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Annual budget:$100,000
Major donors:
- Beneficio Palmichal, Costa Rica
- Colegio de Tabarcia, Costa Rica.
- Fondo Canje Deuda Costa Rica Canadá
- Fundecooperación, Países Bajos-Costa Rica
- Instituto Mixto de Ayuda Social (IMAS), Costa Rica
- Instituto Nacional de Aprendizaje (INA), Costa Rica
- JAVA Trading Co.
- Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería (MAG), Costa Rica.
- Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía (MINAE), Costa Rica
- Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social, Costa Rica.
- Municipalidad de Acosta, Costa Rica.
- Municipalidad de Mora, Costa Rica.
- Municipalidad de Puriscal, Costa Rica.
- Programa de Pequeñas Donaciones (PPD), Costa Rica - Fondo para el Medio Ambiente Mundial
Objectives:
Develop the Nacientes Palmichal sub-watershed as a sustainable model for the conservation and protection of natural resources, with special emphasis on the water resources of the Negro and Tabarcia Rivers to safeguard the water supply for the population, agricultural production, and industry of the Acosta, Mora, and Puriscal counties.
Specific goals:
- Support education and carry out training to attain a harmonious relationship with the environment.
- Maximize the use of the watershed’s natural resources in terms of agro-ecology, environment, economics, and culture through rural community tourism.
- Improve the use of natural resources and in particular the use of water.
- Enlist greater participation from private and public institutions, the beneficiaries, and the municipalities of Acosta, Mora, and Puriscal, to strengthen the planning and implementation of programs in the watershed.
- Improve the quality of life of the inhabitants through the rational and sustainable use of soils, water, and forests.
- Enlarge the Nacientes Palmichal hydric reserve to protect the aquifer layers and biodiversity.
Description of the area where organization works:
The Negro and Tabarcia Rivers watershed is a top priority for the Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (National Water and Sewer Institute). This area provides an important source of water for the Santiago de Puriscal and Ciudad Colón aqueducts, and the nearby communities of Tabarcia de Mora, Corralar de Mora, Piedras Blancas de Mora, and Palmichal de Acosta, providing water to more than 40,000 people. This is a critical area because it represents the last source of water for these communities.
The sub-watershed provides water for households and businesses such as poultry and pig farms and coffee processing farms within the community and the region. The superficial water catchment is very important for the region because it supplies water for nearly 40,000 people. Acueductos y Alcantarillados (National Sewer and Water Institute) is responsible for supplying water to the districts of Ciudad Colón and Santiago de Puriscal. The administrative associations of the Palmichal aqueducts supply water to Piedra Blanca, Bajo de Loaiza, and Tabarcia.
Asociación Administradora del Agua de Palmichal (Palmichal Water Administration Association) has indicated that there has been a reduction in the flow of springs and, as a result, there has been a decline in aquatic species such as shrimp and fish.
A large part of the Quitirrisí Indigenous Reserve, located within the Negro and Tabarcia Rivers watershed, must be incorporated within the work plans of the ADESSARU. The population of the reserve needs training in environmental management and the development of productive projects such as agro-ecotourism.
The ADESSARU rural tourism project aims to generate income sources for the local population. As well, the project will heighten awareness on the proper use of natural resources and train the population to provide quality services to generate tourism. Small business ventures such as the sale of food and crafts to tourists will support the local economy. To encourage the participation of indigenous and non-indigenous women, training will be provided on sustainable production and service-oriented activities, human relations, and small business management. The goal is to provide women, particularly from the low-income sector, with opportunities to take an active part in the economy of the watershed region.
In the short term, ADESSARU plans to create more jobs that will make better use of natural resources by harmonizing economic and environmental concerns as well as promoting respect for the ecosystems.
Legal framework:
ADESSARU is legally constituted under Law 218 of the Registry of Associations in the Public Registry under Executive Decree No. 17653-J dated 29 July 1996. ADESSARU holds legal identification no. 3-002-190222 dated 26 August 1996 in the National Registry.
Memberships:
A request must be made to the board of directors of the organization.
Benefits of membership:
- Protect resources for the Greater Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica.
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Protect the resources of the Negro and Tabarcia Rivers, which supply water to 45,000 residents of the Acosta, Mora, and Puriscal districts.
- Promote sustainable initiatives for communities.
- Participate in conservation and education activities.
- Use our facilities.
Number of members: 57
Projects:
- Protection of the Nacientes Palmichal Watershed: Negro and Tabarcia Rivers
Summary: This project aspires to promote environmentally clean activities in which the local population can get involved, including responsible ecotourism, education, and training to promote adequate resource use among the people who live in the watershed (Tabarcia and Palmichal communities), as well as the watershed’s beneficiaries (water consumers in the Mora and Puriscal communities).
