BERND Kern, who helped establishthe largest private reserve in Costa Rica –the Children’s Eternal Rain Forest –passed away Aug. 3, the MonteverdeConservation League announced.Kern, a nurse, and his wife Eha, aschoolteacher, both Swedish, began workingon the establishment of the forest, aprotected area near the Monteverde CloudForest Reserve, in the 1980s. As a resultof their efforts, more than 50 countriesdonated millions of dollars to purchasethe land for the reserve.“The loss of Bernd fills us with greatpain,” said a statement from the league,which manages the 22,000-hectarereserve.Kern is survived by his wife Eha.Their only son, Martín, was killed whileworking for a U.N. peace mission.
