Protecting and Preserving
Costa Rica's Biodiversity
6.5%
of world's biodiversity is in Costa Rica
Only
1 in 1,000
Sea Turtles survive to adulthood
28%
of CR is protected, but enforcement, climate change, poaching, deforestation are still threats
Our Key Approaches on delivering on our mission
Sharing Stories
Storytelling is a foundational human activity. It is a means to connect, understand, support, educate, and motivate. We share stories about protecting biodiversity in Costa Rica and empowering local communities.
Sharing Best Practices
Humans, like every other species on the planet, are dependent on ecosystems for survival. Healthy ecosystems supply and balance the most fundamental needs, like oxygen, clean water, and food. We collect, clarify, and exchange best practices and replicable models that find synergies between biodiversity protection and sustainable community development.
Sharing Resources
We bring people and organizations together to develop ongoing collaborative relationships. Resource leverage means getting the most from the available (and always limited) resources, such as knowledge, people, funding, or infrastructure, by sharing them effectively. We identify what assets are available in the community and how to find partners to bring what is missing for each project we choose to support.
Featured Projects
Los Mayos
Mountain Reserve
Los Mayos Mountain Nature Reserve, overlooking the Manuel Antonio National Park, will go beyond protecting a key watershed and wildlife habitat – to cultivating sustainable economic prosperity for local communities.
Sea Turtle
Conservation
Sea Turtles are a keystone species. Conservation organizations report that only 1 in 1000 survive to adulthood. It means that the other 999 feed entire ecosystems, on land and in sea.
Stories from
Our Partners
Environmental Education
Imagine you are a young person in a poor rural community. What options are open for you? Hope - or hopelesness? Environmental education programs are often the only extracurricular activities available. Together, children learn about what they CAN do: Understand social and environmental issues, organize beach clean-ups and recycling collections, write plays, and grow their voices in their community.
Over the years, CF distributed 1200 environmental education manuals to civil society organizations and teachers, reached a total of 4500 students, and organized youth groups for 500 children.
Sustainable Tourism
Protecting biodiversity is fundamental to true sustainable economic development in Costa Rica. It’s much easier said than done. It takes knowledge, commitment and support - all of which are limited.
CF trained 550 community members in sustainable tourism and small business initiatives in the communities of Drake, Golfito, Puerto Jiménez, Dominical and the Central Pacific; worked with the municipality of Drake and 30 local companies on reducing or eliminating single-use plastics in their operations; and trained over 50 families in regenerative agriculture practices for personal and business uses.
Support to National Parks
Costa Rica has 28 national parks. Yet their success depends on the state of critical infrastructure (ranger stations, visitor facilities) and ability to use ecotourism to lift people out of poverty. Both of those are in short supply, missing critical resources of funding and knowledge.
CF has been working with park officials and local community organizations on (a) planning, building, and maintaining park infrastructure; and (b) creating plans for sustainable tourism development and assistance in implementation of these plans. Over 39 architectural upgrades are in progress and over 20 various management plans have been developed.
