What’s cooking at Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge in Costa Rica?

Let’s face it; we all care about what we eat. So if visiting a remote jungle eco-lodge is in your plans, you might be wondering if mealtime will resemble a Mission Survive episode with creepy-crawlies and vermin.

In fact, remote Costa Rica eco lodge Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge gets regular rave reviews from guests about its exceptional, fresh, gourmet cuisine. The abundance of fresh, healthy and wholesome ingredients is inspiring, and head chef Edixon Lezcano adds a huge helping of creativity to Nicuesa’s menus. There are Asian influences – soy, ginger, citrus and tamarind sauces and dressings. There are Latino influences – quinoa, rice, beans, sauces and cooking methods. And then there are “Edixon influences” like homemade rich dark chocolate cake served with a sweet citrus sauce made from cas fruit (a kind of guava).

“I try to serve healthy cuisine that is low in fat, using natural products that are not artificial,” noted Lezcano, who has delighted guests with his fantastic meals for the past eight years at Nicuesa Lodge.

One of the great aspects about Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge is that you don’t have to worry about where you are going to eat or what you will eat. All meals are included with your stay at the premier Costa Rica rainforest lodge, due to its remote wilderness location. Playa Nicuesa sits on the Golfo Dulce (“Sweet Gulf”) in southern Costa Rica, next to the Piedras Blancas National Park and across from the Osa Peninsula. It is an area of pristine tropical wilderness – a unique adventure travel destination.

Meals are served with flair in Nicuesa Lodge’s magnificent two-story tree house-style main lodge building. The open-air dining area lets you look out at the tree canopy (great for wildlife spotting), the forest, beach and ocean; an open side deck is perfect for gazing at the night sky packed with stars. Seating is family-style with everyone at the lodge, which leads to wonderful engaging conversations about that day’s adventures, other travels and the beauty of life.



On Nicuesa’s 165-acre private reserve they grow tropical fruit trees like mangoes, star fruit, cas guava, oranges, lemons, papayas, water apples, bananas, plantains and coconuts. The edible garden supplies pineapples, sugar cane, basil, spinach, and other vegetables and herbs. They even grow cacao trees and offer a chocolate tour to show you the delicious process of making organic chocolate.

All breads, tortillas, desserts, juices and sauces are made fresh on-site.
Fishing is a popular pastime at the Costa Rica eco-lodge, which is a bonus for the kitchen. “If someone goes fishing and catches fish, we serve it the same day along with dinner to treat everyone,” said Lezcano.



There are always vegetarian and kids’ options at all meals. Happy hour is one of the best times of the day, when guests gather for exotic tropical drink specials and tempting appetizers every night before dinner in the candlelit bar.

Contact Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge to book your Costa Rica family vacation, honeymoon, nature and adventure vacation, or yoga retreat.



Article by Shannon Farley

Activists seek to protect Costa Rica’s rich marine life.

The southern Pacific Ocean off the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica is an amazing natural wonder of marine biodiversity, home to more than 25 species of dolphins and whales, four of the world’s eight different sea turtles, along with manta rays, sailfish, marlin, tuna and sharks. The southern Pacific, and especially Golfo Dulce (Sweet Gulf) on the eastern side of the Osa Peninsula, are vital breeding and reproducing areas for endangered hammerhead sharks and migrating endangered Humpback Whales.

All of this extraordinary marine life, however, is almost entirely unprotected, except for small areas around a few national parks – the Ballena Marine National Park off the coast of Uvita, the Caño Island Biological Reserve, and off the coast of the Corcovado National Park.

Activists say the waters along the entire coast of the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, need to be protected, and have begun a campaign to create a “Multiple Use Marine Protected Area.” The MPA for OSA group (Marine Protected Area for Osa Peninsula) states that Costa Rica’s marine life is threatened by commercial shrimp trawlers, long line fishing, over fishing, tuna nets, and ocean pollution.

“Commercial fishing techniques such as long lining, shrimping, gill netting and tuna fishing are wreaking havoc on this delicate and biologically diverse area and its marine inhabitants, and if urgent and drastic actions are not taken immediately, the world will lose this treasure forever. Costa Rica's dolphins, whales, sea turtles and other marine flora and fauna are being decimated at alarming rates,” declares the MPA for OSA website.

