Climate Change and Peak Oil: Two Global Challenges That Will Assure More Gardening and Local Farming

By Will Raap

Over thirty years ago as part of my graduate work I traveled to England to research the UK “garden city” movement where new cities were developed after WWII creating village centers surrounded by protected green belts. Gardening areas and small farms were planned into these new cities. British planners knew that gardens and local farms provided much of the wartime food and research in the UK showed gardens were about 3 times more productive per acre than commercial farms. Gardens and local farms have always been a key part of British food security.

I spent much of the past 3 decades promoting more food gardening and sustainable local farming in the US and Central America because of what I learned in the UK. Sometimes I felt this effort was irrelevant as food prices from our industrial system declined continually, outcompeting local food production until it nearly stopped. But recently we have become aware that industrial food has less nutrition, less flavor and can leave us vulnerable to food safety and security issues.
And now risks associated with our petroleum-based economy have become real overall and specifically for agriculture. Everything is connected in our global economy and any disruption in oil supply and prices ripples far and wide. This is especially true for food and agriculture. More than ever, cheap oil equates to cheap food…but the reverse is true for expensive oil.
Oil has allowed the development of modern society and economics. We are able to do about 100 times more work than we could do without it. An average 12 gallon tank of gas contains energy equivalent to about 4 years of human labor. Apart from uranium, oil has the greatest energy density of any other substance known.
Oil has allowed the human population to quadruple in 150 years as fewer farmers are needed to feed over 6.5 billion people. The average bite of food travels 1500 miles from farm to dinner plate. And every 1 calorie of energy from our food required about 10 calories of fossil fuel energy in farm machinery, fertilizer, pesticides, refrigeration, transportation and packaging. This level of energy dependency is the quintessential example of an energy economy that must be transformed as oil prices increase.
We have created a society and economy that depends on cheap petroleum to thrive. But the oil is running out and the environmental consequences of burning fossil fuels for cheap energy are catching up to us. We now are faced with responding simultaneously to two of the greatest challenges in human history: Climate Change and Peak Oil. And from my perspective, the good news is individually, and together, Climate Change and Peak Oil mark the shift back to more local food production.
Climate Change is a “Long Emergency”
From the cover of Time magazine, April 3, 2006: "The debate is over. Global warming is upon us-with a vengeance." Over the past century humanity has taken vast amounts of fossil fuels like oil, coal and natural gas from underground carbon reserves and by burning these fuels released immense amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. CO2 and other “greenhouse gases” have upset the thermostat of the planet, triggering global climate change.
Climate change is an urgent and complex problem with a relatively simple cause but long term, likely severe consequences. Excess CO2 in the earth's atmosphere is raising temperatures around the globe causing dangerous new weather patterns, loss of plant and animal species, rising oceans and dislocated populations, declining forests and growing deserts.
Atmospheric CO2 levels are approaching 400 parts per million (ppm) and leading experts are now saying we need to reduce this to 350ppm to avoid environmental and economic catastrophe (see www.350.org). Because 85 per cent of world energy comes from burning fossil fuels, it is very difficult to reduce CO2 emissions quickly without economic disruption. And the food system is one of the major contributors of CO2 emissions. Food production, processing and distribution are estimated to be the source of over 20% of CO2 emissions in the US and about 15% globally.
There are only two things we can do to reverse global warming and avoid the consequences of climate change. First, we must reduce the amount of greenhouse gases – especially CO2 – that we are directly and indirectly responsible for emitting. Second, we must find ways to remove the excess carbon that has already been released into the atmosphere by increasing the earth's natural carbon "sinks" — the forests, wetlands, grasslands and healthy farmlands that help regulate climate by storing CO2. (See www.earthcarbonoffsets.com)
Both of these solutions are necessary. We need to immediately slow the global increase in carbon emissions through gains in energy efficiency and the development of carbon-free renewable energy sources. This will slow the growth of atmospheric CO2 levels. But we also need to reduce the levels of CO2 that are already in the atmosphere to buy time for clean technologies to be phased in. Without reductions in accumulated concentrations we may rob ourselves of the time to reduce our ongoing emissions of CO2.
