Its water resistant wood is easy to work with. It is used in carpentry and ornamental crafts. Its rich tannic bark is used as a cold medicine and coloring. Its sap is used to relieve bronchitis. In the fields, it provides shade and food to cattle for they eat its branches, leaves, and fruit.
Its thick long branches grow horizontally. The tree not only supports and takes root on the soil, but also absorbs the surrounding soil forming bulky roots that spread around the surface.

Meaning

The tree represents universal equilibrium and sacred creation, the renewal of one's faith on earth, the power of Mother Nature, the power of free choice given by God and the transient condition of human life on earth.
It is a symbol of stability and growth; it provides a better perception of the valleys and mountains and represents the growing pride of Costa Rican identity.
The strong and firm roots represent the attachment to life. Its hard trunk represents the will and the branches are the protectors of creative peace. The top of the tree is associated with spiritual consciousness.

Design

1000 sq. ft split into 3 separate and usable floors, full kitchen and breakfast nook, bath with glass bottom shower floor, and a cool skylight in the master for watching the stars through the canopy. The lowest platform has enough room for a great double hammock by day and sleeps 2-3 by night. The entrance from below will circle around the Guanacaste’s Tree trunk in a circular stairway up through a cantilevered sliding floor system. The tree is anticipated to grow another 15-20’ in circumference ( an additional meter ) in diameter, so planning for the future growth of our tree is critical. Not a single bolt or nail will be into the tree as we will be building a harness that will support the tree and allow for unobstructed growth. The house will run on wind and solar power. The tree is expected to live over 200 years ! Our tree house will be built from renewable resources and locally farmed wood and bamboo, and will be built on the ground component by component and hoisted into the air via my 9000 lb. winch on the front of my 1984 CJ7 Jeep. ( My Girl )

Who In The World Are We??

Living here in Costa Rica is like returning to childhood.  Butterflies, exotic birds overhead, jaguars, monkeys, the hum of the Osa Peninsula Rainforest and summer weather all year round- it is like being on permanent recess!   That is what inspired us to create this tree house project.  Walking around our back yard every day dressed like kids going to summer camp inspires us to have the same fun we did have at summer camp!  Remember being a kid and your  fascination watching ants (remember your ant farm?)  We see in real time how valuable these & other creatures are to our planet.  On a walk in the  rain forest  one day, the idea for this tree house was born. From there the idea just kept blossoming & we realized the far- reaching impact this project could have if done in a very organized, planned & professional way.  There is nothing like it here on the Osa Peninsula, or in Costa Rica for that matter and it will attract attention. 

Don’t you remember the days when you had no idea what time it was or what day of the week?  And didn’t care!  This is how we live here.  Why don’t you come see all this for yourself?   Come help build the tree house of a lifetime!

So who are we?  Michael Cranford is an artist who paints both surrealistic & reality art through the eyes of a conservationist.  Eight years ago he loaded up the truck (actually a Jeep) and drove to Miami with what was left of his life (that which was not sold, given away or put in storage). He put his Jeep & the trailer in a shipping container and flew to Costa Rica with his Alaskan Klee Kai dog, and began his journey as an artist.   He started a cooperative art gallery on the main street of Puerto Jimenez.  In addition to his art, he is also a mentor for local young artists and a  jungle home designer with really creative & even wild designs for making the tropical dream of others come true.  Always concerned about the impact we have on the environment, his plans always include the lowest stress possible & an element of giving back what we use.  To manifest the “giving back” attitude, his plans include suggestions for planting corridor trees, indigenous flora and using materials, which harmonize with nature.   Michael says, “it is possible for all of us to live the way the flora & fauna here do, with sensitivity & harmony, never using more than you give back and always remembering that we can sometimes even have a positive affect on areas which had previously been abused my us”.  He also says “I am convinced that this tree house project will change the lives of people who spend any time here, in any capacity.  Whether with a workshop group building it, maybe a cancer patient recovering, a teacher and students or scientists & botanists studying in Costa Rica’s magnificent rainforest.” 

I, Rebecca Amelia, find my passion entertaining guests & dreaming up these wild ideas for building tree houses.  As a child I spent as much time as I could high in trees to get away from the adults in the tree hsoue my Brothers & I built!  I would imagine, very accurately I might add, flying over the neighborhood like a bird and watching the happenings of everyone.  I have been in Costa Rica now for almost 14 years.  I act as the travel agent for guests and make their trip here non- labor intensive.  I do all the stuff you do not have time to do like negotiating the best airfares amongst the airlines, taking care of all hotel reservations & flights in Costa Rica.  I also book all accommodations in Costa Rica for our guests & then include it all in one price so you are not nickled & dimed your entire visit here.  I also cook all meals, which I LOVE doing.  I think you’ll find my food creative, delicious but definitely not food for a diet! I am still that kid in the trees watching the neighborhood, only difference now is that I am at eye level with monkeys, friends with the local kinkajou and watching parrots fly through my living room!  It is far better now that I am an adult because now one tells me when to come down.  I crave to keep this place as intact as possible yet understanding that more & more of us will want to co exist with nature here.  I believe this tree house project will help educate all of us about living harmoniously with nature, giving back within the communities where we live, and building with renewable & recycled resources.  I intend to use this tree house as a springboard for other creative alternative ideas for building & sharing this experience with our local Tico neighbors by involving them in ways that they can use to help themselves.

Mike & I combined our talents and passion for art & Costa Rica by hosting retreats & workshops.  Our guests enjoy a complete package along with plenty of hammock time & tropical drinks, or solving challenges & building a tree house.  We have hosted various art retreats of different mediums such as acrylics, oils, photography, mixed media, and also adventure retreats, botanical workshops & medical healing arts workshops.  We intend to fund part of the tree house with the tree house building workshops, which you can find by clicking here (go to workshop schedule).  We then plan to use a percentage of rental proceeds for giving back to our local communities.  We want to build other creative projects with the same theme of using renewable, recycled and different materials, which will help support employment and growth in our communities.  We intend to invite scientists, naturalists, teachers, students, families, people who are  ill & healthy, all to learn what the rainforest has to offer.  And to experience the amazing power that this tree exudes.  To check out the available dates for work shops click here.