By Kevin Simmons – The canopy stretches in all directions as far
as the eye can see. A gentle breeze rustles the leaves to life
in waves, and a shifting light peeks through to illuminate
thousands of subtle shades within. The meditative swaying
transfixes, one of those moments where time slows and the air is
undeniably magically charged. This is what is it like 100 feet
above the jungle floor at the top of the Rainforest Discovery
Center’s Observation Tower in Soberania National Park, just 30
minutes outside of Panama City. This treetop world is usually
reserved for biologists with scientific equipment and a
considerable degree of courage. But, in January of 2008, the
Eugene Eisenmann Avifauna Foundation introduced the Rainforest
Discovery Center and a unique ecotourism and educational
experience. Named to honor Panamanian ornithologist Eugene
Eisenmann, the Avifauna Foundation’s primary mission is to
protect the birds of Panama and their habitat with a commitment
to conservation through sustainable tourism.