“For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction” - Newton's Third Law of Motion

Just 60 years ago the San Carlos area was covered with primary rain forest where everything from jaguars, tapirs and monkeys ran freely. With the need for more “improved” territory, the Costa Rican government began to offer free land to families. The first families to arrive burned and cut down the trees carving out farmland to plant corn, beans, raise a cow or two and to make cheese. Back then, the terrain was rough and the living was difficult. The pioneer families that came to this area were sturdy and adventurous. The men and women worked side by side and the women would bear as many as 15 children to make sure that the family would survive and prosper. It was a life comparable to the Old Wild West in the US.

These homesteading families won a farm; however, the earth lost acres and acres of primary rainforest. With their habitat gone, many native plants and animals have suffered and are near extinction.

There are 17.4 million hectares of rainforest in Central America, equal to 36% of the total land mass. The estimated rate of deforestation is 354,000 hectares per year, this figures out to be 2425 (US) acres per day!

In 1997, responding to the environmental consequences of deforestation, a committee consisting of seven Central American countries organized, and initiated an international movement to form a ‘roadmap' from North America to South America known as the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor . This ‘highway’ of rainforest stretching from North America to South America is under construction. NASA monitors the reforestation of the corridor from space. The interruption of these migratory patterns, due to deforestation, has dire consequences to the plant and animal life in Central America. The biodiversity of life in Central America depends upon normal migratory patterns. Animals, especially birds, require uninterrupted forest to migrate. The proliferation of animals, like jaguars, tapirs, boa constrictors, and monkeys require large uninterrupted areas of forest. Life in the rainforest is complex and interconnected, if one species becomes extinct, it affects the survival of countless other species. As an example, one endangered bird, the Quetzal, spreads seeds, through its feces, these droppings are responsible for the germination of 28% of the Cloud Forests in Costa Rica. If the forest looses the germination provided by the Quetzal, the natural cycle of forest re-growth will be grossly interrupted affecting and infinite number of species. Protecting the remaining forests and timely reforestation of this corridor is essential for the survival of this fragile ecosystem.

Over the years these large farms have been split between the children and grandchildren and instead of working the farms these pioneer descendents have gone off to college, taken up a technical trade or moved to the cities seeking more gainful employment.

Farming is a tough job and it is difficult to make a living as a farmer. As these farmers get older and they want to be closer to their children that have migrated to the city. Selling part or all of their farms generates the money needed for a comfortable retirement. Now that Costa Ricans have a better understanding about the importance of the forest and many favor individuals who have an ecological focus in their investment plan.

Ecotourism is the mainstay of the Costa Rican economy. Bringing back the rainforests will only continue to strengthen the country.

In the early 1990s the tourist industry in Costa Rica was in its infancy. Because of the Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna experienced a real growth explosion over the last 10 years. The Costa Rican ICT (Institute of Tourism) has predicted more expansion in the La Fortuna area and the hills over looking the Arenal Volcano and Lake Arenal. This is the Venado Valley area.

We would like to invite ecologically minded people to invest in reforesting and conservation in the Venado Valley area.