The Mesoamerican Center for Sustainable Development of the Dry Tropics (Cemede) of the Chorotega regional headquarters, together with the School of Environmental Sciences of the National University (UNA), promote the development of community capacities for the valorization of local, cultural, agricultural resources , ecological and landscape, through an active tourism model that improves the tourist offer and the increase of resilience for the sector in face of climate change in the lower middle basin of the Tempisque river for the period 2023 to 2025.
According to José Andrés Barrantes, academic and extensionist from Cemede, “the proposal promotes an articulated process in which local-based organizations and SMEs from the lower middle basin of the Tempisque river participate, such as the Loma Larga Agroecotourism Association, ADI de Bolsón, INProTUR, Danissa Tours and etnotourismTempisque Adventure”.
In addition, it contemplates actions with the Cipancí wildlife refuge, as part of the Tempisque Conservation Area, the Municipality of Santa Cruz, as a local government, and the support of two non-governmental organizations: LarutadelClima and the Geographic Foundation of Costa Rica. In this regard, the Municipal Council of Santa Cruz has already issued an official unanimous pronouncement, through which it agrees to support this proposal.
Project execution
The execution of this proposal will be developed in five phases: Characterization of the context of the area and its tourist resources, Promotion of community capacities in the key actors, awareness and education on good environmental practices and climate actions, Promotion of actions aimed at the sustainability of environmental and climate actions and systematization.
Making the population literate in cultural richness and biodiversity
Tonny Ruiz, administrator of the Cipancí wildlife refuge, highlighted the importance of making the population literate in several areas proposed by the project, and thus better expose the cultural richness and biodiversity of the communities. “The middle and lower basins of Tempisque are a source of employment and development due to the offer of tourist and agri-food services; that is to say, projects like these come to correct the deficiencies of the sector, as well as to train better for ecosystem protection and development of the towns”.
According to Ruiz, the Tempisque estuary is visited by about 15,000 tourists per year and although this allows many people to generate resources. There are still those who need tools to take the step in the processes of integration into the local economy and contribute to the economic recovery of the area.
“Expectations are high, since they are based on working with people who want their towns to develop in the best way and expect an incentive to continue advancing in community processes and protection of nature,” Ruiz concluded.
