Corcovado National Park Rescue Project!

Since the beginning of 2023, the Corcovado Foundation has been executing the "Improvement of the Infrastructure and Community Participation in Corcovado National Park" project to tackle the challenges encountered by the Corcovado National Park (CNP) in Costa Rica. This initiative is funded by the Osa Trust fund, which was established to provide financial support for conservation endeavors in the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. The park, founded in 1975, is celebrated for its remarkable natural beauty and extensive biodiversity, making it a significant attraction for both local and international tourists as well as researchers. It stands as a prime illustration of a tropical rainforest in terms of its scale and variety of flora, harboring an exceptionally large array of habitats and species within its relatively compact expanse.

Corcovado National Park faces many threats, including hunting, gold diggers, and deforestation. Other challenges that the park rangers face are:

1. Deteriorating trail infrastructure: The current conditions of the trail network in the park are in a lamentable state, diminishing the quality of the tourist experience and posing risks to visitors and the park's ecosystems.

2. Limitations on park visitation: The park has established limitations on the number of visitors allowed, to avoid further erosion and damage by their transit through the park; leading to concerns and dissatisfaction among park users due to the deteriorating conditions of the trail network.

3. Need for public-private partnerships: The project aims to establish public-private partnerships with the communities surrounding the park to improve governance and ensure community and stakeholder participation in decision-making processes.

The project is enhancing the park's trail infrastructure to enrich the visitor experience and expand visitor capacity while upholding the ecological soundness of the park. The existing constraints on park visitation have given rise to apprehensions and discontent among park users due to the deteriorating state of the trail network, which not only diminishes the quality of the tourist experience but also poses risks to visitors and the park's ecosystems.

To address these challenges, the project strives to establish public-private partnerships with the communities neighboring the park. This will involve a process of familiarization and consultation to establish a multisectoral steering committee for park management. The project also reinforces governance to ensure community and stakeholder involvement in decision-making processes.

The proposed budget for the project is $39,000 USD, and it is anticipated to span 18 months.  During this time, around 45 volunteers spend a week or more in the park working with park rangers to help improve the park trails.  $39,000 is not enough to provide infrastructure for all park trails, even with the help of volunteers.  Your support of this project can provide needed funding to continue this important effort.  Thank you for your help!