Can we retool our fossil fuel-intensive economy quickly enough to reduce emissions? Can we stop trashing existing healthy carbon sinks like tropical forests and wetlands and restore the earth’s natural carbon sinks fast enough? The feedback loops that will answer these questions are measured in decades, and the trends are not positive. But the impact and feedback loops related to Peak Oil are measured in the price of energy and felt in a matter of months.
Peak Oil to the rescue?
World discovery of oil peaked in 1964 and has been declining ever since. Despite considerable improvements in technology there is no prospect of any significant new large oil discoveries. We are currently consuming more than 4 barrels of oil for every one discovered.
Peak Oil overall means we have pumped half of all oil reserves. Many estimate we hit peak oil this year, plus or minus a few years. So, we have currently pumped and used about one trillion barrels of the estimated two trillion barrels of oil the earth produced millions of years ago.
There is still about a trillion barrels of oil left below ground. The problem is we are running out of cheap oil. The quality and accessibility of half of the remaining oil reserves is declining. Remaining oil is often found in areas like deep oceans and the Arctic, presenting technical extraction challenges and much higher costs. Extraction costs are increasing as demand is increasing meaning prices will increase as well.
Will Peak Oil solve the Climate Change problem because our use of oil and other fossil fuels will slow as prices most assuredly increase? CO2 emissions will likely slow as fossil fuel prices rise. But, there will still be a growing demand for oil, coal and natural gas, especially from China, India and other fast-developing economies. Fossil fuels still offer unparallel energy density value compared to other fuels. And remember, it is now believed by many experts that to solve climate change CO2 levels in the atmosphere must be reduced from current levels, not just slowed.
Our Future Food Economy
OK, so Climate Change is real and a growing problem with potentially dire consequences, but in the long term. And our petroleum-dependent industrial food system is a major source of greenhouse gases so there will be pressure to transform it with CO2 emission reduction incentives and penalties. I believe it is clear that Climate Change mitigation strategies will lead us back to more locally-produced food, both to reduce CO2 emissions AND also because local farming and gardening most often employ sustainable practices that build the soil by adding organic material (i.e. by creating a ecological “sink” to store carbon from the atmosphere).
Peak Oil is a real problem today. Our economy experienced the economic consequences this year as oil prices exploded to nearly $150 per barrel, immediately increasing food costs. We also experienced the social consequences as food riots broke out throughout the developing world earlier this year due to biodiesel competition for grain crops leading to supply shortfalls and price inflation.
Just as British urban planners created policies to support local food growing in gardens and small farms after WWII I believe we are seeing global conditions, led by Climate Change and Peak Oil, to encourage the same policy shift in the US.
In fact, for most of this decade there has been a quiet revolution developing in our food system. We are still getting most of our food from distant industrial farms. But more and more food is being grown in and around cities, towns and neighborhoods where we live. People want fresh and healthy food without chemicals and grown by people they know. They want some sense of control over food safety and security. This revolution is taking place in home gardens, community gardens, new organic farms, membership farms, abandoned farms brought back to life, and new residential developments designed to feed as well as house residents. I’m working on a range of these initiatives in Vermont and Costa Rica, and the ground swell of interest is building.
How can we foster this local food movement near our homes? First, grow a garden or help a friend to grow one. Second, buy locally grown and prepared food whenever possible. Third, support policies that help your local economy support the transition to more local food and energy independence. One good model I just discovered for comprehensive food and energy transition planning comes, appropriately enough, from a town in England and is explained on this web site: www.transitiontowns.org/totnes. And please help advance another great idea I just learned about as I write this article November 3, 2008, on the evening before the Presidential election. Let’s petition President Obama to show the way by adding a food garden to the grounds of the White House…please visit http://www.kitchengardeners.org.

