Marine Conservation / 24.09.2014

Written by: Juan Carlos Cruz Dias Coasts are continually in motion and are always a mixture of salt water and earth. The boundary between the ocean and land is in constant flux due to the tides. In the rocky areas along the shore the waves flood the pools made of rock only to slowly trickle out as the tide recedes. The many species these pools harbor are revealed as the waves ebb; some have become trapped there, while others have made this rocky habitat their home. [caption id="attachment_7020" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Photo...

Community Outreach, Environmental Education, Marine Conservation, Sea Turtles / 04.08.2014

Written by: Pilar Bernal Edited & Translated by: Florencia Franzini On the 28th of July we received a visit at Piro Biological Station from 9 educators who are currently working throughout the Osa Peninsula and the Golfito region. [caption id="attachment_6829" align="alignleft" width="300"] A photo of the workshop participants and Osa staff.[/caption] Thanks to the help and directive from SEE Turtles, we managed to organize an successful and informative educational workshop on marine sea turtle conservation. During the day professors learned about sea turtle species biology, while also learning techniques to help motivate their students and...

Community Outreach, Environmental Education, Land Conservation and Forest Restoration, Marine Conservation / 15.07.2014

Written by: Luis Alberto Williams Fallas Translated by: Florencia Franzini We find ourselves in the middle of a project titled “Conservation and Management of Marine and Forest Resources in the National Terraba Sierpe Wetlands.” Our associates are APREMMA: a local community of fishermen and piangüeros working out of the Ajuntaderas area, a small community off the Southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica. This newly formed group is looking for a method to develop a healthy relationship between their community and efforts to conserve the local wetlands. APREMAA, like many of the...

Environmental Education, Land Conservation and Forest Restoration, Marine Conservation / 14.04.2014

Written by: Juan Carlos Cruz Diaz Edited by: Florencia Franzini One of the most charismatic animals of the rainforest is definitely the river otter. These animals, related to the weasel family, live in large family near rivers and streams where they form social groups of up to fifteen individuals. [caption id="attachment_6047" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Otter in the Piro River, Photo Credit: Manuel Sánchez.[/caption] River otters can also be found in bodies of water that lie close to rivers, such as estuaries and beaches with rock formations. They are active from early hours of the...

Community Outreach, Environmental Education, Land Conservation and Forest Restoration, Marine Conservation / 18.11.2013

by Lauren Lipuma, Conservation Outreach Coordinator, and Ándres Jiménez, Wetlands Program Coordinator [caption id="attachment_5289" align="alignnone" width="857"] Térraba-Sierpe wetlands, Costa Rica. Photo credit: Cavu[/caption]   OC’s conservation efforts in the Térraba-Sierpe wetlands have gotten off to a great start! Our wetlands program, started earlier this year, aims to strengthen the presence of government and conservation organizations in the Térraba-Sierpe National Wetlands and to develop sustainable economic opportunities for neighboring communities. In addition to housing a diverse array of wildlife, wetlands perform important ecological functions - from water filtration to carbon storage. Mangroves...

Land Conservation and Forest Restoration, Marine Conservation, Science and Research / 12.08.2013

Taking advantage of a socio-environmental opportunity, Osa Conservation launches new Wetlands Program in the Terraba Sierpe wetlands by Andrés Jimenez [caption id="attachment_5289" align="alignnone" width="300"] Terraba Sierpe wetlands, Costa Rica. Photo credit: Cavu[/caption]   Wetlands have become a focus of interest worldwide recently, not only because of their ecological importance but also because the climate crisis has reminded us of these ecosystems’ capabilities for mitigation and adaptation to climate change. But why should we all turn our eyes to these wet, swampy, mosquito-infested areas? The answer is simple: protecting wetlands is a very...

Community Outreach, Environmental Education, Marine Conservation / 21.05.2013

[caption id="attachment_5018" align="aligncenter" width="300"] tomada por Pilar Bernal[/caption] by: Pilar Bernal On Saturday, May 11th, we celebrated the Festival of Water in the community of Puerto Jiménez. The event began with an opening parade, in which the students carried signs with messages promoting conservation awareness and the responsible use of water resources and were accompanied by a happy band of students from Puerto Jiménez Technical High School. Students from more than six different schools in the Osa Peninsula participated and entertained themselves with plays and presentations by other students. The ICT’s...

Marine Conservation, Science and Research / 12.10.2012

[caption id="attachment_4566" align="alignleft" width="300"] Mogos Islands mark the highest waters of Golfo Dulce.[/caption] By Brooke Bessesen While Jorge and I both loved working on the water, the results of our research brought the greatest rewards. Golfo Dulce is a true bio-gem—one of Costa Rica’s preeminent riches. Several hundred Green sea turtles, critically endangered Hawksbill sea turtles, Olive Ridley sea turtles and (reportedly) Pacific Leatherback sea turtles, rest, feed, mate and nest in the gulf. A rare xanthic colony of pelagic sea snakes resides around the inner basin. Both Northern and Southern Hemisphere Humpback whales enter the inlet to give birth and possibly provide sanctuary for young calves. Whale sharks aggregate in Golfo Dulce. Resident dolphins and other toothed cetaceans breed and raise offspring. Scalloped hammerhead sharks are born there and needlefish spawn. What a remarkably vibrant bionetwork!
Community Outreach, Marine Conservation / 08.10.2012

[caption id="attachment_4531" align="alignleft" width="300"] Panelists discuss the environmental impacts of the proposed marina project at a community forum[/caption] By Andrea Johnson For the last two weekends, hundreds of people from Puerto Jimenez and surrounding towns have crowded together into small hot rooms for hours on end to engage in heated discussions about a very important current affair that is getting people talking in the Osa Peninsula. And there's not a soccer ball in sight. The events are a series of community forums revolving around a proposed development project. Five hour long public forums; democracy can be painful. The project in question is a marina and mega resort-style complex that the owners of Crocodile Bay Resort, an all-inclusive sport-fishing resort in town, want to build out into the waters off the town’s public beach. This would be the first marina to be built on the Osa Peninsula or in the Golfo Dulce, a globally unique marine ecosystem.
Community Outreach, Marine Conservation / 26.09.2012

[caption id="attachment_4426" align="alignleft" width="300"] Luis Daniel Montero is a kayak tour guide and a local activist[/caption] Luis Daniel Montero is a 22-year-old kayak tour guide and volunteer for ASCONA (Asociacion De Servicio Comunitario Nacional y Ambiental), a local non-governmental organization dedicated to community service and environmental conservation on the Osa Peninsula. Along with a few other ASCONA volunteers, Daniel, as he prefers to be called, is part of an extremely passionate group of activists protesting an American business-owner's proposal for a large marina development project on the Gulfo Dulce, a proposal met with considerable opposition among Osa residents and various conservationists on and around the peninsula.