Costa Rica Wildlife Sanctuary

Ecotherapy On A Spiritual Level: Healing in Nature

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One of the most wonderful aspects of experiencing nature and becoming immersed in the wilderness is its incredible healing capacity and ability to reconnect us with the natural world. For many of us, the pressures of our modern day society place us in an environment which is distanced from that essential time in nature we so badly need. Though urban development is helping our cities to become more “green” and “pedestrian”, we still lack that crucial time where all cell phones, tablets, and cars no longer await us around each corner – and we feel completely involved with the fauna and flora around us. Spending time in that coveted natural space is something that all of us need, whether it’s an afternoon in a national park, or an adventure in some of Costa Rica’s most magnificent, naturally diverse regions.

Ecotherapy

Costa Rica is designated as one of the planet’s most precious ecological treasures, with some of the world’s finest and most varied biodiversity. Passionate endeavors from the government, organizations, businesses and communities have seen that much of Costa Rica’s fragile wildlife remains untouched, while encouraging a friendly, conscientious tourism industry to flourish which offers visitors a once in a lifetime experience. Visiting such a wondrous environment is a dream many aspire to achieve, and it’s not just about seeing star attractions. It’s about experiencing the surrounding environment in ways which are fulfilling and memorable to the soul.
Costa Rica provides the perfect setting for this, and in a variety of ways. One of them is its potential as an ecotherapy escape. Ecotherapy is defined as “healing and growth nurtured by healthy interaction with the earth.” Recent years of studies have revealed that people who spend time in nature not only experience physical benefits (which subsequently have a positive impact on mental health as well) but also experience a greater peace of mind. This can occur on a small scale such as taking a ride through a park every day, or on a greater scale such as taking an environmentally-focused trip. “Green therapy” as it is also known has been proven to stimulate cognitive brain activity as well as help individuals who face mental health challenges.

The Greater Good

Certainly, Costa Rica provides a wealth of opportunities for people from all backgrounds to receive a healthy dose of ecotherapy. But it also enables – and empowers – individuals and groups to achieve something even more than that. By volunteering for a good cause, people not only spend time in a positive environment, but are also rewarded with a sense of fulfillment from working towards a conscientious project which has a positive impact on the ecosystem and the communities which flourish within it. For many people, it is projects such as this which can be a major turning point in their lives. People who have suffered from various struggles ranging from PTSD to substance abuse addiction have found purpose through helping others in a variety of ways, not only giving them responsibility but the knowledge that they are having a positive impact on someone else’s life. It is this very sense of purpose – as well as the support of the community – which makes volunteering such a poignant and powerful action. And ultimately, it is a step closer to finding an identity.
The learning experience which people undergo while volunteering on any project is immensely beneficial, not only for the technical skills learned but the personal journey. Meeting people who are like-minded but whose interests are diverse and finding support within that network can restore the sense of belonging that we all need, as well as the knowledge that every little contribution towards helping communities can accumulate to make a substantial difference.

Ecotherapy is more than simply a relaxing exercise in nature, but something which helps to fill an essential core part of our soul. Nature has always been a great muse on our personal journeys, and in turn, spending time in nature and working towards its protection and conservation is one way to give back. And there are myriad ways to do this, from volunteering at an ecotourist center, to campaigning online, raising funds for conservation efforts, planting trees, and helping wildlife recovery programs. Whatever the cause, one thing is clear – that being in nature and caring for its wellbeing is one of the best ways we can care for our ourselves.

Butterfly

Sally James
London, England
Travel writer

February 2015

Wildlife Trafficking – Tackling The Problem At The Root

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Jessica
Photograph by: Jose Carranza

Any visitors to Proyecto Asis will quickly become aware of one wonderful fact – Costa Rica has a truly incredible range of amazing wildlife. Costa Rica is incredibly lucky to have this rich biodiversity – and even luckier that the species it harbors are so very fascinating and appealing. Costa Rica is considered to have the highest biodiversity density of any country in the world, and most people rightly believe that this should be protected. However, this is not universally the case. Unscrupulous individuals are threatening not only the biodiversity of Costa Rica, but its entire ecosystem through the particularly loathsome crime of wildlife trafficking.

