THE PROJECT
Why Costa Rica?
Besides the climate crisis, the loss of biodiversity – the decline of flora and fauna caused by various threats from humans and industrialization – is the biggest current threat to our planet. It therefore makes sense to start and help precisely where nature and ecosystems are still intact in many aspects and where measures will have an immediate effect.
Costa Rica holds 6% of the world’s biodiversity
The Central American country Costa Rica borders Nicaragua in the North and Panama in the South. It is characterized by impressive nature and has seven main ecosystems: coral reefs, mangroves, wetlands, tropical dry forests, tropical rainforests, cloud forests, and a paramo biome with a neotropical high mountain vegetation. Costa Rica is home to a sensational 6% of the world’s biodiversity.
Costa Rica still has a unique plant and animal world, where, for example, big cats like jaguars or pumas roam wild or Central America’s largest land mammal, the Tapir, can be found. It is also where numerous bird species such as the rare Red Macaw have their habitat.
Costa Rica: From deforestation to climate hero
Due to massive deforestation in Costa Rica – especially in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s – to make way for pastures, and exploit tropical timber, barely 21% of the land was still covered with forest. One cow needs about a hectare of pasture to feed itself, an area that once contained up to 400 trees. Numerous hectares of forest were also chopped down for crops. Not to mention deforestation for real estate.
Fortunately, Costa Rica has strict environmental laws these days. National parks and protected areas were established, and today more than 50% of the country’s area is forested again and the forests are protected. Many primary forests were lost, but luckily secondary forests thrive and some experts are convinced, that those forests even host more biodiversity due to the growth of very different plant and tree species.
Carbon dioxides storage amount impossible in northern countries
Reforestation in Costa Rica has a global beneficial effect far beyond its borders. Every newly planted tree helps to fight the climate crisis and significantly influences carbon dioxide storage, which is relevant to our global climate.
It is mainly the tropical forests that do the heavy work of cooling our planet down. Deforestation in the tropics has to stop and we have to plant more trees. Because of the proximity to the equator, the power of the sun and more hours of sunshine have an immense influence and drive the photosynthetic absorption of carbon dioxide in a way that is impossible in northern latitudes. Tropical trees grow incredibly fast and absorb carbon dioxide up to ten times faster than trees in the north.
Another important factor is the existence of more biomass in the tropics, which favors these efforts. Lush tropical rainforests or dry forests not only store carbon in the trees themselves, but also multidimensional in many other vegetation such as climbing plants or vines, as well as in fallen leaves and decaying wood — and in the soil itself.
Every tree we plant will not only help nurture wildlife and preserve biodiversity but is also tackling the climate crisis. What are we waiting for?