By declaring the southern Pacific Coastal waters, from the Ballena Marine National Park out to Caño Island and down the Osa Peninsula, a “Multiple Use Marine Protected Area,” the MPA for OSA group hopes that that private, commercial and sport fishing, as well as scientific research, tourism and marine transportation can all work together sustainably.

The MPA for OSA has created a petition on Avaaz to ask the Costa Rican government to fast track the establishment of the marine protected area. The group is calling for an immediate moratorium on commercial fishing in the area while details are worked out. The group also has a crowd funding campaign to source funds to continue their research and get local communities and the government to work together.

Costa Rica’s South Pacific is one of the “most biologically diverse ocean ecosystems in the world,” according to the MPA for OSA. Off the coast of Costa Rica is an immense habitat called the Costa Rican Thermal Convection Dome, where shallow warm waters lie on top of low-oxygen cold water creating a perfect ecosystem for diverse marine life. This dome is the only one in the world that is constant year-round, producing extraordinary ecologically-rich waters.

At Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge, an environmentally sustainable eco-lodge on the inner coast of the Golfo Dulce, you can see and experience Costa Rica’s amazing marine life. The award-winning eco-lodge offers boat tours of the Gulf to see marine life such as dolphins, sea turtles and whales.

Located on a 165-acre private preserve backing up to the Piedras Blancas National Park, Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge is a unique adventure travel destination for its remote, pristine wilderness location. They offer family vacations, honeymoon trips, nature and adventure vacations, and yoga classes and retreats.

Article by Shannon Farley

Guarding the King of the Jungle on the Osa Peninsula

Like the lion or the tiger, the jaguar is the "king of the jungle" in the Americas. It is the largest feline in the Americas and the third largest in the world, notes Wikipedia. With a range extending from Southwestern United States and Mexico across much of Central America and south to Paraguay and northern Argentina, there are only an estimated 15,000 jaguars left in the wild, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

"The jaguar is still an abundant species, but is threatened by habitat loss and persecution," notes a 2008 report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). "Due to loss of habitat, poaching of prey and fragmentation of populations across portions of the range, this species is considered to be 'near threatened.' If threats continue at the current rate, the species will likely qualify for 'vulnerable' status in the near future."

This spotted cat most closely physically resembles the leopard, although it is usually larger and stockier, and its behavior is more similar to that of the tiger. Jaguars prefer dense rainforest for their habitat, but will range across a variety of forested and open terrains; they usually stay near water, and jaguars are noted for enjoying swimming like tigers.

In Costa Rica, the Osa Peninsula is an important refuge for the jaguar. The large cats roam between the vast Corcovado National Park, the biological corridor of the Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, and the Piedras Blancas National Park. The biggest threat to the jaguar population is being killed by farmers, reported a 2011 article on jaguar conservation by the Tico Times. According to Eduardo Carrillo, biologist and director of the International Institute of Conservation and Wildlife at the National University (ICOMVIS-UNA) in Heredia, the conflict between farmers and jaguars has resulted from the loss of the wildcats' natural prey.

"Much of the reason that jaguars enter farms to attack cattle is because sport hunting has diminished their principal prey and sources of food in protected areas," Carrillo said. "People kill the principal prey of the jaguars and it leaves them without sufficient food. As a result, they leave the protected areas and kill cows and pigs, which results in the jaguars being killed by farmers. In Costa Rica, it is the principal cause of the decreasing population of jaguars."

Wildlife conservation groups on the Osa Peninsula are actively trying to educate farmers and landowners located near national forests on how to protect their animals while also safeguarding the jaguars.

In Puerto Jiménez, Yaguará (the native word for jaguar) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that protects wildlife, mainly wild cats. They work with the community and the National Parks system to study jaguars and ensure their survival and also for their prey throughout southern Costa Rica and northern Panama. Yaguará is experimenting with alternative strategies, such as a farmer compensation program when a wildcat kills an animal.

The organization has created an extensive network of infrared "camera traps," which use motion detectors to capture on film anything that passes by the camera. Yaguará's scientists use the information to study the Osa's wildcat populations, especially those of ocelots, pumas and jaguars.

Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge, across the Golfo Dulce from the Osa Peninsula, also has installed camera traps to record wildlife activity in their 165-acre private rainforest preserve. The Playa Nicuesa Reserve borders the Piedras Blancas National Park, which connects to the Osa Peninsula and Corcovado National Park, so it is feasible that they could capture on camera the same jaguars that roam the Osa.

Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge is an environmentally sustainable lodge on the pristine Pacific coastline of the Golfo Dulce. The award-winning eco-lodge caters to travelers interested in ecotourism, nature and adventure. They offer family vacations, honeymoon trips, nature and adventure vacations, and yoga classes and retreats.

Article by Shannon Farley

What to do for nature and adventure vacations in Costa Rica.

Meet sloths, kinkajous, tayras, ocelots, peccaries and anteaters. Stand next to Scarlet Macaws feeding on almond trees. Watch white-faced monkeys swing and play next to you, and have your heart melt when a spider monkey comes to hold your hand.

This isn't some exotic zoo, but rather the Osa Wildlife Sanctuary on Golfo Dulce in the South Pacific of Costa Rica. The Costa Rica wildlife refuge helps orphaned and injured animals that are indigenous to this southern Pacific rainforest. Sadly, many of the animals are victims of illegal pet trade. 

Monkeys, wild cats, kinkajous, Scarlet Macaws and other prized creatures are captured as babies, and then abused or abandoned when their owners find they don't know how to deal with a wild animal. The Osa Wildlife Sanctuary works closely with the Costa Rica Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) to rescue illegally-held animals.

The sanctuary on the beautiful Golfo Dulce coast by the Piedras Blancas National Park was originally an eco-lodge started by owners Carol Patrick and Earl Crews. Carol got a reputation for tending to injured animals, and soon locals began dropping off orphaned and injured wildlife until there was no time for guests. The Osa Wildlife Sanctuary was then established in 1996.

At first primarily an avian sanctuary, after Poppy the spider monkey arrived in 2003, all sorts of wonderful critters started showing up. Carol and her staff try their best to rehabilitate animals to release back into the wild. For each animal that enters the refuge, a complex and often unconventional playground, specifically designed to mimic its natural habitat, is created for housing. Environmental enrichment features – like species-appropriate toys, imitation streams with cascading water, and tree branches –encourage natural behaviors and prevent boredom.

The Osa Wildlife Sanctuary is a non-profit organization and relies on donations and tour fees to help with expenses like food, staffing, veterinary medical care, and supplies. Guided tours for visitors cost $25 per person and reservations must be made in advance.

The animal refuge is a popular eco-tour for guests at Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge, just 10 minutes away by boat down the Golfo Dulce coast. Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge is an environmentally sensitive eco-lodge set on a 165-acre private preserve. 

The award-winning eco-lodge caters to travelers interested in ecotourism, nature and adventure. They offer family vacations, honeymoon trips, nature and adventure vacations, and yoga classes and retreats.

Article by Shannon Farley

Costa Rica accents sustainable businesses at PPP conference.

What makes a sustainable business "sustainable" and why should we care?

Here's a news flash for you – we all live on the same planet Earth. In many ways we humans, and all of the living and non-living things and elements that exist on our planet, are connected. The dust storms in Africa that cause cloudy, windy, dry weather in Central America; the earthquake in Asia that causes a nuclear reactor to leak radioactive material into the world's largest ocean, affecting the fish we're eating for dinner in America; the business decisions made in a powerful country's boardroom that affect working conditions in a poorer nation; slashing and burning rainforests so we can have more timber, or drill for oil, or simply farm for food, and unexpectedly the world's weather goes haywire … and on and on. These are just a few examples of our interconnectedness.

Operating a sustainable business means not only sustaining our own existence, but also ensuring that everything we involve and affect succeeds as well. This means not destroying the planet, or damaging people or society, in the pursuit of profit.

The United Nations defines sustainable development as "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." At the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit in New York in September, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon warned that "we cannot accept a rising tide that floats only some boats and leaves many to drown." Ban Ki-moon called on world business leaders to do even more along with the United Nations to promote sustainable development worldwide.

 "Nobody can benefit from catastrophic climate change or rampant unemployment and the social unrest that comes with it," Ban Ki-moon said. "Prosperous, stable societies and a healthy planet are the bedrock of political stability, economic growth and flourishing new markets."

In today's increasingly competitive landscape, more and more companies are realizing that being sustainable is more than an environmental gesture – it makes long-term economic sense for cost savings, consumer demand, resource limitations, and brand reputation and publicity, to name a few.

Sustainable businesses in Costa Rica and internationally will take center stage at the upcoming Planet, People & Peace Ecotourism Conference in San Jose, Costa Rica. Organized by the Costa Rica National Chamber of Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism (CANAECO), the conference will convene national and international leaders to share strategies, practices and experiences to help make tourism and businesses sustainable.

