Sea Turtle Conservation & Environmental Education

Last year at this time we were on the verge of extinction, just like some of the animals that we protect.   

There is much competition for funding out there, lots of worthy causes and urgent support is always needed.   Small non-profits like ours have a hard time getting the funding to maintain our programs.   

In March 2017, we were debating whether we could maintain our programs.  We needed to reduce our environmental education program from 22 schools to 6 schools and we thought we would have to cut our sea turtle conservation program.   Our already office staff was going to be reduced also.   

Then, my 16-year-old nephew Isaac came up with the idea of helping us fundraise from his home town in Chicago.  He reached out to his friends and school mates and raised a $1000 USD for our turtle conservation program.  That was not enough to maintain our program, but it was a beginning.   He gave us hope.  The power of one!  Take a look at the video attached to see how he did it!  

Together with Isaac’s effort, other friends of the foundation stepped up and pitched in the rest of the money that was needed.  We thank you for your ongoing support. 

Last year we helped protect 125 sea turtle nests in Playa Rincon and we supported the efforts in Playa Rio Oro.  Every year is a new struggle, and a new challenge!  Here are some of the achievements of 2017 and which would not have been possible without your collaboration:

• We collected the money and will be starting the construction of a pedestrian bridge for the Drake Bay River between Progreso and Drake Bay area, which will make it safer for the students and the community in general, since they wont need to cross this dangerous river by foot any more.
• 137 teachers from the Regional Department of Terraba trained in the Education Guidelines for Sustainable Development Workshop.
• 6 Drake schools, with a total of 137boys and girls, received environmental education monthly or bimonthly.
• 40 children from 4 environmental groups carrying out environmental activities in their community.
• 1 youth group implementing environmental education and environmental actions in their community.
• Our organization supported the creation of the Junior Ranger Program for the Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve.
• 44 volunteers recruited to support the turtle conservation projects at Playa Rincón and Río Oro Beach. A total of 12 volunteers have collaborated at Playa Rincón and 32 volunteers at the Río Oro Beach.
• In collaboration with the Osa Foundation, we have supported the protection of Playa de Rincón, where a total of 125 nests have been reported from August to date.  93 of these nests were relocated to the nursery and only 9% were lost due to poaching or predation.

Links:

• The Corcovado Project