Over the past 35 years, Pacuare Reserve has been a bastion for the protection of biodiversity on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. However, our achievements would not be possible without the support of a strong network of partnerships with public institutions, civil society organizations, international foundations, donors and private companies.
These collaborations have been instrumental in fulfilling our mission, involving hundreds of youth, educators, volunteers, visitors and researchers in our projects and addressing environmental challenges, from climate change mitigation to species and habitat protection.
Environmental education is one of the pillars of the work of the Pacuare Reserve, which has benefited from the various alliances we have built.
One of our most outstanding partnerships is with the Costa Rican Red Cross, whose cooperation contributes to the strengthening of community capacities for resilience against climate change, the conservation of natural resources and the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Through this collaboration, the Red Cross has not only provided first aid training for our staff, but has also provided volunteers to support our conservation and mitigation efforts.
It is worth noting that Ecology Project International (EPI) - the organization that manages the Pacuare Reserve - participated as a speaker at the "First International Trainers Course", an event organized by the Costa Rican Red Cross and the United Nations Office, focused on training leaders to promote the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in their communities. This alliance allows us to continue moving towards a more integrated approach to natural resource conservation, applying the SDGs as a guide for our actions.
Photos of a first aid workshop given by the Red Cross to the staff of the Reserve.
Pacuare Reserve is part of the Platform of Civil Society Organizations for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Costa Rica, a network that allows us to share experiences and strengthen our work in the conservation of natural resources.
Through this platform, we have had the opportunity to participate in various forums and collaborate with organizations throughout the region, presenting our experience in biodiversity conservation and environmental education. This partnership is key to aligning our actions with the SDGs and contributing more effectively to the global sustainability goals.
In recent days, the Reserve, as part of the Platform, participated in the National Forum on Sustainable Development 2024: Acceleration to achieve the goals, organized by the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Policy, in which the Summary of Costa Rica's National Voluntary Report on the SDGs was presented. In this forum we participated in a Civil Society Panel, in which we shared our contributions to the achievement of the SDGs.
Participation in the National Forum on Sustainable Development 2024 in the panel of civil society experiences.
If you would like to learn more about how Pacuare Reserve contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals, you can read this blog post.
Another pillar of our alliances is the joint work with the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC), an institution with which EPI works in close collaboration for the management and protection of the Reserve and with whom we are currently in the process of developing the Management Plan.
This plan is crucial for sustainable ecosystem management, and its development has involved the local community, businesses, and other close allies. Community participation is key, and we are proud to have the support of neighbors who share our commitment to conservation.
In August, we held a workshop on the Reserve Management Plan with members of local communities.
On the other hand, Fyffes, an agro-exporting company of tropical products with presence in the area, has become a valuable ally since 2023, supporting our environmental education programs in the canton of Matina. Through their contribution, last year 36 children from Luzon and Santa Marta schools participated in our "Sustainability Leaders" program.
This program seeks to empower students to become community leaders in the conservation of marine-coastal resources, within the framework of the SDGs. This year, Fyffes has renewed its commitment, once again providing the opportunity for 40 children from these schools to participate in the program and visit the Reserve, in addition 20 young people from the Bataán Professional Technical School are also part of ecological literacy experiences with EPI.
Children from the Luzon school in Bataan participating in the environmental education program Leaders of Sustainability in Pacuare Reserve
Another strategic alliance has been with Moody Gardens, a tourist and educational center in Galveston, Texas, who this year joined as a valuable partner. This alliance has allowed us to strengthen the Reserve's monitoring programs, specifically the study of monkey ethology, the monitoring of felines and their prey with camera traps, and the monitoring of the agami heron colony.
Their contribution will also allow us to design and build an observation post that will facilitate the monitoring of agami herons and improve data collection, which is key to the conservation of the species and decision making for its protection. The alliance with Moody Gardens has been key to strengthening our research and providing us with the necessary research and human resources at the site.
During this year Moody Gardens has funded the position of Lola Crassard as Research and Conservation Assistant, who has led the monitoring of agamis, monkeys and felines in the Reserve.
At Pacuare Reserve, we remain committed to strengthening partnerships that allow us to move towards a more sustainable future, ensuring that our actions in favor of nature are also reflected in the well-being of the communities around us. These collaborations not only allow us to continue protecting biodiversity, but also drive us to remain a benchmark in conservation and in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
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