Do you know why water has always been a key part of the story of the Sustainability Demonstration Center?
It started in 2012, when Alexander and Veronica bought a farm in the quaint little town of Guacimal in the outskirts of the Monteverde mountains. They wanted to grow their own food and live amidst the beauty of nature by a river.
However, their quiet life did not last long.
Soon after they moved, the townspeople informed them about a large-scale irrigation project that threatened the Veracruz River, a pristine ecosystem, and asked for their help. They did not know it at the time, but their decision to become involved to save the river was actually the beginning of the creation of the Sustainability Demonstration Center.
To organize a resistance movement, the town needed a safe and suitable place to hold large meetings. The Casona, which means "big house," as it was called, had been empty for over three decades. Alex and Veronica took a leap of faith that finances would come in time and went ahead and signed to acquire the property. The Casona became the new meeting place for the community in 2014 as they worked together to protect the river and water resources.
If you stop by today, you will see that the Casona has become a hybrid between an educational and community center. It now brings together visitors from all over the world who come to help, learn, enjoy Costa Rican culture, and interact with locals, making the Center an interesting and exciting place to be!
The community has been protesting large corporations trying to take the water from the pristine Veracruz River. The Center has been very involved in supporting the locals in this endeavor, which entails coordination with national and international institutions, writing letters and emails, traveling, protesting along with locals on the streets in Puntarenas and San Jose, advocating for those who have been affected legally, contacting the media and much more.
This video, “Puntarenas: comunidades organizadas por la defensa del agua / Puntarenas: organized communities in defense of water,” is a great way to learn more about what is happening in Guacimal as well as many places in Costa Rica and around the world. Check out the video by clicking here.
This video report includes cases of several communities, including Santa Rosa de Guacimal, Sardinal de Puntarenas, and the town of Guacimal, where the Sustainability Demonstration Center is located. Community members continue striving to protect the River Veracruz that runs through the town and provides the precious resource of water to its inhabitants and flora and fauna that thrive in this part of the watershed.
With the objective to find solutions to problems regarding water
and watershed management, various communities of the Central Canton of
Puntarenas organized themselves to strive for a just distribution for common
well-being. In May of 2015, the Alliance for the Defense of Hydrologic
Resources was formed to defend the basic right to have a sufficient quantity
and quality of water for meeting needs. The Center has been co-founder and faithful supporter of the Alliance for the Defense of Water in Puntarenas Province and continues to promote action through this informal organization of more than 20 rural communities.
Among the actions of the Alliance was the work to prioritize
the use of water sources for human consumption, knowing that this is a key part
of guaranteeing the healthy and quality of life of these populations,
especially as environmental degradation of watersheds and climate change
continue to impact lives in the Central Pacific zone.
The efforts to protect water resources and the river for the people, community, and the environment continues! If you are interested in finding out more about the river issues or getting involved, please send us an email at sdccostarica@gmail.com or stop by the Center!
