Climate Action Costa Rica Project #4901

Helping the Olive Ridley Turtles, Costa Rica

by La Reserva Forest Foundation

Project Report | Apr 28, 2010
A Bittersweet Ending

By Roberta Ward Smiley | Founder and President of LRFF

So long from the group at Ostional Beach

A short note to let those of you who donated to this great project that it has been taken off of the LRFF's project list.

Wendy Cruz, the owner of the Lora Hills property, informed us on the 25th of April that the bank holding the mortgage on the property will foreclose and evict her from the property shortly.

Wendy's parents were both killed in a fatal automobile accident last October, leaving her this beautiful property at Playa Ostional in Costa Rica. They were in the process of building a few small condominium complexes for tourist rentals but were killed during the process. They had taken out a large loan to accomplish this work. Wendy's mother always vowed to preserve the 19 hectare piece of forest that was on the property, figuring that the rental of the condos would offset the non-use of this lowland tropical forest.

Wendy has been working with us ever since last November when she contacted us for help. There is some good news, here, though. She says that a new group is interested in operating a Biomarine Station there. This means that the forest will be preserved.

We will not forget about Wendy Cruz's magnificent forest. She has promised that she will keep us updated on the status there. She is an active member of the local Turtle Conservation group at Ostional.

Thank you all for your generosity. I'm sorry it didn't work out.

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Mar 15, 2010
The Olive Ridley Sea Turtles And Their Caretakers

By Roberta Ward Smiley | President and Founder, LRFF

Members of the Ostional community

This project is very interesting. On our project page there isn’t enough space to tell you this story, about how a community of people have cared for and increased the survival rate of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) an endangered species. The Olive Ridley Turtle refuge at Playa Ostional in Costa Rica is where this story takes place. For almost 30 years now the residents await the nesting time that occurs during the waning moon of September. 1 million to 1½ million female turtles come up on the beach to lay their eggs. When the “arribada” comes to town the town gets down to the beach. The people are allowed to gather the eggs that are laid in the first two days and for only 800 meters of the beach. This ensures that only eggs that would be destroyed by the turtles themselves in the subsequent 9 days of nesting are harvested. Since this program began the population of the turtles has been increasing due to the application of this system. This group, the Asociación de Desarollo Integral de Ostional (ADIO), cleans the beach, acts as guides for tourists visiting the refuge, plants trees in the area and are active in all areas of sustaining a clean environment. The town only received electric lights in 1996. Simply put, there is a symbiotic relationship going on down there. After posting this project on Global Giving and announcing it to all of our supporters, within 20 minutes, our friend, Paul Hynek from Giant Studios had already “kick started” the project with his donation. Thank you Paul. One other donation has been received so let’s keep this old motor running, eh. It is a very inexpensive and worthwhile project to get up this year. This coming Tuesday, March 16th, Global Giving will be matching all donations by 30% up to $1000 per donor. Here is our opportunity to get this project funded. COME ON EVERYBODY, LET’S GET PLANTING!!

A hen laying her eggs

Laying on the hands

Links:

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