beautiful, unique species lost this way, some that we haven’t even discovered yet, but it is also detrimental to humans. Not only do scientists draw much inspiration from nature for new drugs or vaccines, but we also become much more vulnerable to diseases looking for a new host.

It is important to realize that all forests are valuable and deserve protection. But the urgency to save tropical rainforests is just that little bit greater because of their irreplaceable role in preserving our planet.

The Rainforest cries out for help

Preserving these precious ecosystems should be a priority, not only for biodiversity and the people who depend on it, but also for the climate and the future of our entire planet. Enough reasons for Adopteer Regenwoud foundation and all its volunteers to protect as much rainforest as possible and to be actively involved in this every day.

Would you like to contribute to this as well?

Adopt a piece of rainforest

Het bericht The impact of forest clearing on the climate verscheen eerst op Adopteer Regenwoud.