Our Work
The Fund for Costa Rica is working in three main areas: Habitat Restoration, Sewage Treatment, and Environmental Defense
Habitat Restoration
In the area of habitat restoration FCR is working with the Manuel Antonio National Park, the Ministry of the Environment, and the International Analog Forestry Network (IAFN) to develop strategies to regenerate the ecosystems once found on the El Rey Beach so that it can serve as a forest corridor to link the Manuel Antonio National Park and the Savegre watershed.
The Fund for Costa Rica has also partnered with the IAFN and a local group of farmers in the community of Veracruz de Pejibaye, Perez Zeledon to promote sustainable agroforestry practices. The purpose of the project is to support local farmers as they introduce Analog Forestry techniques to increase biodiversity through forest conservation and the production of organic forest products.
Sewage Treatment
FCR has joined forces with the Manuel Antonio National Park, the Ministry of the Environment's Central Pacific Conservation Area, and the Costa Rica Institute of Technology's Center for Research in Housing and Construction to install dry toilets in the national park. This technology will eliminate the production of sewage by the hundreds of people who visit the park every day.
Manuel Antonio Environmental Defense Program
In November 2005 the Fund for Costa Rica began an innovative program to defend Manuel Antonio from illegal deforestation financed primarily by foreign land speculators and developers. Under Costa Rican law, most secondary and primary growth forests are strictly protected. Unfortunately, many unscrupulous developers attempt to cut down the forest illegally in order to build large homes and condominium projects. These illegal developments are being financed with millions of dollars from the United States, Canada, and Europe.
FCR staff and volunteers patrol the main roads between the town of Quepos and the Manuel Antonio National Park to help the Ministry of the Environment to stop illegal deforestation. We use the latest Geographic Information Systems technology to pinpoint sites of deforestation on aerial and satellite photographs. The digital maps of deforestation sites is combined with digital photographs of the damage done and presented to the local prosecutor for prosecution of violators.
As a result of the Environmental Defense Program many questionable development projects have been halted pending an investigation by Costa Rica's environmental authorities.
For the latest information about the Manuel Antonio Environmental Defense Program visit the Fund for Costa Rica Environmental Defense Blog.