- Nacientes Palmichal: Rural Community Tourism
Summary: Nacientes Palmichal is located in the Negro and Tabarcia River micro-watershed in one of the last remnants of primary cloud forest in central Costa Rica. This area harbors 20% of Costa Rica’s species of flora and fauna, and 16% of animal and avian species. Within a short walking distance, several different micro-climates can be found at elevations from 800 to 1,650 meters above sea level. At 1,300 meters above sea level, Nacientes Palmichal has a temperate climate with temperatures that fluctuate between 59 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit (15 to 25 degrees Celsius). Nacientes Palmichal is set within a lush 104 acre (42-hectare) reserve that shelters centuries-old trees, and the Tabarcia River flows placidly through the forest. Walking on the low-impact trails that stretch over 1,100 meters, a hiker can enjoy the pristine river and streams and marvel at the vegetation and local fauna.
- Management of and Benefits from Organic Waste from Small Pig Farms in the Generation of Bio-gas and Bio-fertilizer through Construction of Bio-digestors
Summary: This project aimed to use organic waste, produced by the small pig farms in the area, to produce methane gas that can be used as an energy source for such diverse uses as cooking food, electricity, lighting, and more. In the towns of Mora, Acosta, Puriscal and Turrubares, located in the province of San José, Costa Rica, the raising and reproduction of pigs is a very important economic activity. There are approximately 30,000 pigs in the region.
Principal accomplishments:
1 . Developed the “Strategic Plan for the Sustainable Development of the Negro and Tabarcia Rivers Watershed” in 2001 in conjunction with producers, neighbors, municipalities, and institutions, and in coordination with the Instituto Interamericano de Ciencias Agrícolas (Interamerican Institute of Agricultural Sciences). This plan establishes the steps towards the sustainable human development of the watershed (survey, vision, mission, policies, programs, and projects).
2. Received a donation from Empresa Beneficio Palmichal “Group Neumann” of 104-acres (42 hectares) in the upper watershed of Nacientes Palmichal. Work is being carried out to dedicate this area as a wildlife refuge and for water production.
3. Constructed an environmental center, a three-story building that includes lodging for 50 people, an environmental classroom, and a restaurant. The center is used for environmental education programs and rural tourism as well as by students from the watershed and abroad, representatives from public and private organizations, and groups of national and international tourists.
4. Carried out a pilot project to build biodigesters in the counties of San José Rural (Acosta, Mora, Puriscal, and Turrubares), funded by Fundecooperación, that consists of producing biogas and biofertilizer using organic waste from small pig farms. This project was awarded the national energy prize in the innovations category for 2001 by the Chamber of Commerce and the Ministry of Environment and Energy.
5. Updated the first strategic plan, with support from IICA (Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture), for the sustainable development of the watershed for 2006 – 2010. This plan includes five programs that include projects, consultancies, and publications on the following topics:
- Environmental education.
- Sustainable production systems.
- Development and conservation of water resources.
- Rural community tourism.
- Children and youth.
6. Helped form various groups and micro-businesses:
- Artesanas de Palmichal is a micro-business for women trained in the production of articles made from bamboo. They participated in the third rural community tourism fair in 2003.
- The group “Robles Victoriosos” is developing an agreement with the Asociación de Empresarios para el Desarrollo (Entrepreneurs for Development Association) to provide training in schools located in marginalized areas of San José.
- Fogoncito de Barro is a women’s group dedicated to the sale of food in Corralar de Mora.
- A youth group is being formed for training, production, and sale of organic produce in protected environments.
- A project for families is being developed for the production and sale of trout.
- Don Manuel’s farm is being used to produce tilapia, organic fruit, and ESTABULADO.
7. Achieved the following in community organization and coordination with government institutions:
- ADESSARU was granted public utility status for its public service work by the President of the Republic and the Ministry of Justice, registered as Decree no. 30087-J and published in Gazette # 13 of January 18, 2002.
- Signed agreements for cooperation:
- Between ADESSARU and the Ministry of Environment and Energy in November 2002 for watershed protection, education, payment of environmental services, and the protection of biodiversity.
- With the Asociación para el Desarrollo Integral de la Reserva Indígena de Quitirrisí (Association of Integral Development of the Quitirrisí Indigenous Reserve) for environmental education and the promotion of tourism for the indigenous population.
- Between ADESSARU and the municipalities of Acosta, Mora, and Puriscal on 21 March 2003 to protect the watershed of the Negro and Tarbarcia Rivers.