Cuba's Second Revolution

S/R 38: Cuba’s Second Revolution (Will Raap)

by Will Raap

For several years I have been hearing about another revolution in Cuba. This time it involved farming and the food system. For much of the 1990s, small organic farms were providing increasing amounts of Cuba’s food. They were responding to the economic emergency of 1989–90 when the Soviet bloc began collapsing and Cuba lost its main source of foreign exchange and half of the food its 11 million citizens relied on.

During the early 1990s imports of agricultural machinery, fertilizer, pesticides and other needed inputs for Cuba’s industrialized agricultural system (producing mostly sugar for export) stopped abruptly. Cuban agriculture had to change or the people would starve. And change needed to happen fast.

Fertilizers, pesticides, equipment and other farm inputs needed to come from local sources and harvests had to feed Cubans, not sweeten desserts in East Germany. It was like corporate farms in California or Iowa suddenly having to switch from chemically dependent monocultures feeding Manhattan to compost-fed, diversified crops feeding Fresno or Dubuque. Then, in 1999, I read an article in The New Internationalist about a surprising additional innovation in this latest Cuban revolution: Organiponico.

Cuban agriculture had to change or the people would starve.

Read the full article here

Getting out of Dodge to the Tropics?

Here is a great article written by my friend Tom Peifer. Tom is an agroecologist and he runs a non-profit called El Centro Verde and he has developed methods and educational programs around managing farms and forests while making the best use of soil, energy, water and other resources.

Culture Change - Home

Getting out of Dodge to the Tropics?
Written by Tom Peifer

In times of change, learners will inherit the earth. - Erich Fromm

The category 5 hurricane sweeping through the global economy has spun off any number of gusts, eddies and small tornadoes which have touched down in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, and muddied the sparkling future in the local development scene.

Sipping a margarita at sunset or taking in the view from a mountaintop, it’s easy to forget that the cash flow that made the road, rented the car and built the house at some point passed through any number of financial institutions which are now mired in mutual distrust or choking on mountains of financial toxic waste.
Read more...

Questions to Ask Before You Purchase Property

How To Choose A New Residential Development In A Foreign Country

You're considering an investment property or a second house in a Central American residential development—in Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua or elsewhere. The shiny brochure is impressive, the website looked great, the pictures blew you away, the marketing representative of the development says all the right things and you're dead set on getting that beachfront lot with the great view.

Just a second. It's time to interrogate. It's time to assess whether the development really is right for you, and whether the development will develop as planned. You want to buy into a dynamic community—not an empty shell that will turn out to be little more than its marketing. The following are ten sets of important questions to ask of a developer to ensure that you're getting what you're paying for and that the development is on solid ground. A dishonest developer will shy away, while a good developer will respect your attention to these details, so don't be afraid to ask every last one of these even if it seems overly cautious. It can mean the difference between achieving your dream and being cheated out of your investment.

Property Title

Land ownership and title issues are common problems when buying foreign property. Ask these questions to ensure that you won't be thrown off the land after you have made the deal. If possible, follow up and make sure that the deeloper has answered truthfully and get the importat points in writing. Ask the developer:

* Do you or the landowner have full title to the property in question?
* What kind of title is it? (fee-simple, concession, indigenous?)
* Is title insurance available?
* Have you obtained it?
* If you have, what are the policy exclusions?
* Does a buyer receive title insurance for the particular piece of the project he or she is buying, or is the policy
* written for the entire property only?
* If title insurance isn’t available, how long has the developer owned the property?
* Who did he buy it from and how long did they own it?
* Do you guarantee title in the contract?

