Community-based Marine Turtle Conservation - 2027

Successful conservation efforts require community engagement and ownership. This experience will provide participants with the opportunity to learn about community-based approaches to conservation while contributing to marine turtle conservation in the village of Parismina, Costa Rica. Conservation success also requires an economic benefit for the local community. A colleague in Guyana always says "Conservation without cash is just a conversation". Real sustainable solutions include environmental, economic, social, and cultural benefits. Our visit contributes to the local economy because all of our funds while in the country go to small, locally owned businesses. We will travel to Costa Rica a night at a small Costa Rican owned hotel. On day two, we will travel by private Costa Rican owned transfer service through the mountains and Atlantic Lowlands to Cano Blanco before making our way by boat to Green Gold eco-lodge on the beach of Parismina. Our time at the lodge will include nights on the beach monitoring nesting Leatherback Turtles, exploratory walks in the rainforest by day and night, and trips to the village to assist with community projects. The area is rich in biodiversity and will provide us with great opportunities to observe wildlife. After spending six nights at Green Gold eco-lodge, we will meet our transfer service at Cano Blanco and make our way to Linda Vista where we will meet our Costa Rican whitewater rafting host and legend, Manuel Segura and his team. They will guide us down the majestic Pacuare River to their whitewater rafting camp where we will spend two nights enjoying more rainforest and river experiences as we reflect on our time together. On our final full day in Costa Rica, we will rise, enjoy our final breakfast at camp and then raft out to Siquirres where we will once again meet our transfer service for a return trip to San Jose.