Strategic Initiatives

Eden Project Partnership

In June 2022, CIRENAS entered a collaboration agreement with Eden Project UK and Land Stewardship Co for large scale land stewardship and systems-thinking based regeneration on the Nicoya Peninsula. The first stage of the project is focused on biological corridor consolidation & regeneration and exploring complementary and alternative agroforestry-based green economies such as shade grown cacao.

The partnership involves three strategic sites throughout the Southern Nicoya Peninsula and through integrated efforts aims to consolidate over 65,000 hectares (160,618 acres) of tropical dry forest biological corridors , of one of the most endangered habitats in the world

This partnership led to a recent project with The Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) on carrying out a Quality of Life Study of communities in the Nicoya Peninsula Biological Corridor and three districts; Cóbano, Paquera and Lepanto

Research criteria was set to define the quality of life index for people living on livestock and agricultural farms in the area. Some of the investigated variables included: nutrition, health, housing, community involvement, recreation, security, ecosystem productivity and sustainability, among others.

The research identified key strategic and priority areas that need to be addressed.

A key conclusion of the study is that the southern Nicoya Peninsula and Peninsular biological corridor, even with the limitations identified, has a very high potential to become a working laboratory and future national and international reference for efforts to demonstrate and promote an integrated approach to development and conservation.