Master Plan

If the land is part of a larger community, make sure that it is well-planned. You could be left to fend for yourself for utilities or stuck with neighbors whose style and habits could make your dream home a nightmare to livein. Ask the developer:

* Has the property been properly subdivided and have the plans for development been approved by all relevant authorities?
* Have the appropriate environmental impact reports been submitted and approved?
* Has the lot plan been submitted and approved?
* Will there be a home owner’s association?
* Has it been registered?
* Are the terms and restrictions of homeownership in the development available?
* Will these terms, restrictions and association by-laws be incorporated into all lot titles?
* Are there any remaining government departments that need to approve the project?
* What infrastructure is already in place?
* What is the infrastructure plan and timeline?
* For additional infrastructure and services needed or promised, are those promises available in writing, by contract, to prospective buyers?
* Does your company have the capital to keep the project moving forward on its own, or are you relying on sales revenue to be able to make progress on the infrastructure?

Water

Water is essential to life, but that doesn't mean that a safe source of it will be provided by a developer. Ask the developer:

* What is the source of potable water?
* Is it being supplied by the developer, or is it up to buyers to provide their own?
* Is there enough water for the entire project?
* If there's a well involved? How high is the water table?
* How quickly does the water table replenish itself?
* If buyers have to source their own water supply, i.e. drill a well or install a rain collection system, is a feasibility study available?
* Has the water been tested?
* Is it free of contaminants?


Sewage

Here's another part of life that you may assume to be a given in any development, but you can't assume anything when creating your dream home in a foreign land...or even domestically. Ask the developer:

* How will waste disposal be handled?
* Septic of sewage?
* Is it up to buyers to install a septic system?
* Is the piece of property large enough to allow buyers to build what you’re intending to build?
* Compliance with local sewage disposal requirements?

Electricity

Rights to connect to the grids can be tricky in South America. Some are public, and some are private. Ask the developer:

* Where is the nearest electricity?
* Is there electricity already run to the project?
* If not, when will the power lines be installed?
* Will they be overground or underground?
* Who will run the lines: the developer or the government?
* Who will be responsible for their maintenance?

Experience

Developers who have great ideas are not always capable of seeing them through to completion, especially if they lack experience. Ask the developer:

* For how long have you been a real estate developer?
* For how long have you been a residential real estate developer?
* How many projects has your company worked with in the past?

What Is "Plan B"?

The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Investors need an exit strategy and developers need "Plan B". Ask the developer:

* What happens if the project fails?
* What if sales never come in as you expect?
* What if you're forced to abandon his project?
* Will buyers still have the full use of the property?

Financing

When you put your savings on the line, you need to know the risks and have means of protecting it. This is especially crucial when dealing with foreign real estate. Ask the developer:

* What are the details of financing and installment payments?
* If the developer is financing, will the buyer receive property title with a mortgage or does the property not transfer until the final payment has been made?
* And for both projects will a deposit be held in escrow?
* Are deposits and other monies held separately or together?
* What is the first installment you require and when must the property be fully paid in the case of these two specific projects?

Closing

If everything goes according to plan, great! But then what happens? Ask the developer:

* Will we be allowed to handle the closing?
* What is the developer's law firm?
* What is its reputation?
* Is it recommended by the relevant embassy (U.S., Canada, European, etc.)?
* Who else will be involved in the transfer of legal documents?

References

* Does the developer have satisfied customer letters that can be reviewed?
* Can you put us in touch with past buyers—ideally at least five English-speaking buyers—especially foreigners, especially any from the US, Canada, UK, Ireland or Australia?
* Has anyone started building on their lots?

By the time all of those questions are answered, you should have a clear idea of whether the development will blossom or wither. Take special note of any development you might consider that doesn't answer these questions directly and promptly. The best of them will have most of the answers ready at hand with supporting independent documentation.

Costa Rica Tourism Up 12.5%

Costa Rica Daily News–The Tico Times, Costa Rica tourism still a bull market

Costa Rica tourism still a bull market

During the first six months of the year, 1.03 million foreign tourists visited Costa Rica, an increase of 12.5 percent (89,178 tourists) over the same period last year, according to estimates by the National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR).

