The Monteverde Conservation League mourns the passing of honorary member and conservation pioneer Michael Fodgen.

The members of the Monteverde Conservation League, Costa Rica, remember and admire Michael for the contributions that he and Patricia made for the protection of Monteverde cloud forest habitats. Through their art, they revealed the beauty of little-known tropical biodiversity, and elevated the significance of conservation issues. They leveraged their photography to generate interest and concern about ongoing deforestation in the Peñas Blancas Valley, thereby shaping the direction of the Monteverde Conservation League in its formative years. In the 1980’s – before Monteverde was on the tourism map – Patricia and Michael organized fund-raising slide shows that were presented to tourists staying at tiny Monteverde pensions. By passing the hat for donations, and eventually gaining the attention of the Portland, Oregon, Audubon Society, Michael and Patricia raised the first funds that were used toward securing core habitat that would later grow into Costa Rica’s largest privately protected area, the Bosque Eterno de los Niños.

Michael accomplished other important “firsts” for Monteverde: he compiled the first comprehensive list of birds in Monteverde, and published the first account of umbrellabird natural history in the region, which was based on field work he conducted with Patricia, Eladio Cruz, and Norman Obando. His keen observations and note-taking produced records dating back to the 1970’s that were critical to the first-ever publication on climate change in Monteverde, alongside Alan Pounds and John Campbell. Michael continued to publish on climate change with a team of Monteverde biologists, even after he and Patricia no longer lived here.

Despite not having lived here for a number of years, the Fogdens’ contributions to Monteverde conservation have continued via their amazing photographs and storytelling. Their educational outreach is exemplified in their books “Portraits of the Rainforest” (with co-author Adrian Forsyth), and “Hummingbirds of Costa Rica”, among others. Their most recent publication, “The Natural History of Flowers”, draws heavily on their Monteverde experiences.

You can still find framed photos of sunbitterns and other gems by Michael and Patricia at some of the older homes and businesses in Monteverde. We feel lucky to have these reminders of happy times with Michael.