STAY 3 Nights for FREE Echo Investment Group is now offering a stay in Playas del Coco in one of our 2 Bedroom Condos with no risk or obligation. Simply come down and let us show you the investment opportunites and enjoy your stay. Additional nights are available for $50 per night Click Here To Learn More...

Naturacultra started the harvest in Playas del Coco

For the past few weeks, hundreds of trees have lined the borders of Playa del Coco, Guanacaste. They are still small, but hope has been planted along with each of them, and in a few years they will be part of greening community, providing shade and helping to fight the degradation on the environment.
The planting of the trees- all native species- was the first project supported by Natucultura Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose main goal is to improve the quality of life of Guanacaste’s people through economic aid to organizations that promote the protection of the environment and culture.
The funds come from sponsors that share the foundation’s cause, which donate monies for specific projects.
In this first initiative, 500 trees were planted; 400 were provided by the Costa Rica Electricity Institute (ICE) and the rest came from the community. The effort was also supported by Utopia magazine and sponsored by the Playa Las Palmas Investment Consulting Company.
“The goal of this tree planting is to forest, provide shade and promote the beach’s biological regeneration”, said Edgar Castillo, environment director for the foundation, and also president of the Animal Protection and Rescue Special Unit (UESPRA).
Natucultura’s president is renowned Costa Rican model Leonora Jimenez, who will arrive from Spain in August to launch two new projects.
One of them is an ambitious endeavor called: restoring Guanacaste), which seeks to establish biological restoration networks through the planting of native trees at specific locations, giving food and shelter to diverse groups of animals.
This initiative has the support or private business, the Ministry of the Environment and Energy (MINAE) and the local communities.
According to Castillo, the idea is to surround with trees different human habitats via a network of contiguous points. Once such broad coverage is attained, animals will find it easier to move, more oxygen will be produced and there will be more soil permeability- which benefits aquifers.
The foundation is also developing a biotical garden program in collaboration with Playa Las Palmas, with the goal of creating learning laboratories for elementary and secondary school students.
“We are providing consultation to Playa Las Palmas about building these gardens, where the plan is to introduce butterfly- attracting or edible plants, which would serve as a laboratory to train students.

“We are providing consultation to Playa Las Palmas about building these gardens , where the plan is to introduce butterfly-attracting or edible plants, which would  serve  as a laboratory to train students in environmental topics”, Castillo explained.
Another project has to do with preserving Coco’s marine resources by educating the community and those who live near them about their importance. “We want to establish partnerships with divers and fishermaen to implement a surveillance and education pilot project, based on the observation of dolphins and whales. Something else we want to do is provide workshops for the community, for those who want to establish sustainable tourist micro businesses”, Castillo said.
The environmentalist added the foundation is in conversations with the national Learning Institute (INA), seeking training for members of the community on how to start an ecological tourist business- thus marrying economic activity and environmental protection.
This project is supported by the National Whale Coalition.
Castillo indicated that people who are benefiting from Guancaste’s development boom should contribute, in a transparent and cohesive way, to guaranteeing that the province’s natural resources will not be depleted.
That’s why the foundation seeks companies that not only are willing to cooperate, but which are conscious of the importance to do so.
“Environmental conservation is not a matter of simple altruism, but a global responsibility”, Castillo concluded.