Fortuna Forest Reserve

The Fortuna reserve surrounds the reservoir of the same name on the highland road that crosses from Chiriquí to Bocas del Toro, and the road runs through cloud forest at over a thousand metres where mist sits most of the day. The forest is a long-running site for ecological research, and several short trails leave the road, including one to a lookout and another through moss-hung woodland. The reservoir supplies a large share of the country's electricity.

History

Fortuna was declared a forest reserve on 21 September 1976, covering 206.54 square kilometres. In 2001 an agreement was signed with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and since then studies here have followed disappearing amphibian populations and the effect of climate change on epiphytes (Wikipedia, Fortuna Forest Reserve).

The landscape

• The cloud forest - mist-hung woodland along the highland road.
• The reservoir - the lake supplying a large share of national electricity.
• The roadside trails - short routes into the forest from the highway.
• The research history - the reserve's long use as an ecological study site.

When to go

December to April is drier, though mist is constant at this altitude. The road is open year round. Landslips close it after heavy rain.

Before you go

Mist and rain are almost constant and views are rare. Some trails require permission from the hydro authority. There are no visitor facilities along the road.

Nearby

Gualaca is south, and Cangilones de Gualaca is nearby.

Key facts