Nectandra Institute

Nectandra Institute carries out its work in the San Carlos watershed of Costa Rica (outlined in map to the right). While nearly one-fifth of its 300,000 hectares is under environmental protection, the remaining four-fifths are undergoing intense, rapid, and largely unregulated land use changes.

We have partnered with communities of the upper Balsa River watershed within the greater San Carlos River basin. These communities are highly motivated to protect and restore the area’s forests in order to improve protection for their sources of potable water. Our strategy is to stimulate and support communal efforts leading towards scientifically sound conservation practices within and around the watershed.

Our Programs

Education Relying on the urgency to protect our sources of clean water, our strategy is to stimulate and support communal efforts leading towards scientifically sound conservation practices within and around the San Carlos River watershed. Given the cloud forests’ role as a critical source of clean, freshwater, we hope to rally people around biodiversity conservation by simultaneously enlisting their help with watershed restoration.

Conservation Land ownership in Costa Rica does not include water rights, which belong to the State. Most rural communities gain access to water, be it from springs or wells, through legal concessions for their water on private properties. Many communities form legally constituted associations to administer, manage and service their water supply, often with no outside assistance. Many of these associations do not own the properties where the springs are located, nor the corresponding watersheds or groundwater recharge areas, which may be pastures or agricultural land.

Advocacy Nectandra Institute actively participates in regional and municipal planning commissions. We facilitate meetings and encourage collaboration among water management associations, community leaders, conservation organizations, large water users such as hydroelectric companies, and various government ministries concerned with environmental issues of the region.

Support Nectandra

As a publicly-supported educational organization, Nectandra Institute relies on broad public support in order to keep its tax-exempt status. We cannot depend on just a few donors, or occasional grants. The officers and other interested parties also cannot largely support the Institute; excessive contributions from a few people will result in the revocation of its tax-exempt status. Even if you cannot make a large donation, every gift is important to the Institute, and is very much appreciated!

Thank you for your collaboration.

About Our Preserve

Nectandra Cloud Forest Preserve is a horticultural display garden landscaped to exhibit the immense richness of the flora and fauna of Costa Rica. The premontane cloud forest of this region has one the highest density of species in the world, where, as naturalist Ken Miyata described in his book titled Tropical Nature, “Rare species are common, and common species are rare.”