The 4^th Planet, People & Peace (PPP or "P3") Ecotourism Conference will be held November 3-6 in San Jose at the National Auditorium at the Children's Museum, part of the Costa Rican Center of Science and Culture. Speakers and guests from 14 countries will meet to exchange ideas on the future of sustainable tourism and how to operate businesses in an environmentally responsible way.

Costa Rica has played an important role globally over the past decade in ecotourism and sustainable business. Many businesses in Costa Rica are already successfully incorporating sustainable practices, and will be on display during the PPP Conference.

Sustainable Tourism in Costa Rica

One of Costa Rica's outstanding examples of sustainable tourism is Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge, an environmentally sensitive eco-lodge set on a 165-acre private preserve in the undeveloped Osa Peninsula/Golfo Dulce region of the country's South Pacific. The Playa Nicuesa Reserve borders the lush rainforest of the Piedras Blancas National Park, and fronts the pristine Pacific coastline of the Golfo Dulce.

Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge has received the highest rating for sustainability (Five Leaves) by the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT). The lodge embraces conservation and harmony with the natural environment and caters to travelers interested in ecotourism, nature, adventure and sports. A member of the prestigious Enchanting Hotels of Costa Rica, Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge is affiliated with the Rainforest Alliance, the International Ecotourism Society, the Costa Rican National Chamber of Ecotourism, and Sustainable Travel International, among others.

Article by Shannon Farley

Portasol stars at Latin American Private Reserves Congress.

Normally, you don't see tough, radical conservationists attending lectures by land developers. But there they were, 100 strong, from the Nature Conservancy, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and from all over Latin America – all raptly listening to how land development can actually preserve forests.

Nervous before his formidable audience, Guillermo Piedra Gonzalez explained how his small residential development in the tiny country of Costa Rica is carving out a niche for sustainable, socially responsible eco-communities, and leading the world in how to preserve and develop land at the same time.

Piedra was speaking at the Tenth biennial Congress on Latin American Private Reserves and Indigenous Communities, held in Valdivia, Chile, in August. More than 300 participants attended from nearly every country in the Americas.

"I was really proud because I was the only land developer speaking about sustainable development," said Piedra. "For me it was a challenge. Here I am a land developer and I was in front of an audience of tough, radical 'green' people, but I was received really well. They asked me questions and were really accepting."

Piedra represented Costa Rica along with three countrymen, all board members of the Costa Rican Private Preserve Association. Piedra's sustainable residential and vacation lodging community, Portasol Rainforest & Oceanview Living, located in Costa Rica's Central Pacific coastal region south of Manuel Antonio, maintains a 200-acre private reserve on the development's 540 hectares (over 1,300 acres).

Costa Rica protects close to 26% of its territory in national parks, private reserves and wildlife refuges. Most people think about land development as destroying the environment. Piedra believes planned eco-communities such as his can be a profitable alternative for forest conservation.

"There were a lot of people from big countries like Argentina, Chile and Brazil at the conference. People said they were really proud of what Costa Rica is doing for sustainable development, and that Costa Rica is a country to be followed. We were really proud that other Latin American nations are looking at us as a leader for conservation in the world," commented Piedra.

In fact, Costa Rica was chosen as the location for the 11^th Latin American Private Reserves Congress in 2015.

Portasol Rainforest and Oceanview Living

One of the most striking and intriguing aspects about Guillermo Piedra is the stark contrasts in his life. A little more than 10 years ago, Piedra had a successful career as a high-powered businessman for one of the world's largest apparel manufacturers, VF Corporation. He traded it all in 2002 for an open-air office in the rainforest creating a planned eco-community and nature preserve on the family farm. Moreover, the family farm was once a lucrative logging and timber business. After eight years of selective wood harvesting, Piedra's father stopped cutting in 1982 and let the forest grow back.

Fast forward to 2002, when Piedra visited the farm for the first time in 30 years, and that was when everything changed. "When I saw the property with its river and waterfalls, it was an immediate 'click' for me," remembered Piedra, who had come to translate a purchase offer from a potential foreign buyer. "The buyers wanted to do a large development and not preserve anything, and I decided that this land needed to be preserved. I saw a big opportunity to return to the Earth what we had taken from it with the lumber business, besides the importance of preserving the Earth for future generations."

