Guests who stay at the Center itself or at one of the rental cabins directly support the initiatives at the Center and the community. If you are interested in visiting and staying with us, please let us know!
For more information about the Sustainability Demonstration Center, check out our website: sustainablecostarica.org
COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS AT THE SUSTAINABILITY DEMONSTRATION CENTER!
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Native Tree Nursery: The Center houses a tree nursery of over 6,000 trees in conjunction with the Costa Rican Conservation Foundation. These trees are given away freely primarily for reforestation efforts around water recharge areas, but also to anyone who wants to restore areas voided of trees.
Collaborative Efforts: The Center collaborates with other organizations such as national and international universities, in particular Environmental Kiosks of the University of Costa Rica and Lynchburg College.
Supporting Research: The Center provides free lodging to researchers who come to contribute pro bono to river protection.
Traditional Sugar Mill: Our traditional sugar mill is made available to the locals to promote the planting and processing of local and organic sugar and reduce the consumption of one of the most environmentally damaging crops in Costa Rica. We often coordinate this sugar cane milling with tourist groups.
Local Newspaper: The Center is a co-editor and writes a large portion of the local newspaper and often funds its printing. The newspaper contains information to help protect the environment.
Sustainable Agriculture: We also are trying out different crops that are more sustainable than the cattle industry or other harmful crops such as pineapple and bananas.
Upcycling Projects: Children often receive classes on recycling and other now the University of Costa Rica students who work with us have an edible garden project that they are creating using car tires and recycled wood
Alliance for the Defense of Water: 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
ANIMAL WELFARE
Spay and Neuter Clinics: The Center continues the spay and neuter clinics that its founders began in Monteverde in 2008, thanks to the vet who makes the effort to travel down to make it possible!
Wildlife Rehabilitation: The locals often bring more than domestic animals, which is why we are now working with the national entity in charge of wildlife (SINAC) to rehabilitate the animals that we can and release them and keep the ones that cannot be safely released.
Healthy Meat Production: Current global meat production methods are often very cruel. The Center uses its 112-acre organic farm to try out different ways to raise animals for meat in a healthy and kind way.
ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT & THE PROMOTION OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Weekly Farmer’s Market: The Center provides free space and pays for utilities and patent fees for anyone in the community or surrounding communities who wishes to come and sell their products and food at the Farmer’s Market every Saturday.
Farm-to-Table Meals: We coordinate with women from the community to make meals and provide other services such as massages or cooking classes for our guests. When the guests arrive, the women deal directly with the guests and earn 100% of the sale.
Local Organic Foods: We promote organic agriculture and the sale of local products such as eggs, cheese, tortillas, free range chickens, etc. by providing a list to the cabin guests prior to arrival. 100% of the sale goes to the local seller. The Center promotes community-based rural tourism.
Support of Local Artists: We allow local artists to sell their artwork in the main historic building of the Center, which is visited by many tourists and we do not charge any commission.
EDUCATION & CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
Community Classes & Workshops: The Center opens its doors freely to any entity or individual who offers free classes or workshops to the community. We work with the University of Costa Rica (Kioscos Socioambientales), the National Institute for Learning, Hands without Borders, National University, and many others, so that almost every week, the community receives a class or the occasional treat of a play or a movie. Classes range from how to prevent and treat plagues in honeybees and how to prevent depredation of cattle by large felines to English as a Second Language and art classes for adults and children. Often, the Center gives the teachers or students free lodging in exchange for their work.
Lending Library: We have a small lending public library that is maintained by book donations.
Personal Improvement Classes: We hold weekly Personal Improvement classes. This is geared towards minimizing issues such as domestic violence and substance abuse. We have not been successful in starting an AA group, but it is one of our goals as substance abuse is a problem.
RECREATION
Recreation for Children: The first park of its kind is housed at the Center. Local children come freely to enjoy the traditional games of stilts, mechanical bull (actually moved by ropes, not electricity), slippery pole, and a mini-zipline, along with the wide open area to safely run and play. They enjoy mingling with the farm animals, the emu, donkeys and learn about wildlife rehab from our rescued animals. As they splash around in the nearby river, they learn about conservation.
Free Dance Classes: A community member gives free typical dance classes are held for children weekly at another one of our facilities and salsa classes are on occasion given at the Farmer’s Market where tourist and locals alike enjoy themselves and learn to dance!
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION & SUPPORT
Community Association: The Center is helping the community to create a non-profit association in order for the community to receive funding for projects that enable the citizens to earn a living in harmony with the environment and to promote cultural development.
River Protection: Since 2011, 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.
Social Services: The Center is housed in a large historic building that was used as the equivalent of a modern mall, but was had been shut down for over 35 years. It has become much more than a place for the locals to have meetings; they also receive classes, workshops, and interact with all our visitors. Locals look to the Center for help with letters, advocacy, and advice on all sorts of topics.
In addition to these community outreach programs, we are also running a Nature and Cultural Immersion Day Camp this July (sign up for 1 to 4 weeks) and opening up 3 different volunteer positions (with free lodging)! If you know of anyone who would be interested, please pass the information along and help us spread the word.
Are you interested in joining our efforts? Write to us at monteverdecc@gmail.com or give us a call (8302-2522)! We look forward to hearing from you!
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