Lost in the Clouds (But in a Good Way)

During the winter term of my junior year at Gatton, I had the experience of traveling to a cloud forest for the first time as a part of a study abroad opportunity offered by our school. Standing in the clouds on my first night in Cloudbridge Nature Preserve, I felt like I had entered another world. This was not just a study abroad experience, but the once in a lifetime opportunity to become part of one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth.

As a student that is incredibly passionate about ecology and conservation, the chance to perform hands on research in this type of environment was truly a dream come true. During this part of the trip, I focused on studying the biodiversity of herbaceous plants along varying successional stages of forest with a team of students and a mentor. Each day, we would hike into patches of old-growth and regenerating forests, cataloging species diversity and abundance, and observing how these things shifted with forest age. At the same time, two other research groups conducted studies of their own: one explored the diversity of fungi in the humid understory, and the other tracked the abundant bird populations that call the ecosystem home.

One of my most memorable discoveries came while hiking to the top of a place called Mark’s Meadow – a field of beautiful wildflowers and other herbaceous plants. I found my first ever orchid belonging to the Dichaea genus! I am an orchid lover, and this was an awesome reminder of how all aspects of this experience were interconnected with each other.

At the end of our stay in Cloudbridge Nature Preserve, a research symposium was held for the students to share the work that they did. Together, our research helped paint a bigger picture of how life flourishes within this unique ecosystem. As I packed my bags for that final hike down the mountain and out of the cloud forest, I realized that this experience had changed more than just my understanding of biodiversity – it helped to reshape how I see many aspects of the natural world. Whether your passion lies in biology, conservation, or simply exploring the world around you, there is something very special about Cloudbridge Nature Preserve that everyone deserves to experience.