At the end of May of this year, Rainforest Biodiversity Group was awarded its second grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA). $30,000 was granted to maintain the Costa Rican Bird Route and ensure habitat protection in the San Juan – La Selva Biological Corridor of Costa Rica.
With seed funding from the initial grant from the USFWS via the NMBCA in 2006/2007, the Costa Rican Bird Route: Section San Juan – La Selva is under development. Six new reserves protecting over 600 hectares of bird habitat have been created. To ensure these reserves protect and maintain habitat for neotropical migratory birds, further actions are necessary. Success of the CRBR and protection of its critical migratory bird habitat is highly dependent upon providing an economically beneficial eco-tourism program for landowners. A Costa Rican Bird Route Coordinator is essential in ensuring the success. The duties of this coordinator include maintaining communication and outreach activities with reserve owners, communities and tour operators; coordinating bird monitoring and conservation workshops with landowners and local guides; assisting landowners to enroll in environmental service incentive programs and managing an eBird-based bird monitoring and data collection program for the CRBR.
With the funds available through the new grant, RBG has hired Raquel Gomez as the Costa Rican Bird Route Coordinator. Raquel is a native of Costa Rica and has a firm understanding of the conservation issues of the Bird Route region through her work with the Great Green Macaw research project. She also has extensive experience in the eco-tourism sector. Raquel is off and running with her new position and already is making progress with a number of initiatives. For any questions on the Costa Rican Bird Route, you may email Raquel at Raquel@costaricanbirdroute.com.