In addition, 86 percent of tourism operators said the first half of 2008 was as good or as better for them than the same period in 2007.

Estimates on the number of visits to the country were generated using arrival data from the country's two main international airports, Juan Santamaría west of San José and Daniel Oduber, in Liberia, the northwestern capital of Guanacaste province. Juan Santamaría reported an increase in traffic of 13.1 percent to 673,701 passengers. Traffic to Daniel Oduber grew by slightly less, 9.7 percent to 129,623 passengers. An estimate of arrivals through cruise ships was then added to this number.

“The estimates and projections reveal very positive data for Costa Rican tourism, despite difficult economic conditions abroad and at home,” explained Gonzálo Vargas, president of CANATUR. “We can assert based on the first semester that Costa Rica continues to be regarded by foreigners as an ideal place where to enjoy their vacations.”

CANATUR also conducted a survey of 50 of its members located throughout the country. Of these, 46 percent described the first semester of this year as very similar to the same period last year. Some 40 percent of those surveyed said the first six months of this year represented an improvement over the same period last year. The remaining 14 percent considered the first half of this year to be worse than the same period last year.

Migaratory Birds

Dear A. M. Costa Rica

The article [Friday] hit on different topics about migratory birds visiting here and further south for the winter in North America.

There is an added discussion on this migration by many ornithologists. Are they really migrating from the North America or are they migrating to North America? If we look at the total time spent in one area, the migratory birds actually spend much less time in North America and more time in Central and South America. They actually only go north to raise a family and as soon as the family is ready to head south they do just that.

So the question, one may ask is, why would they fly all the way to the U.S. just to have their babies instead of just having their young down here. There are several good reasons to go north.

First there are many less predators to deal with when raising their young in a nest in North America.

Secondly, the birds arrive in Spring. Spring time is a time when insect populations explode. Thus there is an abundance of food to feed baby birds.

A third point is the days are longer in the north and there is more time to spend feeding those babies. So as soon as these babies are able to fly a long distance the family is ready for their journey south to live most of their life, only returning to North America to have another family.

Henry Kantrowitz
Punta Leona

EDITOR'S NOTE: Mr. Kantrowitz is a recognized expert on birds.

Why Smart Money is Moving Offshore

As the mortgage crisis continues to gain momentum infecting the entire economy in the US many people will be looking for an alternative place to invest as well as an alternative place to live. Costa Rica is in a position to capitalize on the seventy million baby boomers looking to retire or buy a vacation home to enjoy part of the year.

The Rich Report May 2008
WHY SMART MONEY IS MOVING OFFSHORE
by Howard Rich

The Rich Report
Lunch with Harry

My good friend Harry is not the altruistic type. So, when he asked me to meet him for lunch to discuss my first Rich Report, I knew who was paying. I suggested Hanratty’s, a modest uptown establishment. He countered with The Tavern on the Green. Hence, I soon found myself staring out across the grand expanse of Central Park and, of course, picking up the check.

Harry wanted to know why I was so certain that the time has come to invest offshore. Since he manages his own very successful multi-million dollar portfolio, I knew he wasn’t just making small talk. So, over the next hour and a half, or so, I laid it all out for him.

Let me give you the truncated version, because if you’re reading this column, you, like Harry, are a serious investor. And if you’re a serious investor, you probably have some of the same questions Harry had. Then, I’ll finish up with the same “Rich Rewards Best Investment of the Month” I gave him. Fair enough?

Over the past few decades, I have noticed that serious investors share two important traits. First, they reduce their risks by diversifying their portfolios. Now, please understand: it’s not just that they don’t put all their eggs in one basket. Any savvy investor knows not to do that. Serious investors go a step further: they don’t limit their portfolios to eggs at all, or anything even remotely related. They invest across the board: in Blue Chips and start-ups, at home and abroad.

Secondly, serious investors increase their rewards by anticipating trends. They get first call by getting ahead of the curve. Years ago, a sportswriter asked hockey great Wayne Gretzky why he scored so many more goals than his opponents. He replied, “They skate to where the puck has been; I skate to where it’s going.” Enough said.

