Green List awards honour Monteverde Cloud Forest on 23 October
Published on 11/07/2026 at 13:33 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSRecognition and visitor context
- At CBD COP17 on 23 October 2026, IUCN honoured Monteverde through its Green List awards.
- The Green List assesses governance, planning, management and conservation outcomes at protected areas.
- The reserve became Costa Rica's first protected area on the Green List in 2026.
A new conservation distinction concerns Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve (Reserva Biológica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde) in Monteverde: it was formally recognised at the IUCN Green List awards on 23 October 2026. The ceremony took place during CBD COP17 in Yerevan, Armenia, while the reserve remains a visitor destination in Costa Rica. The site is listed under its official English name as Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve.
Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve receives Green List recognition
The awards ceremony celebrated protected and conserved areas that had achieved Green List status during the previous year. The IUCN press release lists the Costa Rican reserve among the recognised sites and records its listing date as 26 June 2026.
The Green List awards therefore gave the reserve a public international moment on 23 October 2026, rather than marking the original listing decision. The distinction concerns the management of the protected area itself, making it relevant to visitors who encounter the reserve as a conservation site as well as a forest destination.
The recognition was presented within a wider group of 25 areas across seven countries. IUCN states that listed sites are assessed by an independent Expert Assessment Group, checked by independent reviewers and validated by the IUCN Green List Panel. Green List awards on 23 October 2026 provide the dated record of the ceremony and the reserve's place in the list.
Green List standards meet Monteverde's conservation work
The IUCN standard examines whether a protected area is equitably governed, soundly designed, effectively managed and delivering conservation outcomes. It is not simply a label for scenery, wildlife or visitor facilities.
The reserve's operator describes the site as the first protected area in Costa Rica to join the Green List. Its account also links the recognition with conservation, scientific research, environmental education and participatory management. the preserve's Green List status is presented as part of that management framework.
The IUCN source records Monteverde as listed on 26 June 2026, while the awards ceremony on 23 October 2026 supplied the current news peg. For a traveller, that distinction links the international announcement to the trails, visitor arrangements and conservation work encountered inside the forest.
The Tropical Science Center has administered the reserve since 1972. The organisation's work includes education, monitoring and research, and the IUCN describes the reserve as a living laboratory for ecosystem services. Those activities give the October recognition a direct connection with what the place is designed to protect.
Visiting Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Green List awards ceremony took place on 23 October 2026 during CBD COP17 in Yerevan; the recognised venue was the international awards programme, while the named site is the reserve in Monteverde.
- The recognition does not announce a new entrance or a closure. The official visitor system directs guests to park at the Visitor Center and use the shuttle to the forest entrance.
- The reserve is in the Monteverde region of Costa Rica, in a cloud-forest landscape reached through the local visitor network around Monteverde.
- The visit takes place on forest trails in misty, elevated terrain. The operator instructs visitors to walk quietly and remain on marked trails.
- Spanish is Costa Rica's official language, and the national currency is the Costa Rican colón.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve
When did the Green List awards recognise Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve?
The awards ceremony took place on 23 October 2026 during CBD COP17. The reserve's Green List entry records the original listing date as 26 June 2026.
What is Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve?
It is a protected cloud-forest site in Costa Rica's Monteverde region. The Tropical Science Center has administered the reserve since 1972.
Where is Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve and how do you get there?
The reserve is in Monteverde, Costa Rica. The official visitor system directs guests to the Visitor Center before travelling by shuttle to the forest entrance.
