Entrance to Pavón Grande Finca

This unique parcel of lush tropical rainforest is located in San Carlos, near the San Carlos River, the second largest and navigable river in the country. This area is a lowland equatorial evergreen rainforest zone in Northern Costa Rica, 5 hours from San Jose.

 185 hectares of the property are within the border of the Maquenque National Reserve of Mixed Wildlife. This is a biological corridor connecting the incredibly diverse ecosystems of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, and facilitates the passage of wildlife from Nicaragua to La Amistad National Park in the South of Costa Rica.

 Rainforests are a vital source of life and healing to the world. Not do they provide an estimated 40% of the oxygen in our atmosphere, but also food and shelter for half the planet’s animal and plant species. The forests are known the “world’s largest pharmacy” providing rich source of plants which are the origin of a quarter of modern medicines.

 This precious piece of land  has a great potential for a return on investment in the form of capital appreciation and Carbon Credits. The oxygen-producing capacity of this forest is enormous and the value of Carbon Credits continues to rise in a world of dwindling natural resources.

 This purchase would be ideal for an individual, a corporation, or a group of people splitting the cost of investing in the conservation of the rainforest. 

Possible uses

Any investor must be aware development of the land is possible but only under the conditions of the forest conservation contract, meaning that no trees would be cut without permission.

•  Sustainable eco-adventure tourism project using this location within the Maquenque National Reserve of Mixed Wildlife and the San Carlos River is prefect for an eco-retreat and river tours. Tourism is Costa Rica’s most profitable economic activity.
• Corporate Social Responsibility. The purchase of this land by a corporation would be a great way to offset their carbon emissions, conserve biodiversity and the rainforest. 

Access

Environmental Importance

Formed in 2005 the Maquenque National Reserve covers 30,000 hectares (300 km2) between the mouths of the rivers San Carlos and Sarapiqui. It is the last area of natural forest and wetlands between Nicaragua and Costa Rica.  

 Starting in 2001, the San Juan-La Selva Biological Corridor was established as an area of environmental importance and a conservation strategy was developed to halt the disappearance of the Great Green Macaw and the Almendro Tree.  This land is a nesting area for the gigantic, majestic bird known in Spanish as Lapa Verde, the endangered Almendro trees grow in profusion here alongside with other endangered tropical hardwood trees, many of them hundreds of years old. Jaguars, other wild cats, tapirs, monkeys and wide variety of birds inhabit this forest. A large tributary of San Carlos River crosses through the property, and is navigable by kayak or canoe. It is the perfect place to observe the rich and diverse variety of wildlife supported by the humid tropical rainforest.

 Environmental Incentives

Costa Rica’s government proposes the country will become first carbon-neutral nation by protecting and expanding its forests and is granting landowners a monthly payment to conserve the trees.  The government agency Fonafifo (www.fonafifo.com) pays around $20,000.00 per year for the conservation of this piece of land.  Three Fonafifo contracts have been awarded to the land, one of has been renewed this year in 2009, and in 2010 the other two will be up for renewal. Each contract is good for 5 years.

 Globally the ultimate goal is to neutralize the amount of potentially life threatening green house gases emitted by fossil fuels. The main causes of these emissions are electricity usage, transportation and manufacturing industries. Governments and corporations are funding projects such as reforestation and forest conservation, which should help reduce emissions elsewhere on the planet. These projects compensate CO2 emissions and green house gases through renewable energy and energy efficiency, this is know as carbon emissions offsetting

 Costa Rica is one of the few countries that have pledged to be fully carbon neutral before 2030.  Traveling through the centre of the polluted Capital San José you would be forgiven for questioning if this pledge really has been put into practice. However, according to the United Nations Costa Rica has a head start; in 2003 the country produced roughly 1.5 tonnes of carbon per person, compared to close to 10 tonnes in Norway, one of the other few countries aiming towards carbon neutrality.

 The Payment for Environmental Services Program (ESPP) constitutes a financial recognition by the State, through FONAFIFO. This payment is granted to forest and plantation owners for the environmental services they render, which directly affect the protection and improvement of the environment.

According to Costa Rica’s Forestry Law No. 7575, defines the following environmental services:

• Mitigation of gases produced by the greenhouse effect,
• Protection of water for urban, rural or hydroelectric purposes.
• Protection of biodiversity for conservation,
• Sustainable, scientific and pharmaceutical uses.
• Research and genetic improvement.
• Protection of ecosystems and life forms, including natural scenic beauty for tourism and scientific purposes.

These funds are donated by diverse sources such as proceeds from taxes on fuel, grants from international banks and aid agencies, and a beer company concerned about water quality. Carbon credits are earned by purchasing land on which trees are growing, over time this land pull carbon from the air to produce wood, which theoretically stays in the rainforest for centuries.

Country profile 

Costa Rica is an upper middle-income country with about 4.5 million people and a GDP per capita of $5,800 (2007), It has been one of the most stable democracies in Latin America – with relatively strong public institutions and peaceful transitions of power since 1949.

Poverty and inequality are much lower in Costa Rica than the average for Latin America and Central America, and social indicators are generally much stronger than comparable countries in the region and worldwide. Situated between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south, Costa Rica has two ocean coasts, the Pacific and the Caribbean.  With a land area of only 51,100 km2 (0.03% of the planet´s surface) and 589,000 km2 of territorial waters, Costa Rica is considered to be one of the 20 countries with greatest biodiversity in the world. The +500,000 species found in this small country represent nearly 4% of the total species estimated worldwide (Inbio).  It rains almost every day of the year, making it lush and abundant; in this region the minimum annual rainfall is between 1,750  (69 in) and 2,000 millimetres (79 in). Mean monthly temperatures exceed 18 °C (64 °F) throughout the year.

 A little over 25 % of Costa Rican territory is covered by a protection plan. To complement national efforts to create a legal framework for biodiversity conservation, Costa Rica has signed and ratified various international and regional agreements, including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the CITES agreement that regulates the trade in endangered species, and the Wetlands or RAMSAR Convention, among many others.