Eden Project Costa Rica

Eden is working with the Matambú Forest Nature Reserve, which in the last 20 years has regrown a vast swathe of degraded farm land into secondary growth tropical dry forest, part of Costa Rica’s remarkable programme of reforestation and restoring biodiversity.

Eden’s ambitious plan is to continue the regeneration of this forest and expand its area across the peninsula, encouraging the return of wildlife (including jaguars and tapirs) and work with the local communities to create a region that is sustainable both environmentally and economically.

This will involve creating training and education programmes which encourage business and employment opportunities which are symbiotic with the forest. This is already being done in close collaboration with our partner, the Land Stewardship Company, which has been working in the biological corridor.

Encouraging sustainable tourism to help spread the message of regeneration around the world will be a vital part of this vision.

1. Buy the Matambú Forest Reserve

Eden is working to raise US$8.5m to purchase the Matambú Reserve and secure the forest in perpetuity. This will become the home of Eden Project Costa Rica and allow us to showcase how we can affect positive changes to help alleviate the planetary emergency.

2. Land management and mapping

The land in the biological corridor is currently used for farming, tree plantations, forest and residential homes. We aim to map the corridor and co-design ideas with land owners and the local community to improve the health and function of the biological corridor.

3. Social and community development

To ensure long-term viability of communities living in the corridor, Eden is working with local partners such as the Land Stewardship Company to encourage farming practices which work in harmony with nature (known as agroforestry) and microcredit programmes, which provide finance to help small businesses grow. Education and community-led social development activities will also be developed. Livelihoods and wellbeing are essential for residents to live in harmony with nature in the corridor.

4. Biodiversity security

As the biological corridor recovers, the animals return and plant biodiversity is restored, we aim to make the forest available for research for universities and other scientific organisations. With better insights into its current state, we can help protect the wellbeing of wildlife and plants in the corridor – as well as in comparable environments elsewhere in the world - for the long term.

Matambú represents the vision of the Danish entrepreneur, Peder Kolind who, starting in 1996, bought 42 derelict farms on the Nicoya Peninsula. The land was seriously degraded from multiple generations of logging and cattle farming – all that remained was a tiny island of primary forest surrounded by desert.

In the nearby town of Paquera, the rivers ran dry for five months every year, fires raged, farms were scorched and there was unrest and great hardship. Peder had a dream to regrow the forest and transform both the land and the lives of those who lived there, by protecting the land and allowing nature back in.

Over the next 25 years, nature gradually healed the land at Matambú. Trees and vines regrew, the barren landscape transformed into lush green forest, birdsong and the hum of insects filled the air and rejuvenated rivers began to flow all year round.

The forest brought clouds, regular rainfall and cooler weather – a nurturing climate for all.