“Today the foundation pays the
salary of 78 of 155 employees of Osa
Conservation Area (ACOSA-for its acronym
in Spanish) and, we can say that there is no
more hunting in the region”, expressed
Alejandra Monge, who manages the staff of
five persons in charge of logistics in the
Foundation. Thus, “Corcovado Foundation” manages a payroll of 61 rangers, two
environmental attorneys, one forest
engineer and two environmental professors
among others, for a total of 78 people
which represents 50% of the total number
of employees.
“In March 2008, 56 contracts will
arrive to an end and we are trying to raise
funds. It is very important that these
persons, including Guaymi indigenous
people continue working for ACOSA in
order to preserve the zone, “ Alejandra
Monge explained.
In four years the Foundation has run
more than 30 programs and projects, some
of them to pay operational expenditures of
the national park, to purchase fuel and food
as well as equipment for rangers’ missions.“Corcovado Foundation” is also
making serious efforts to provide
environmental education to the neighbors
of the Peninsula”. “Almost every hotel in
this area favors sustainable tourism and
really cares about the environment.
Together, we offer environmental education
courses for the neighbors to learn about
recycling and managing solid and liquid
wastes “, said Alejandra Monge.
The Foundation helped to create the
Juvenile Group “The Jaguars”, a very active
team with regard to the community’s
natural resources protection. Boys and girls
(aged from 12 to 20 years old) clean the
beaches and make efforts for recycling.
Because of a large experience
regarding sustainable tourism for hotels and
other companies related to the activity, the
foundation has already built a collection
center for recycling material in Sierpe which
will help to consolidate the Drake Bay
recycling program.
“Recently, we started a new project
for the restoration of sea turtles in the
Drake’s zone. We need money and
volunteers for this program. The fish-pond
is already built”, affirmed Alejandra Monge.
As many organizations that often
work without access to important media,
Corcovado foundation exists in Costa Rica
because of the donors that are private
companies, other NGO’s or just individuals.
Foundation’s web site
(www.fundacioncorcovado.org) provides
information about programs and projects of
the organization.
Last September, the National Institute of
Biodiversity (INBIO) published a study of
monkeys, large felines and their preys’
populations as a tool to determine forest status in the
Osa Peninsula as well as to help defining the limits of
Osa’s Biological Corridor.
The study was carried out outside Corcovado’s
National Park in 10 paths of 2 km at the Golfo Dulce
Reserve, and in 7 other places which are Santa Cecilia,
Mogos, San Juan arriba, Rincon, Gamba, Rancho
Quemado and Matapalo). 20 cameras were used
between March and June 2006.
- 21 species of mammals were registered,
Matapalo being the place with the largest number of
species. Three different species of big felines were
detected.
- The Ocelot is the one with the largest
distribution (5 out of 7 locations).
- The Puma was observed in 3 sites, the Jaguar
and the Margay, only in one site (San Juan Arriba and
Rincon respectively).
Feline preys are the agouti, the most abundant
one, followed by
the Collard
Peccary and the
White - nosed
Coati. Peccary
and Paca are largely and abundantly distributed
meanwhile White lipped peccary and mountain goat
(felines preferred ones) showed a limited distribution
and are not very abundant. Greater abundance of the
Baird’s tapir was observed in Rancho Quemado, while
in Rincon and Matapalo it is barely present.
Regarding monkeys, the White-throated
Capuchin has the largest distribution, followed by the
Mantled Howler Monkey. The Spider Monkey and the
Squirrel Monkey have a very limited distribution. The
Spider as only observed in Matapalo and the Squirrel
in Santa Cecilia. Matapalo shows the biggest monkey
population and the 4 species are present there.
The conclusions of the study stated that the
presence of the species such as the jaguar, the Whitelipped
Peccary, the Spider Monkey and the Baird’s
tapir act as indicators of the good habitat’s quality but
it also pointed out that apparently outside
Corcovado’s National Park and Matapalo, their
situation is really precarious.
All this proves that forest in these areas is
probably in a critical condition, said the study !
