CONSERVATION FEE
Pacuare Lodge and Lapa Rios were conceived as vehicles for greater goals: conserving unique, valuable natural areas that serve as crucial corridors for species between the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Central America. These areas face pressures from population growth, poverty in surrounding communities, and lack of environmental education, which challenge peaceful coexistence with wildlife.
Biodiversity Protection: Together, these lodges protect 1,875 acres of pristine rainforest, essential for the movement of species across ecosystems.
Lapa Rios’s Impact: Started over 25 years ago on 1,000 acres, Lapa Rios addressed local challenges like wildlife hunting, deforestation, and illegal mining through initiatives such as environmental education, wildlife health monitoring, and job creation. Today, the lodge directly employs 75 community members and indirectly supports about 200 people.
Conservation Achievements: The reserve hosts eight jaguars and other wild cat species like jaguarundi, ocelot, margay, puma, and oncilla. Environmental awareness in local communities has significantly improved.
Community Engagement: Initiatives like the Lapa Rios Naturalist Guide School provide local youth with opportunities in eco-tourism, reducing migration from the area.
Ongoing Threats: Challenges persist, including gold mining, habitat loss due to agriculture, and the need for expanded wildlife monitoring and environmental education.
Conservation Fee: This initiative is groundbreaking in the Costa Rica ecotourism industry. The fee represents less than 1% of the typical total amount invested by guests in their vacation. The Conservation Fee is $25 per person, per stay (not per night). For example, a couple would pay $50 as a Conservation Fee during their stay, and a family of 2 adults and 2 children would pay $100. Transparent periodic reports about the supported projects encourage many guests to contribute even more to the Fund.
Projects Supported: Efforts include replicating jaguar conservation, supporting park ranger roles, promoting environmental education, establishing a recycling center, and planning a research station at Lapa Rios.
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• Replicating the Jaguar Conservation Effort in the Corcovado National Park area and its influence regions.
• Financing a number of office clerks at the Park Ranger headquarters. Currently there are Park Rangers carrying out administrative tasks as opposed to remaining in the field for patrolling purposes. This has allowed for the threatening human activities to find grounds for execution with Little opposition.
• Supporting constant environmental education lectures and workshops in Elementary Schools.
• Recycling Center in Puerto Jiménez: a Project to support both women enterpreneurship and the reduction of waste in the local communities.
• Future Lab Station: we intend to develop a research station within the property in the near future. This would include hosting interns from universities for research purposes; keeping collections of species samples from the forest; documentation of wildlife behaviour, etc.
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