The decision completely altered his and his family's lives. The family immediately set aside 200 acres of virgin forest for a private nature reserve. In 2004, they began developing the infrastructure and construction of the first homes. The property is a pristine valley with the Portalon River cascading and flowing through it, amid densely forested coastal mountains between the famous beach areas of Manuel Antonio and Dominical. Many of the planned lots in the development have spectacular ocean and coastal views.

So far, five phases have been developed on the estate, with 40 out of 50 lots sold. Nine of those have houses built. Piedra said they plan soon to begin Phase Six with nine new lots for sale. Vacation lodging is available at several of the luxury homes and in tourist bungalows.

Land development always has rules, but Portasol's rules are to preserve. Land tracts are large – 5,000 sq. m (1.5 acres) to 10,000 sq. m (3 acres) – and buyers must leave 85% of their land untouched, only building on 15%. That rule alone means that about 84% of the total land at Portasol will be conserved as rainforest. Other development rules govern water management, garbage collection and recycling, sewage treatment, the types of construction materials allowed, no fences around lots so that wildlife can move freely, using biodegradable cleaning products, soaps, etc.

For Piedra, conservation has become his passion, which is having a ripple effect now in the world. "I am aware of what is going on worldwide with forests being destroyed, environmental damage happening, and I am probably going against the current, but I am trying to heal what others are doing to the planet," Piedra asserted. "I love being at Portasol, surrounded by nature. I am so happy here. By preserving this, I want to share this happiness and wellness with everyone."

By Shannon Farley

Southern Costa Rica offers world-class Pacific fishing.

I remember the first time I caught a needlefish. Its electric blue teeth and skeleton (seen upon filleting) were a shocking surprise. The needlefish is tricky to catch given its long, narrow jaws filled with needle-sharp teeth (hence, its name) that usually cut fishing line like dental floss. Once you have one, though, they are really tasty – especially fried in olive oil and garlic for a finger snack!

I caught my first needlefish, my first blackfin tuna, and my first red snapper all in the placid blue waters of Costa Rica's Golfo Dulce (Sweet Gulf) while staying at the Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge. I must confess, I am not a fishing expert, but in these waters I think anyone can catch a fish.

The Pacific Ocean in Southern Costa Rica is one of the best fishing spots in the world. Offshore in the deep water, people come from all over the world to catch Yellowfin Tuna, Mahi Mahi (Dorado in Spanish), Marlin and Sailfish. Inside the calm, pristine Golfo Dulce, inshore fishing is spectacular with snapper, snook, jack, roosterfish, bonito, barracuda, needlefish, blackfin tuna and mackerel ready for the catch.

The Golfo Dulce is one of only three tropical fjords in the world; with depths exceeding 200 meters in the inner basin, it is one of the deepest. It lies between the Osa Peninsula to the west and the southern Pacific region of Costa Rica to the east. The Gulf's waters are sheltered from the open ocean by a shallow 60-meter shelf at its southern end. It is an area of tremendous biodiversity, and home to the virgin rainforest of the Piedras Blancas National Park.

Resident and migratory communities of Bottlenose Dolphins, Spotted Dolphins and Spinner Dolphins live here. Sea turtles swim in these blue-green waters, and migrating humpback whales visit from the Southern Hemisphere in August and September.

Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge is perfectly positioned on the inner Gulf, backing right up to the National Park's dense forests and coastal mountains. Fresh fish is caught daily and served at lunch and dinner. Catch a fish as a guest and you'll probably be snacking on the tasty morsels during happy hour or feasting at dinner. The award-winning ecolodge offers a variety of fishing opportunities – ranging from dropping a line right off Playa Nicuesa's pier to kayak fishing to deep sea sportfishing.

Playa Nicuesa's skilled boat captains and fishing guides know all of the Gulf's secret spots. If you go out trolling along the Gulf's shores, or in the brackish mangrove-filled waters of the Esquinas River, it will be by 24-foot "panga" boat with a 115-horsepower four-stroke engine. You also can paddle along the Gulf's rocky shoreline in kayaks equipped with fishing rod holders and see if you can snag a snapper or barracuda. Or stay right on the beach or pier at the lodge and learn from the local experts how to fish with a hand line. Best times to fish are early morning (6:00-8:00 a.m.) and just before sunset (4:00-6:00 p.m.), giving you calm waters, beautiful scenery and prime catching opportunities when fish are active and feeding.

Offshore sportfishing tours usually last a full day. It takes about 50 minutes to get to the mouth of the Pacific, and then you will go from five to 20 miles offshore.

Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge provides customized offshore and inshore fishing vacation packages. The lodge holds the highest "5-Leaf level" of Costa Rica's Certificate of Sustainable Tourism program, and is a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence winner. They feature nature and adventure tours, yoga classes and retreats, family vacations, and honeymoon trips.

By Shannon Farley

Travel changes the world for Costa Rican schoolchildren

Travel can change the world.

At least former U.S. President Bill Clinton thinks so. "The travel industry has the potential – and the responsibility – to spread peace and change the world," Clinton told travel executives while speaking at the World Travel & Tourism Council's 13th annual Global Summit in Abu Dhabi in April 2013.

Student travel organizations like EcoTeach and People to People also think so. The two U.S.-based educational student travel organizations promote global awareness, peace and cultural exchange with international educational trips for grades 5-12 and college students.

Here in Costa Rica, EcoTeach and People to People, along with the Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation, have partnered with Veragua Rainforest Research & Adventure to change the world for rural schoolchildren in Costa Rica's Caribbean region.

Veragua Rainforest Adopt-a-School Program

Veragua Rainforest is a nature and adventure park, and important scientific research center, an hour inland from the Caribbean port of Limón, in the foothills bordering the La Amistad International Park. The area is remote and very rural. People who live there subsist on farming or travel to work in banana or pineapple plantations; Veragua Rainforest has become one of the district's main employers.

Two tiny communities in the area – Brisas and the Union of the Peje River – each have their own elementary schools. Between 20 and 30 children attend each of the tiny, one-room schools. Facilities are simple – a large classroom, a dining hall, bathrooms, a small grassy area. In Costa Rica, students are required to wear school uniforms, which parents must provide; parents' also must pay for their children's school books and school supplies, such as pencils, notebooks, etc. In economy-strapped areas such as these, families often don't have such extra funds. The schools themselves struggle to meet ends meet as well. That's where Veragua Rainforest comes in with their social responsibility program and partners like EcoTeach, People to People and the Costa Rica Humanitarian Foundation.

EcoTeach

EcoTeach – based out of Washington, USA – operates regular educational trips to Costa Rica for high school, middle school and university students from the USA, Canada, and the UK. The organization focuses on hands-on conservation work, ecology and cultural exchange. They sponsor four schools in Costa Rica, said Costa Rica Operations Manager Carlos "Pika" Viquez.

For the past three years, EcoTeach has operated a 7-day Veragua Rainforest Service Trip that involves volunteering at the Brisas School. Over the years, visiting international student groups have helped build bathrooms, put in electricity and running water, installed new roofs and floors, painted buildings, and given the schoolchildren uniforms, books and school supplies.

"The conditions at the school were terrible. They didn't have running water or electricity. The school is very isolated and very few people live there," noted Viquez. "We wanted to help improve the facilities and improve the quality of the kids' education. What you see now is like a '5-star' school compared to what was there before. But every time I go there, I find something that needs to be done. It's a work in progress."

"Schools like this are not like schools in the States," Viquez continued. "The students who come to help feel very proud of the work they are contributing. Many of them ask us how they can help once they get back to their countries. A lot of returning groups ask to do more work at the school, and bring school supplies with them."

Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation

The Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation (CRHF) is a non-profit organization that manages more than 50 projects throughout the country involving education, community development, primary and preventive healthcare, and extensive support services for women, at-risk youth and indigenous groups.

Individuals and student groups from Canada, Europe and the United States volunteer with CRHF. Earlier this year students and teachers from the Robert Alexander McMath Secondary School in British Colombia, Canada, helped Veragua Rainforest give a much-needed facelift to the Union of the Peje River school. 

The visiting group painted murals on walls and the school's dining hall, upgraded the teacher's living quarters with a fresh coat of paint, installed new roofs, and cheered up pathways with trees planted in brightly painted old tires. Students also spent time at Veragua Rainforest in biology research labs, and had cultural exchange time with the Union of the Peje River school children.

People to People

Over the last three years, groups with the renowned U.S. educational student travel organization People to People also have helped Veragua Rainforest improve the Union of the Peje River school. Students have fixed bathrooms, varnished desks, planted trees, built sidewalks, and donated computers to the school. They even paid for a bicycle for the school director to use for transport to and from school.

People to People operates a 14-day trip to Costa Rica; two days are spent at Veragua Rainforest working on environmental research projects and helping at the local school.

By Shannon Farley