Fund for Costa Rica - Conservation in Costa Rica

Non-profit and Environmental Foundations, Organizations, Associations and Chambers in Costa Rica

The Costa Rica Travel Directory

Visit the Costa Rica Travel Directory with more than 950 hotels listed, all the car rental companies, scuba diving companies, sport fishing, golf, vacation rentals, coffee companies, and much much more. HOME

Search in the Directory

Costa Rica Hotels

Costa Rica Travel Agencies

Costa Rica Sport Fishing

Costa Rica Maps

Costa Rica Coffee

Costa Rica Tour Operators

Costa Rica Incentive Travel

Costa Rica Vacation Rentals

Costa Rica Tourist Regions

Costa Rica Golf

Costa Rica Car Rentals

Costa Rica Tourism Chambers

Costa Rica Transportation

Costa Rica Pictures

Costa Rica Specialty Travel

Costa Rica Scuba Diving

Adventure Tour Operators

Costa Rica General Info

Costa Rica Real Estate

Costa Rica Spanish Schools

Costa Rica is one of the world`s unique countries. Tropical rainforests, cloud forests, natural canals, rivers and estuaries, many national parks, secluded and unspoiled beaches and friendly and charming people.Search in our TRAVEL DIRECTORY and find the best option for you in Hotels, Car Rentals, Tour Operators, Adventure Tour Packages and much more. Version en Español

F.F.C.R.

Fund for Costa Rica

The Fund for Costa Rica is a non-profit, non-governmental organization which promotes biodiversity conservation in Costa Rica.

The mission of the Fund for Costa Rica is to support staff and programs in Costa Rica that will:

Carry out conservation efforts to preserve and enhance the environment, ecosystems, habitats and endangered species of Costa Rica
Educate the general public and the business community on the value of Costa Rica's natural environment and bio-diversity
Demonstrate and support effective environmental stewardship in all its practices.

The World Needs Models for Sustainable Biodiversity Conservation

The world's tropical forests are being destroyed at an astounding rate. The basic problem is that a standing, biologically diverse tropical forest creates little to no economic benefits for the private rural landholder. In order to generate income to support a family it is often necessary to cut the forest to sell the wood or to convert the area to another land use like cattle ranching or crops. If the world is to conserve and expand our remaining tropical forests substantial financial resources are needed to protect tropical forests from illegal cutting and to provide income for those rural landowners who protect this important resource. But who should pay to protect the forests? Ultimately, if forest conservation is to be financed sustainably, the "user" of the forest should pay for its protection. In many parts of the world, the nature tourism industry is the primary 'user' of standing and biologically diverse tropical forests. Without the forests and the monkeys, sloths, toucans, and other unique creatures tourists from around the world probably would not be visiting.

Tourism Financing Biodiversity Conservation

In Costa Rica, the tourism industry is a pillar of the nation's economy. Tourism generates more foreign exchange for the Costa Rican economy than any other economic activity, including coffee, pineapple, and even banana exports! In 2005 tourism generated over $1.5 billion in foreign exchange and accounted for 8% of Costa Rica’s GDP. Thus, a sustainable way to conserve biodiversity in Costa Rica is for the country's successful nature tourism industry to help pay for it. The Fund for Costa Rica is working to promote investment by the tourism industry in programs to improve the environment and to conserve biodiversity.

Manuel Antonio: Model for Biodiversity Conservation

Manuel Antonio is home to the world renowned Manuel Antonio National Park. According to the Costa Rican Tourism Institute this national park is one of the most widely visited parks in the country with 1 in 4 international tourists visiting it. Unfortunately, forest corridors for the national park are being lost to uncontrolled real estate development. Thus, local fauna like the Costa Rican Red-Backed Squirrel Monkey, or mono tití, are being driven to extinction.

Manuel Antonio is suffering from its success as a nature tourism destination. Unless the process of destruction is halted and reversed Costa Rica will lose an important nature tourism destination and future generations of Costa Ricans will not grow up with monkeys and sloths in their communities. Manuel Antonio is at a crossroads and can either be a model for biodiversity conservation or a model for deforestation and species extinction.

The Fund for Costa Rica is working in Manuel Antonio to ensure that the area is a model for biodiversity conservation and sustainable tourism development. FCR has joined forces with the Ministry of the Environment to help protect the area's threatened forests and it is promoting investment by responsible tourism businesses in programs to help save Manuel Antonio.

Contact

FUND FOR COSTA RICA

Tel: (506) 224-5703

E mail: monotiti@racsa.co.cr

WEB: ww.fundforcostarica.org

SAVE, PROTECT, RESTORE….

Let`s be responsible human beings !

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.

How can I help ?

You can do three things to help protect Costa Rica's biodiversity.

First, please make a donation to the Fund for Costa Rica. These funds are used to protect Costa Rica's forests and stop illegal deforestation. International investors and developers are spending a lot of money to cut down the forest and we need your help to fight against the large flow of money. You can mail your tax deductible donation to:

The Fund for Costa Rica
PO Box 411
Hunt Valley, MD 21030

Second, you can help by supporting the businesses which are supporting biodiversity conservation through the Fund for Costa Rica. These businesses are investing in the protection of the natural beauty and biodiversity of Manuel Antonio and they need to be supported for taking such an important step. Whenever possible please book with hotels, tour companies, restaurants, and spas which are supporting the Fund for Costa Rica. They need to be rewarded for giving back to conservation!

Businesses that are Giving Back!
Banana Tree Hotel (www.bananatree.com)
Finca Valmy Tours (www.fincavalmy.com)
Mar y Sombra Restaurant
Marlin Restaurant
Villa La Macha (www.villalamacha.com)

Finally, you can become an FCR Volunteer. We always need energetic and committed people to help us with our work in Costa Rica. Click here for information about our program.

For more information, please contact us at monotiti@racsa.co.cr or by telephone in San José, Costa Rica at +011 506 224-5703.

Volunteer Program

The Fund for Costa Rica needs volunteers year round. If you would like to help support biodiversity conservation, practice Spanish, and immerse yourself in Costa Rica culture, volunteer today!

Send your inquiries to monotiti@racsa.co.cr

Contact

FUND FOR COSTA RICA

Tel: (506) 224-5703

E mail: monotiti@racsa.co.cr

WEB: ww.fundforcostarica.org

COSTA RICA FOUNDATIONS - COSTA RICA CHAMBERS - COSTA RICA ASSOCIATIONS - COSTA RICA ORGANIZATIONS