{"id":4069,"date":"2017-05-10T13:49:46","date_gmt":"2017-05-10T13:49:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tropica-verde.de\/projects\/monte-alto\/"},"modified":"2026-07-21T15:51:18","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T13:51:18","slug":"monte-alto","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/tropica-verde.de\/en\/projekte\/monte-alto\/","title":{"rendered":"Monte Alto"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

RESERVA NATURAL MONTE ALTO<\/h1>Deforestation leads to water shortages in the region<\/span>
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Reforestation became necessary<\/h2>\n

Originally, large parts of the Pacific coast of Central America were covered by species-rich, tropical dry forests. But between the 1930s and 1980s they were almost completely cut down. This led to a loss of natural biodiversity and a drastic water shortage in the annual dry season, because the rivers dried up! <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

The population reacts<\/h2>\n

Only the protection of the remaining forest areas and reforestation in the headwaters of the Rio Nosara promised to reverse this development. In 1992, citizens in Hojancha founded the local organization Fundaci\u00f3n Pro Reserva Forestal Monte Alto. Two years later, a 924 hectareas, largely deforested basin was designated as an official protected area. By 2022, over 60 % of this area will have been reforested with natural mixed forest. The streams in the headwaters of the Rio Nosara carry water all year round again today, and the protected area is home to a steadily increasing diversity of species. A special aspect of this project is the combination of forest protection and small-scale agriculture (coffee and oranges), so that nature conservation and fruit plantations can coexist. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\"Pupils<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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<\/div>\"The<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>\"The<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>\"The<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>\"Project<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\"Forest<\/span><\/div><\/div>

Reforestation of several pasture areas<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>

Together with pupils and the local population, Tropica Verde has reforested over 50 hectareas of pastureland in the Monte Alto valley. Here one can see forest engineer V\u00edctor Esquivel cataloging and evaluating the growth of the species-rich plantations on Finca Alicia. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Local tree seeds<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>

Tree seeds from over 30 tree species were collected in the forest, germinated in the tree nursery and then after further 15 months planted out in the reforestation area. In order for the trees to grow, it is necessary to cut back the aggressive pasture grass for a further 5 years. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\"Tree<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\"Stefan<\/span><\/div><\/div>

Camera traps<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>

In Monte Alto, camera traps financed through crowdfunding have been used for several years to continuously document biodiversity.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

\ue04e<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>

Watch movie<\/a><\/h2>

Video recordings from camera traps in the Monte Alto area<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\ue04e<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>

Listen & watch podcast<\/a><\/h2>
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(Video) podcast from the Frankfurt Palmengarten about Costa Rica, the Monte Alto bed & environmental education in nature conservation projects<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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WHAT DOES TROPICA VERDE DO?<\/h2>\n