The forests flanking the Panama Canal were protected in its early days for military reasons. Today the forest is seen to be essential to protect water supplies both for people and for the operation of the canal, and Panama has wisely created a national park. The Parque Nacional Soberania preserves 22,000 hectares of Neotropical forest and its wildlife. The author, who has been working in the area for the past 15 years, points out some of the park's advantages and difficulties.