The cloud forests of Central America are some of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the world, their unique microclimates supporting large numbers of species found nowhere else on the planet. Unfortunately, these cloud forests are also amongst the most threatened ecosystems globally, facing great pressures from habitat loss, climate change, hunting, and disease.
Cusuco National Park in Honduras is a classic example of an extraordinarily unique ecosystem that is also under great environmental pressure. The Opwall survey teams have worked here since 2003 and have recorded so many species (including 42 new to science) that the Park is now listed as one of the top 50 most irreplaceable protected areas in the world (based on a review of 173,000 sites worldwide). Unfortunately, this biodiversity is also at risk from a multitude of threats. As well as supporting an extremely active research program (with >140 research papers published to date), the datasets collected by the Opwall teams are also being used to underscore the global importance of the Park, supporting large conservation grant applications that will be necessary to secure the future of this completely unique, yet highly imperilled, cloud forest ecosystem.