Serious Ecological Consequences

Costa Rica’s biodiversity is the pride of the world – but it also attracts plenty of less than savory individuals and cartels who want to use Costa Rica’s wildlife for their own gain. Wildlife trafficking – the removal of animals from the wild and selling them on – is a big problem for Costa Rica’s native species. While most international pet stores source their animals ethically and never take from the wild, there nonetheless exists a thriving black market in exotic animals, which is depleting Costa Rica’s natural stock considerably. Indeed, wildlife trafficking is thought to be the biggest threat to the Costa Rican ecosystem, after habitat depletion. This is very serious. If too many of any species is taken from the wild, the effects will reverberate right through the ecosystem, causing potentially catastrophic effects. As such, it is crucial to crack down on wildlife trafficking in Costa Rica before it is too late.

A Profitable Market

Wildlife trafficking is thought to be an incredibly lucrative worldwide industry. It follows drugs and weapons trafficking to come in as the third most lucrative form of smuggling, pipping human trafficking to the post. The ‘industry’ in its entirety is estimated to be worth an incredible $10 billion a year. It is these riches which undoubtedly attract the cruel individuals who participate in the actual trafficking itself. However, it is worth noting that the traffickers would very quickly go out of ‘business’ if no market for their wares existed. Many animals stolen from the wild in Costa Rica end up as household pets, and the demand for exotic, cute, and dangerous species for people to keep in their homes and show off to their friends is high. People always have been and always will be fascinated by animals – this is what makes zoos and wildlife documentaries such infallibly popular attractions. Costa Rica’s wealth of fauna makes it a prime target for wildlife smugglers, capturing such creatures for those who would possess them personally and exclusively. It would seem, therefore, that the best way to eliminate the trade is to eliminate the market.

The Turning Tide

This is where organizations like Proyecto Asis come in. Proyecto Asis helps to combat wildlife trafficking at a grassroots level by educating people about wildlife, and explaining why it’s best left in the wild. The project satiates people’s desires to get close to native Costa Rican fauna, while simultaneously discouraging them from the need to personally possess any such creatures. Initiatives like Proyecto Asis are, slowly, changing people’s opinions about wildlife, the environment, and how we interact in general with other species. This, in turn, is changing the world. Grassroots education about the environment can make a huge difference. The vacation industry, for example, once one of the least environmentally friendly businesses on the planet, is turning to ‘ecotourism’, because consumers – now wise in the ways of ecological science – are not only interested in the environment, but refuse to take a vacation that harms it. Indeed, in countries like the UK, people are choosing to go for ‘cheap and cheerful’ eco-vacations rather than splashing out on more expensive luxury tours, feeling that the environment is worth the drop in comfort. Ecotourism is particularly popular in Costa Rica, due in no small part to the influence of places like Proyecto Asis. If we can teach people to respect wildlife and its right to remain wild, then the bottom will eventually drop out of the trafficking industry, and millions of species will be saved.

Work Still To Do

However, there is a long way to go yet. A mere three months ago, Costa Rican officials deported a German tourist who was caught trying to smuggle over 400 reptiles and amphibians out of the country. The poor things were stuffed into takeout containers, and bound for exotic pet shops in Germany. Last year, a Canadian tourist was stopped at the airport with five live iguanas in her hand luggage, and in 2009, a man (German, again) attempted to board a plane with green parrots in his bag. These are only the colorful tales that make the news – many more animals are confiscated from passengers at customs every month, and countless more wild species are successfully smuggled from the country. Those who go on to buy the animals are probably unaware of their provenance, nor of the damage they are doing by funding the trafficking industry and providing a market for these creatures. If the issue is to be solved conclusively, we must raise awareness amongst ordinary people.

Sally James
London, England
Travel writer

January 2015

Chicago Harper College Visit

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Every year, a group of students from Harper College in Chicago, comes to visit and volunteer with us Thank you amigos! It is wonderful to see you every year here at Proyecto Asis

Qué lindo que cada año tengamos nuevos estudiantes de Harper College visitando Proyecto Asis y haciendo voluntariado con nosotros ¡Nos vemos de nuevo en Agosto amigos!
Harper College Chicago Volunteer Visit, Proyecto Asis Costa Rica

Dr.John Mather and wife Visit to Proyecto Asis

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Esta semana tuvimos el honor de recibir al Dr. John C Mather y su esposa. El Dr. Mather es Premio Nobel de Física 2006 por sus mediciones precisas de las micro ondas cósmicas. Actualmente es director en el laboratorio de cosmología en Nasa’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
This week Dr. John C Mather and his wife visited us. He is Nobel Prize in Physics, 2006, for his precise measurements of the cosmic microwave backgorund using the COBE satellite. Actually Mr. Mather is a Senior Astrophysicist in the Observational Cosmology Laboratory at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

Dr. John C Mather and wife visit to Proyecto Asis.