Today, thanks to the Kerns’ commitment to Barnens Regnskog, over 25,000 hectares of rainforest have been purchased in Monteverde alone. The biggest part of the reserve, El Bosque de los Niños, is named after the Swedish children who worked to save the rainforest.
The Barnens Regnskog example has inspired children throughout the world to form their own rainforest conservation groups. There are now sister organizations in the United States, Canada, Britain, Japan, and Germany. Together these organizations make up the International Children’s Rainforest Network (ICRN). Still active in Costa Rica, ICRN is working to connect two of that country’s national parks, Guanacaste and Rincon. Meanwhile, the goal in Ecuador, where ICRN has been active for a number of years, is to enlarge three existing reserves. ICRN is also active in Brazil and Thailand.