ABOUT THE BIOREGION

The Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, containing 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity and inspiring National Geographic magazine to call it “the most biologically intense place on Earth.” The peninsula features one of the longest remaining undeveloped primary rainforests and largest mangrove wetlands on the pacific coast in Central America. The Golfo Dulce Bay is one of four tropical fjords in the world and the calving grounds of both the southern hemisphere and northern pacific humpback whales. Within its rich rainforest and coastal zones, Costa Rican culture, indigenous populations, and archeological sites reside.

Historically, the Osa Peninsula has been one of the most remote and less traveled places of Costa Rica, which has protected its abundant wildlife and culture. This is changing. In the past five years there has been increased interest in the peninsula for mass development and tourism projects, which threatens the rich biodiversity and culture that sets it apart from other regions of Costa Rica. Without proper institutional infrastructure and planning in place, these activities could lead to significant damage to the Osa's ecosystem and local culture.

In addition to this, 35% of the local population lives in severe poverty, which in turn threatens the terrestrial and marine ecosystems, as people resort to any possible means to make a living, often at the expense of the ecological wealth. Without regenerative alternatives, people have turned to destructive practices such as deforestation, poaching, mining, unsustainable agriculture, prostitution, and other illegal activities, and often end up selling their land to developers, leaving irreversible effects on the ecosystem and communities.

Over the past eight years, alongside this looming threat of unsustainable development, a powerful local movement to design a regenerative economy that protects and enhances the environment, creates health and wellbeing for communities and strengthens the cultural identity of the people has emerged in the Osa Peninsula. A major reflection of this was the collaborative creation and use of the “Regenerative Osa Systems Map”, led by a diverse group of local leaders and a US based NGO, Regenerative Earth, in 2015. Following this was the creation of the Strategic Development Center of the Osa Peninsula (CEDPO), a partnership between the Institute of Rural Development (INDER), The Osa Territory Council (CTDR), and Regenerative Earth.

THE BIOREGIONAL PROJECT HISTORY

A major asset for the Osa Peninsula is that it has a government agency, INDER (Institute of Rural Development) whose sole purpose is to assist with regional development projects. However, the capital resources of INDER are not being fully utilized as many critical projects that address poverty, conservation, and sustainable livelihoods are deemed too high risk and lacking in the appropriate technical and social capacity to receive funding. This has rendered this valuable, accessible, local source of financing as underutilized. This is also the case with Costa Rican and International Foundations and investment groups who seek to fund regenerative projects in the Osa Peninsula. Without proper support to strengthen the existing technical and social capacity, regional leaders and their potential projects may not be able to generate the critical momentum and financial backing needed to succeed in this ambitious journey.

In addition to this, another major asset for the Osa Peninsula is the Osa Territorial Council, a council made up of 60% civic representation and 40% government representation with an elected representative from every community, indigenous territory, and local government agency within the Osa Territory. This governance body is responsible for creating the Osa Territorial Development Plan and selecting the projects that INDER funds. Many of these projects are the ones that INDER is not able to fund due to a lack of capacity. Through a cohesive governance body representing the diverse voices of the Osa Peninsula, the Osa Territorial Council carries the collective vision and action plan for the future of the Peninsula, providing national and international funders in the region a pathway to collaborate around a locally driven vision and plan.

Due to the above mentioned INDER, in 2020, requested that the Regenerative Earth team co-design and implement a capacity strengthening program, the Strategic Development Center of the Osa Peninsula, to strengthen the governance body of the Osa Territorial Council, develop a systems-based criteria for project selection, and develop and de-risk projects to greatly increase the quantity and quality of projects INDER and other investors can fund, to promote sustainable livelihoods based on the protection of biodiversity and preservation of local culture for this globally-significant region.