Institutional Report : Brief 2012 1
Mensaje del Director Ejecutivo Fundación Neotrópica actually pioneered the use of the concept of sustainable development and establishes itself as one of the most credible technical voices in the country and the region A message from our Executive Director Fundación Neotrópica in 2012: Growing like Nature Since its inception, the Fundación Neotrópica (FN) positioned itself as conceptual and technical pioneer in Costa Rica and internationally. The reality in 1985 featured Central America in a political en economic crisis and seeking alternative development paths. The aim was to consolidate a system of protected areas that was created with the strenth of dedicated environmentalists. This effort was happening as a response to the process of transforming the country s productive system in line with structural adjustment plans dictated by the World Bank. This transformation provoked rural migration. The regional wars made it unattractive to consider visiting the natural beauty of the country, so that ecotourism was not the economic powerhouse it is today. In addition to the turmoil from this trasnformation, the southern region of Costa Rica had great difficulties to adjust to other disruptions like United Fruit Company departures from the region, land reform settlements location, new conservation areas were created such as Corcovado National Park and the Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, and the largest logging company Osa Forestal, was expropiated. The communities of this region were not prepared for so many changes, of course affecting significantly their quality of life. Amid this reality, FN actually pioneered the use of the concept of sustainable development and establishes itself as one of the most credible technical voices in the country and the region. At this stage there was great learning (of dos and don ts) that defined the character and reputation of FN. Several iconic projects, in the Osa region and other regions of Costa Rica, were initiated at this time: BOSCOSA, POCOTSI, La Gamba, Tropical Youth Center, among others. Today FN works with complex conflicts where the distinction of environmental and social problems is almost impossible. Thus, it embraces a series of tools from emerging multidisciplinary scientific areas: ecological economics, political ecology, environmental sociology, among others. Likewise, FN is challenged to convert its field stations into Centers for Studies and Community Empowerment (CEEC, in Spanish) where appropriate local staff is dedicated to the empowerment and training of surrounding communities in order to promote sustainable management of natural resources for the benefit of local and regional conservation initiatives. To do this, our CEECs also attempt networking with local, national and international organizations to help us procure the resources for participatory actionresearch projects and attract experiential education or educational tourism groups who are interested in learning from these processes and have a close relationship and dialogue with the communities in which we work, as part of our Global Environmental Citizenship Program. Thus the issues we embrace also respond to the needs of social environmentalism that we believe should be applied in the neotropical region, ensuring a fair distribution of the costs and benefits of conservation and sustainable development in order to ensure, aside successful conservation models, healthy, educated, prosperous and empowered communities. For this, we consistently support small and medium green entrepreneurs. Of course we do this, without leaving technical aspects of sustainability, sustainable production systems and other areas that have been a successful part of the FN brand for over 28 years. The reality we face today, where cooperation and philanthropy have taken different shades according to the times, represents an additional challenge. However, nearly six years into this route we feel that several indicators suggest that the path chosen is correct. We have already developed several projects that have validated our technical reputation in various areas. We have achieved a leading position in the areas of community wetland conservation/blue carbon, ecological and economic assessments, rural tourism and socio-environmental conflicts that extends beyond Costa Rican borders. Accompanying these areas, we work with silvopastoral systems, ecological footprint evaluations, environmental education and others. We see clear indicators of approval from the communities and community groups we work with (including ASOPEZ, COOPEMANGLE, COOPETURIC, AGASOSA, Colopez, Pájaro Campana Biological Corridor, ASMOCICU, ASOPROCA, and others). We have also reactivated partnerships with several universities, NGOs, local governments and national conservation authorities in Costa Rica. We are members of three regional and local councils located. This process also has been enriched by the development of a specific agreements with the University of Costa Rica that is building, in our CEEC in Osa, an interdisciplinary regional laboratory that will become a valuable resource for researchers, students and surrounding communities. The installation of meteorological and seismological stations by the national OVSICORI and IMN have strengthened our CEEC in Osa too. Gradually, we are developing infrastructure at the Sundt field station in Coyolito of Puntarenas, moving towards making it the second CEEC with the support of the School of Environmental Science and Forestry, of the State University of New York. We also contribute with the Costa Rica s carbon neutrality goal through the preserved forests in our Richard and Pearl Crowther Station in Atirro, Turrialba in the heart of the Río Tuis Protected Zone In the area of communication and corporate image we have completely reinvented ourselves. This has led to a significant increase in the number of our media appearances, endorsements and national and international visits to our pages on the Internet. These advances in technical expertise, community empowerment and communication and corporate image have resulted in an influential role through incidence in several of the most important socioenvironmental conflicts in Costa Rica. These have included conflicts on the effects of development projects on the Térraba-Sierpe National Wetland, the RAMSAR protected border wetlands between Costa Rica and Nicaragua and the Crucitas mining project. The specific results of these actions of social environmentalism are expressed today in public policy, management plans and others. Moreover, the recognition of our work has resulted in follow-up projects that demonstrate the progress of our technical credibility. For example, the 7th Framework Programme of the European Union currently funds CIVI.net Project ( 1.8 million) which is evaluating, with the help of European expertise, the effectiveness and transferability of our work in community-based wetland conservation along with other similar case studies in Btazil. Also, our Blue Carbon Community Program, sponsored by corporate donors recently received a Ford Conservation Award. Because of this last accomplishment and their continuous support It would be unfair not to honor our corporate partners who contribute decisively to the achievement of our mission. To all of them we send mission and accomplishments. We ve had strong challenges in these recent years. The departure of our unforgettable team members, Carlos Leon-Perez and Jose Oduber Rivera-Romero left a huge void. However, in honor of their legacies, we continue to work enthusiastically as they would have wanted to see us. The future presents new networking opportunities like the Biodiversity Partnership as Mesoamerica. In 2014 we will be spearheading the Conference of the Mesoamerican Society for Ecological Economics. Some of the challenges for this event are the launching of a new Masters Program on Ecological Economics in which we partner with the University for International Cooperation. We also expect the implementation of our cooperation agreement with our sister organization in the U.S., Earth Economics, which will extend our projection in Latin America. In an attempt to increase our international presence, we currently work in acquiring a nonprofit status in the U.S. We also execute work today, in line with our mission, in Cerro Punta, Chiriqui in the sister Republic of Panama for the National Environmental Authority (ANAM) with the financial support of the UN Global Mechanism to Combat Desertification. Similarly, we maintain ties with sister organizations in Europe and Latin America such as the Leibniz Centre for Landscape Research (ZALF) of Germany, the Organization for International Dialogue and Conflict, of Austria, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and the Foundation for the Sustainable Development in the Netherlands, FUNDAG and the Ecologica Institute from Brazil. In all of our challenges we have been supported by our extraordinary Board of Administration and the commitment of our amazing team. With all I am eternally grateful and to them the credit for our accomplishments. Also, to all of you who have supported us in any way, we appreciate your generosity. We look forward to your continued support in order to achieve our goals for the benefit of the country and ecosystems of the Neotropical region. We will try to continue to grow, but as in nature, at the pace that allows us to be sustainable. 2 of the conservation areas where our centers are our gratitude for their support and their respect for our Executive Director 3 Yours truly, M.Sc. Bernardo Aguilar González, Photo: Mangrove seedlings - Community Blue Carbon Program Nursery, Osa Peninsula Today Fundación Neotrópica works with complex conflicts where the distinction of environmental and social problems is almost impossible. Thus, it embraces a series of tools from emerging multidisciplinary scientific areas: ecological economics, political ecology, environmental sociology...
Lo que somos y hacemos: Visión, Misión, Valores Impulsores, Objetivos Estratégicos y Programas WHAT WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO VISION A Neotropical region where development is based on the valuation and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits of conservation and sustainable development MISSION Fundación Neotrópica promotes social dialogue and self-management for conservation and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits generated by natural resources. 4 5 Photo: Community Blue Carbon Program reforestation, Osa Peninsula
Values that drive us Strategic Objectives Solidarity It implies that our attitudes and actions are permanent focused on the wellbeing of all forms of life. Tolerance Listen, evaluate and discern with respect to everyone s opinion. Equity Act aiming to achieve that ideas, opportunities, services and benefits are accessible to all. Constructiveness Always take positions that contribute, add and enrich reality. Partnership Our institutional construction is based on tangible attitudes of good relations and mutual aid. Perseverance It involves a constant effort to achieve institutional objectives, assuming a critical and thoughtful attitude. Visionary It implies that our ideas and actions target medium and long term goals Innovation institutional commitment to consider new ways of doing things or ways that add real value to what is already done. Environmental Justice Ensure the fair and equitable sharing of the costs and benefits of conservation and sustainable development Socioenvironmental Participation Achieve that local communities have greater influence and get the benefits of biodiversity s sustainable use, with special emphasis on those who are disadvantaged. Concerted action and social selfmanagement Implement self-management and concerted action for decision-making about natural resource conservation. Global Environmental Citizenship Achieve effective educational processes for global environmental awareness linking diverse social and institutional stakeholders, at a national and international level. Financial self-sufficiency Strengthen financial and technical mechanisms to ensure required resources for Neotrópica s operation. 6 7
OUR PROGRAMS Networking with local organizations Strengthening self management capacity Wetlands Management and Conservation Community-based Rural Tourism Sustainable fisheries Community Empowerment and Socio-Environmental Management Sustainable Productive Solutions Community Conservation and Sustainable Use Social-Environmental Conflict Resolution Silvopastoral Systems Ecological Footprint Agroeforestry Systems It seeks to generate knowledge and skills for the communities to be able to make proper use of natural resources It seeks to promote productive and sustainable activities and practices that enable communities to use natural resources without exploiting them Neotrópica and other crazy people have made our country embrace a blue agenda and turn our eyes to the sea. Slowly, not just the eyes, but the whole body of this nation will be taking care of their waterways. No has been little contribution from them to put numbers on environmental goods and services René Castro - Minister of Environment (2011-2014) For us as fishermen, mangroves are too appreciated, because our fishing depends on them, and that s why we are reforesting now, caring about them, protecting them, because the survival of the sea depends of it Ronald Valverde - President of Local Fishermen Association ASOPEZ, Osa Peninsula Neotropicourses Academic Courses Global Environmental Citizenship Neotropiweekends Urban Environmental Education Program It seeks to promote good relations, knowledge and concerted actions among local and international parties, to promote the development of a global environmental citizenship. The kids had a great time with Neotropica. Each of them did not want to leave Costa Rica. They still talk about their experience in Costa Rica being the greatest experience of their lives. I, too, feel the same way Mike Freidlin - Abington Heights Middle School. Clarks Summit, PA 8 Photo: Atirro River, near our Center of 9 Studies and Community Empowerment Richard and Pearl Crowhter
Some insights about our most recent initiatives: Initiative Funder Key Ideas Community Blue Carbon Program Corporate Sector Foundation Pour la Nature et l Homme, France Mangrove Community Conservation, Environmental Education and Awareness CiVi.net 7th Framework Program European Union Civil Society Organizations and their role in community based environmental management. Community Wetland Conservation. OUR WORK 2011-2012 Mangle-Benín Programme for South- South Cooperation The Netherlands Mangrove Community Conservation, Environmental Education and Awareness. Transfer of experiences with EcoEcolo from Benín. ECOTICOS Blue Moon Technical, Institutional and Conceptual Solutions to promote Térraba-Sierpe National Wetland sustainable development REI The Nature Conservancy Silvopastoral Systems Management through local organization and training Community based Rural Tourism Debt for Nature Swap USA Community based Rural Tourism Promotion for Forest Conservation. Community Empowerment and Sustainable Productive Activities. 10 10 11 Photo: Local fishermen collecting mangrove seedlings
Community Blue Carbon Program ASOPEZ fishermen working as part of our team on one of the program s mangrove nurseries they have helped to build and develop Mangle-Benín Project Participantes on the Sustainable Productive Alternatives Trainings, little children, teenagers and grown-ups learning together CiVi.net Project Transfer of experiences between Golfo Dulce and Golfo de Nicoya community leaders, sharing their knowledge and their life stories with mangroves Community Based Rural Tourim Project Alice and Enrique s family and their project Rancho Verde are part of COOPETURIC, the first Community Baed Rural Tourism Cooperative in Osa Peninsula. 12 13
We are aware of the importance of networking. That s why we are members of: Organization Website Our status ECOSOC Economic and Social Council, United Nations un.org/es/ecosoc/ Organization with consultative status CONSOC BID iadb.org Organization with consultative status WAVES Wealth Accounting And The Valuation Of Ecosystem Services wavespartnership.org Organization with consultative status BPM Biodiversity Partnership Mesoamerica bpmcentroamerica.org Founding Member CT-CBO Osa Biological Corridor Technical Coalition www.ctcbo.org Founding Member GWP Global Water Partnership gwp.org Member Wetland Protection National Front misionhumedales.org Founding Member SMEE Mesoamerican Society of Ecological Economics Global Footprint Network SMBC Mesoamerican Society of Biology and Conservation smee.codigosur.net footprintnetwork.org sociedadmesoamericana.org Headquarters & Presidency 2010-2012 Member Founding Member Wetland Protection National Front Launching of Mission Wetlands: Life for All Campaign From left to right: Mariano Salas and Randall Otárola, Presidents of Costa Rica s most important Public Universities Student Federations FEUCR and FEUNA; Felipe Castro, Poder Magazine; Bernardo Aguilar-González, Fundación Neotrópica s Executive Director; Rocio Carranza, actress and environmental activist; Gustavo Gutiérrez, Director School of Biology, University of Costa Rica ; Gino Biamonte, President of Flora and Wildlife Preservationist Association APREFLOFAS; and Randall Arauz, President of the Sea Turtle Conservation Program PRETOMA. First Civil Society initiative at a national level, related to Wetland Conservation and Awareness. 14 15
NEOTROPICA S FACES Juan Carlos Azur Carlos Bernardo Nelson Lorena Karla Olga Emilia Daniel María Estelí Sylvia Adriana H. Alexander Adriana F. Jocsan Rafael Marcos Mariana Seidy Danilo Ilse Marco Ifigenia Ebenezer Marcia Warren Ligia Board of Directors Juan Carlos Crespo - President Businessman. President and General Manager of Tienda La Gloria, a recognized costa rican company. He worked several years with the National Park Foundation in the 80s and has been member of Neotrópica s Board since its inception as a founding member. Carlos Valerio Doctor in Zoology from the University of Florida, has been biology professor at the University of Costa Rica and other colleges like University of California. It has integrated several organization boards such as National Museum of Costa Rica and Organization for Tropical Studies, among others. Warren Crowther Advisor and professor. He completed a PhD in Political Science with emphasis in Public Administration and Transport Economics at the University of California. He has developed his experience and research in eight Latin American countries. Azur Moulaert Forestry and agriculture expert, has worked as a natural resource analyst, director and coordinator of outreach projects for institutions such as the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics, the University of Vermont and Earth Economics. Azur currently resides in Vermont, United States. Olga Emilia Brenes PhD in Education and Masters in Finance, has made notable contributions in Environmental Education and Science with a constructivist approach. Headquarters San José Nelson Aguilar Alfaro Financial-Administrative Manager Karla Córdoba Brenes Communications and Corporate Liaisons Coordinator Lorena Erbure Cardozo Analysis Coordinator Ligia Umaña Ledezma Educational Programs, Volunteering, Environmental Recreation and Community Coordinator Alexander González Vega Field Stations Director Sylvia León Koberg Donor Relations María Estelí Jarquín Solís Executive Direction Assistant Adriana Fernández Technical Assistant Ilse Lücke Technical Assistant Mariana López Fernández Enviromental Education Marcos Perez Leiva Accountant Daniel Alfaro Mejias Accounting Assistant Adriana Hidalgo Chacón Reception Danilo Elizondo Cerdas Legal Advisor Jocsan Quesada Cabrera Messenger Center for Studies and Community Empowerment Álvaro Wille Trejos Osa Peninsula, Puntarenas Marco Hidalgo Chacón Director Ifigenia Garita Subdirectora Marcia Carranza Vargas Community Blue Carbon Program Ebénezer Houndjinou International Volunteer Isaac Gutiérrez Funes Security and Maintenance Mireya Godinez Muñoz Cooking and Cleaning Jorge Alvarado Cascante Security and Maintenance Center for Studies and Community Empowerment Arthur & Mary Sundt Coyolito, Puntarenas Emilieth Alvarado Carrillo Security and Maintenance Center for Studies and Community Empowerment Richard & Pearl Crowther Atirro, Turrialba Johanny Barquero Segura Security and Maintenance Bernardo Aguilar González Rafael Loaiza Arce Executive Director Security and Maintenance Ecological Economist and Environmental Lawyer leading Neotrópica since 2009. Seidy Mora Mesén Mireya Isaac Jorge Mesoamerican Society of Ecological Cleaning and Maintenance 16 Economics President. 17
2012 Financials Statement of Activities Statement of Financial Position Photo: Térraba-Sierpe National Wetland Revenue & Support Donations 711.508 Sales 2.015 Consulting & Services 553.342 Total Revenue & Support $1.266.865 Expenses Sales 563 Consulting & Services 128.775 Other activities 60.637 Total Expenses $189.975 Direct Project Expenses $1.012.372 Net Utility $64.518 Other Expenses Financial Expenses 4.380 Overhead 75.600 Other 949 Total Other Expenses $80.929 Other Income Financial Income 23.662 Environmental Services Payment 6.698 Currency exchange differential (14.032) Other 11.110 Total Other Income $27.438 Utility at End of Year $11.027 ASSETS Current Assets Cash & Cash Equivalents 41.465 Short term Investments 803 Accounts receivable 31.061 Inventory 20.543 Prepaid expenses 7.825 Total Current Assets $101.697 Fixed Assets Equipment, Machinery 1.264.965 Depreciation (235.362) Total Fixed Assets $1.029.603 Other Assets Media Campaign 21.713 Art 23.600 Guarantee Deposits 1.501 Infrastructural Improvements 6.495 Long term Investments 182.937 Total Other Assets $236.246 Total Assets $1.367.546 LIABILITIES Current Liabilities Available Funds 0 Payable Accounts 13.829 Payable Expenses 35.887 Payable Provisions 33.592 Total Current Liabilities $83.308 Expenditures 2012 Long term Liabilities Guarantee Deposits 2.810 To execute funds 33.344 Contingent Liabilities 2.582 Total Long term Liabilities $38.736 Operations Direct Project Expenses Professional fees Personnel Total Liabilities $122.044 Maintenance Financial Expenses Net Assets This document represents audited Total Net Assets $1.245.502 Office 18 2012 figures for activities undertaken Logistical Support by Fundación Neotrópica. Total Liabilities & Net Assets $1.367.546 19
20 info@neotropica.org www.neotropica.org Headquarters San José: (506) 2253-2130 CEEC-AWT Osa Peninsula: (506) 2735-1476 / 2735-1478 Facebook: Neotropica Twitter: @FundNeotropica Credits General Production & Design Karla Córdoba Brenes Photography Fundación Neotrópica CAVU El Financiero Roberto Carlos Sánchez In Memoriam Carlos León Pérez (1956-2008) José Oduber Rivera (1959-2012)