Help us protect wildlife, mangrove and jungle.

Hello everyone,

My name is Marijke and i started this gofundme in name of the community of the areas between Matapalo and Baru, Puntarenas, Savegre de Aguirre.

Costa Rica, widely know for it's vast array of forestry and spectacular wildlife, has become a very popular tourist destination. While tourism is essential to the livelihood of this beautiful country, its popularity has let to massive construction. This construction is destroying the only place these beautiful animals have always called home. Our area on the Pacific Coast near a town named Quepos seemed safe until the local government decided to come up with a plan to construct the entire area between Matapalo and Baru. See proposal plan in the attached photos.

If this plan is successful, sloths, monkeys, tucans, endangered Scarlet Macaws, to name a few, will lose their habitat and mangroves will be destroyed.

This area is also an important sea turtle nesting beach with four of the seven sea turtle species found in the world nesting here. All four species are designated as endangered of becoming extinct. The turtles included from most to least found are as follows: Olive Ridley, Green, Hawksbill, and Leatherback

Coastal development, beach compaction, erosion from the removal of coastal dune vegetation and application of herbicide resulting in the loss of habitat as well as light pollution should wildlife friendly lighting not be implemented and required, are all threats to sea turtle nesting grounds.

To explain more about the mangrove, protection of the mangroves isn’t only important for wildlife but it is also important for all local communities. The mangroves protect nearby populated areas by reducing erosion and absorbing storm surge impacts during extreme weather events. They also absorb carbon dioxide which is extremely important because of global warming.

So what are we doing now? We started a legal process against the local government to stop this plan, but to continue we need funds not only for legal purposes, but also to maintain this crucial eco structure as well as plant trees and to create wildlife bridges (ropes) for the animals to safely travel. . Our goal is set at $15,000. Many communities throughout Costa Rica have already lost a lot of trees and other crucial foliage due to this plan by the local government and we need to raise money now to protect the mangroves and all the trees these animals call home. They say it takes a village! Any amount is greatly appreciated. All funds donated will only be used for this and future support of wildlife and their habitat.

Thank you so much!