So, how does all of this apply to my earlier advice about investing in offshore real estate? In the words of “The Happy Warrior” (that would be Al Smith, for you young Turks), “Let’s look at the record.”

I’m convinced that failing to diversify your portfolio beyond U.S. shores today is tantamount to financial suicide. The question is no longer whether we will have a recession; the fact is, it really began last January, or perhaps even earlier when it became clear that the sub-prime debacle had gained momentum. And even the top three presidential candidates have finally realized that it’s already here.

The skyrocketing price of oil is fanning the flames of rising inflation. Agricultural commodities are off the charts, with the price of copper approaching a staggering $4.00 a pound. And the housing market continues to tank, with spiraling foreclosures and plummeting prices threatening to trigger a massive meltdown. Bear-Stearns has already collapsed, and the other investment banks are wobbling precariously. As USA Today recently opined, “If the US economy were a car, all of its warning lights would be flashing red.”

Amazon.com to Open Customer Service Center in Costa Rica

A.M. Costa Rica: Fourth newspage

Amazon.com to open customer service center in Heredia
Special to A.M. Costa Rica

Amazon, the online marketer, said Tuesday that it plans to open a customer service center in Heredia. The new facility, which is scheduled to open in November, is expected to create more than 300 new jobs during its first two years of operation, with an additional 400 seasonal jobs to be added during the fourth quarter holiday season. The office will be operated by Amazon Support Services Costa Rica S.R.L.

The Costa Rican facility will provide primarily phone support with some e-mail support for customers of Amazon.com, the company said.

“As our business continues to grow, it’s important that we have customer service representatives available when it’s convenient for our customers,” said Brent Jaye, director of Amazon’s North America Customer Service. “Costa Rica has developed a great infrastructure that meets our needs, and is home to a number of existing customer service centers which means we’ll be able to draw on an experienced talent pool. As a result, we believe our new facility in Costa Rica will enable us to continue to serve our customers quickly and efficiently.”

Amazon.com, Inc. is a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, Washington. Amazon.com has more than 40 different product categories, ranging from books, music, movies, video games, electronics, toys and baby, beauty, health and personal care, jewelry and watches, shoes, apparel and accessories, and gourmet food.

For the second quarter 2008, Amazon.com had global net sales of $4.06 billion, compared with $2.89 billion in second quarter 2007, an increase of 41%. The company ships to more than 200 countries worldwide and has tens of millions customers.

We're Back!

It has been almost five months since my last post and so much has happened both in my personal life and at Tierra Pacifica. As many of you know my wife was in the hospital for two months after the birth of our precious daughter Eva. She survived three extremely rare conditions and is recovering well. More about that in an upcoming blog post about the health care system in Costa Rica. I want to thank all of you for your kind words, your thoughts and especially your prayers.

Pineapples in Paradise

One of the great things about living in Costa Rica is the fruit you can grow. Sure Southern California was great, we had orange, lime and lemon trees in the back yard and we grew grapes every summer. But I still had to pay $5.00 or more for pineapples. Here pineapples grow so easy, we have thrown the tops of pineapples out in the yard only to have them root themselves. Pineapples do not need any water through our six months of dry season. I like my pineapple smoothie every morning - sometimes I throw in fresh coconut milk, a mango, papaya and a banana from our yard.