- At the end of 2004, the contingency plan for the Nacientes Palmichal watershed, presented to the Consejo Nacional de Agua (National Water Council), resulted in the approval of the creation of the council for the Nacientes Palmichal sub-watershed as a means of legally endorsing the work plan.
- Created the Comité Nacientes Palmichal, comprised of members from the municipalities of Acosta, Mora, and Puriscal; the Ministries of Environment and Energy, Agriculture, and Health of the Mora and Puriscal counties; the Instituto Nacional de Aprendizaje (National Training Institute) of Mora; and the Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (National Water and Sewer Institute) of the Environmental and Regional Management Bureau of Puriscal.
- Generated experiences that have been useful for groups of women, associations, and foundations.
- Enlisted the support of most of the users of the watershed resources including civil society, institution representatives, and municipalities.
- Coordinated a housing project for 21 families in the Palmichal watershed who live along the Tabarcia River in shanty houses without bathroom facilities. Land for the project has been purchased by the Emergency Commission and the files of the families have been presented to the Fundación para la Vivienda Rural Costa Rica Canadá (Costa Rica-Canada Rural Housing Foundation). The project is currently in the approval phase with government housing agencies to obtain the building permits.
8. Training and Environmental Education:
- Built a training and environmental conservation center for education and formal and informal training on protection, organic production, waste management, and organic fertilizer. The center has been used by more than 450 people (youth, women, and men).
- Held training courses for farmers coordinated by the Instituto Nacional de Aprendizaje (National Training Institute) and the Ministerio de Agricultura (Ministry of Agriculture).
- Promoted environmentally-friendly activities.
- Trained 1,200 students in watershed protection; 150 pig farmers in the sustainable management of small farms; 25 people in tourism; 50 in organic agriculture; 45 in organic fertilizer; 20 in production of organic produce in protected environments; 21 homemakers in cooking for micro-businesses; 12 homemakers in crafts made from bamboo; 40 in English; and 18 in orchid management.
- Requested and obtained funds for scholarships to help children and youth in formal and informal studies.
9. Reforestation:
- Established a nursery of native and fruit trees and a vegetable garden. The seedlings have been planted mainly in the deforested areas along rivers, streams, and recharge areas of the water sources. A total of 50 acres (30 hectares) have been reforested. The remaining trees are sold to the producers to ensure food security and generate additional income for the families.
- The San Pablo school is starting up a nursery that is part of a project drawn up by the community of Palmichal.
10. Success
- At its meeting on 15 June 2002, the Acosta municipal council, with wide representation from the municipalities of Mora and Puriscal, recognized “… the work and efforts that the Asociación para el Desarrollo Sostenible de San José Rural has been carrying out over the past 10 years for the conservation of natural resources and environmental education in coordination with municipalities, public and private institutions, and international and local organizations.”
- IICA considers the work carried out by ADESSARU a success and has offered technical support. IICA is currently presenting ADESSARU and its projects to the international community.
- In 2006, the Foundation for Environmental Participatory Management (Fundación para la Gestión Ambiental Participativa – FUNGAP-Grupo Antigua) conducted the project “Successful Experiences in Environmental Participatory Management of Wetlands of the Americas” that analyzed 45 projects to determine the most successful project based on socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental factors, as well as organization, sustainability, outreach, participation, and gender. In 2005, Nacientes Palmichal was selected as one of the 15 most successful projects in Latin America for integrating sustainability and social factors in the management of natural resources and improvement of the quality of life of the population. Its work has facilitated the dissemination of management tools that have been used successfully for conservation and the improvement of the quality of life and can be replicated for similar projects in other regions (FUNGAP-Grupo Antigua, Page 15).
11. Formed the Palmichal Springs Watershed Council (Consejo de Cuenca Nacientes Palmichal) for the Negro and Tabarcia Rivers with local organizations; the municipalities of Acosta, Mora, and Puriscal; the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock; the Ministry of the Environment; Aqueducts and Sewers; and the Housing and Urbanization Institute (INVU) to create a sustainability plan for the watershed.
Volunteers:
Volunteer opportunities are available in:
- Nursery upkeep.
- Reforestation campaigns.
- Environmental education in schools and communities.
- Teaching English as a second language.
- Garden and medical plant gardens.
- Agro-ecology inventories.
- Trail building.
- Green area maintenance.
- Homestays with families to learn about the culture.
- Teaching musical instruments and song.
The availability of volunteer work is subject to organizational capacity and the capabilities of the applicant.
Publications:
English | Español
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