Travel with Conscience

Costa Rica Projects

Sarapiqui Conservation and Learning Center – Linking Community and Conservation Through Education and Ecotourism

SCLC is a non-profit organization working to link communities and conservation through education and ecotourism in the Sarapiqui region of Costa Rica’s northern lowlands. It focuses its efforts in 4 areas: environmental education, community development, conservation and tourism.

A visit to the center offers in depth private one-on-one meetings with the center’s staff who will describe their social and environmental programs including field ecology, reforestation, and recycling projects. Delve further into the local culture and take a Spanish cooking or Latin Dance class.

You will have the opportunity to see first hand how support for local projects contributes to the health of the community.

Join the center’s efforts in these areas by:

• Help local schools provide education material, supplies – currently we are searching for funding to install a sidewalk. The lack of one currently poses a major hazard to children walking alongside the road to school. Contact us for a complete school wish list.
• Sponsor a child’s education through the scholarship program.
• Buy plants to be reforested in a biological corridor- visit a local farm in communities that neighbor a private reserves and help in planting native trees on the property. If you like, you can help plant them yourself or even better, invite a local school to join you.
• Help fund the conservation center itself to continue doing the important work they are doing to preserve Costa Rica…contact us for their specific wish list.

Please note that this is a wonderful place to bring children should you have the opportunity to travel with them. We can make special arrangements to involve them in school and reforestation efforts.

Punta Islita Model for Sustainable Tourism

Hotel Punta Islita has pioneered a Responsible Tourism program that encourages the preservation of local cultures and rational use of natural resources. A tour of this program is more of a tutorial in how tourism can truly be symbiotic with preservation of local culture and heritage and economic development of communities surrounding tourist destination. A visit to this hotel is support in itself for such an incredible project that can be used as a model for Sustainable Tourism worldwide.

The surrounding towns and villages have been infused with enthusiasm and a sense of self-determination. The optimism that accompanies this mindset has inspired community leaders to undertake successful projects.

Many of these initiatives are important "regional firsts" and include a public library, a composting station, and a recycling program

Copaza – Manuel Antonio