Sea Turtle Protection Making Strides in Junquillal

One of the great attractions of the Playa Junquillal area that gets completely overlooked by many visitors and part-time residents is sea turtle nesting and the protection of the eggs.
Most people come to Costa Rica's northwest Pacific Coast in search of sun, surf, sportfishing and the like. But the magnificent beaches and water that provide those entertainments for humans also attract five species of endangered sea turtles to lay their eggs.
Harvesting turtle eggs from beach nests is a centuries-old tradition throughout Central and South America. Although the practice now is illegal in Costa Rica, poaching continues because of a lack of law enforcement resources.
Two organizations have worked hard in Playa Junquillal and nearby communities for the past few years to nearly eliminate turtle egg poaching here.
The Pacific Leatherback Conservation Project began operating in Playa Junquillal in 2005 and has protected hundreds of nests, enabling more than 16,000 baby turtles to hatch and return to the sea. Led by Argentine biologist Gabriel Francia, teams of local PLCP volunteers and visiting students conduct nightly patrols along the 5.6 kilometers of greater Playa Junquillal. This includes the central Junquillal beach as well as three nearby stretches - Playa Honda, Playa Estero and Playa Blanco (just north of Hotel Iquanazul).


The patrollers locate the tracks left in the sand by pregnant sea turtles as they make their way onto the beach to dig their nests and lay their eggs. Sometimes the PLCP volunteers wait until the mother turtles return to the ocean and then rake away the tracks that would identify the location of the nests. But most of the time they move the eggs - usually between 80 and 120 per nest - to a protected area where poachers cannot get at them. This is because sea turtles return to almost the exact nesting location year after year, so the poachers often know where to find them.
The PLC effort is focused on the three varieties of sea turtles that nest in the Playa Junquillal area: the mammoth Leatherback and the smaller Olive Ridley turtle and the Eastern Pacific Black turtle.
Coupled with the effort to protect nests and collect research data is a community awareness program. This involves educational presentations at local schools, recruitment of local students and adults as volunteers, and sponsorship of events to promote turtle protection.
The biggest such event - the annual Turtle Festival at Playa Junquillal each February - has grown into a broader community get-together that encourages cooperation among locals, foreign residents, part-time residents and tourists on a variety of issues. Some visitors who have experienced the Turtle Festival, volunteered for the nest patrols or witnessed the mass release of hatchlings into the sea make a point of returning to Playa Junquillal for these events.
The success of the PLCP in Playa Junaquillal has Francia considering expansion southward.
"It is also our ambition to make this message reach other communities such as Venado, Lagarto and Marbella, where threats still exist for the sea turtle nesting grounds," Francia stated in a recent newsletter published by the organization.
The other local effort to protect sea turtles is based in Punta Pargos, just north of Playa Junquillal. The Punta Pargos Sea Turtle Protection Project was established by Marc and Rachel Ward in 2003. The Oregon couple had witnessed turtle nest poaching first-hand as visitors to the Nicoya Penninsula of Costa Rica, and in 2001 they founded Sea Turtles Forever, an Oregon based non-profit conservation organization. The non-profit now runs the Pargos project in Costa Rica and the Pacific North West Leatherback Awareness Program in Oregon.
The Pargos project uses volunteers and visitors to patrol the beaches and protect turtle nests from north of Playa Blanco to Avellanas. It also engages in extensive community outreach through local schools and other organizations.
Marc Ward estimates that nests protected by the Pargos project have produced bout 8,000 baby sea turtles in the last three years. In addition to Leatherback, Olive Ridley and Eastern Pacific Black turtles, the Pargos project has protected eggs of Hawksbill and Eastern Pacific Green turtles found on those beaches. For more information got to: http://seaturtlesforever.com/

Organic Farm Update

We are in our 14th month of experimenting with the organic farm and have successfully grown watermelons, tomatoes, basil, lemon grass, yuca, eggplant, pineapple, papaya and several varieties of bananas. This year we are experimenting with a tropical variety of lettuce, several varieties of tomatoes, cantaloupe, chili dulces, chili picantes, jalapenos, oregano, rosemary, onions and garlic. We have also planted several varieties of fruit trees including limes, starfruit, guanabana, guayaba and papaya. In the low areas of the farm we are utilizing a system of chinampas that was used successfully by the Aztecs. You can find more info about chinampas here:

http://www.western.edu/faculty/pcrossley/chinampasofmexico/index.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinampa