Annual budget: ¢ 100.000 (colones)
Major donors:
- Fundación de los árboles de Holanda
- Unión Mundial para la Naturaleza (UICN)
- Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
- Fondo para el Medio Ambiente Mundial/Programa de Pequeñas Donaciones-Costa Rica
Objectives:
- Regain land held by persons or groups that do not belong to our indigenous group. Secure the land for future generations to live without destroying the primary forest and to protect it for future generations.
- Improve the quality of life of the inhabitants of our territory through the sustainable use of resources.
Description of the area where organization works:
Kekoldi Indigeneous Reserve is located in the Talamanca region in the province of Limón, Costa Rica, 5 kilometers from Puerto Viejo in the southern part of the country, close to the Panamanian border. The highest point in the reserve is 280 meters above sea level.
Memberships:
Only community members can apply for membership. A letter expressing interest in membership must be addressed to the organization. Memberships are approved by the general assembly.
Number of members: 50 members
Projects:
- Iguana Farm and Scientific Observation Tower
Summary: Wak (owner) Ka (site or territory) koneke (caretakers) is a Bribri indigenous organization located in the Talamanca region of the province of Limón. The organization owns the Kekoldi Reserve (caretakers of the land of Kekoldi) where they have constructed a platform to watch migratory birds and a scientific observation tower. The project also includes components such as a farm that breeds the green iguana for release into the wild, important primary and secondary forests; reforestation of timber products, medicinal plants, and fruit trees; and plantations of palm, pejibaye and cacao. Tours to the bird observation platform and the iguana farm are conducted by bilingual guides. Handicrafts made from natural fibers are sold. The reserve is classified as the prime site in the world for the observation of migratory raptors. Up to three million were counted during the Northern Hemisphere fall season. The project is part of the Red de Ecoturismo de Talamanca (Talamanca Ecotourism Network).
Principal accomplishments:
- Purchase of 140 hectares of primary forest and farmland (cacao farm).
- Breeding of more than 20,000 iguanas (an endangered species) since our work has begun.
Volunteers:
Volunteers work is available in the following areas:
- Monitoring the migration of raptors. We are currently in the fourth consecutive year of work and have placed second in the world for counting more than three million birds.
- Upkeep of the green iguana nursery and research.
- Construction of community works.
Publications:
Our organization was included in the new guide for rural community tourism thanks to the support and collaboration of the Small Grants Program of Costa Rica.
