Nectandra Institute carries out its work in the San Carlos watershed of Costa Rica (outlined in map to the right). While nearly one-fifth of its 300,000 hectares is under environmental protection, the remaining four-fifths are undergoing intense, rapid, and largely unregulated land use changes.
We have partnered with communities of the upper Balsa River watershed within the greater San Carlos River basin. These communities are highly motivated to protect and restore the area’s forests in order to improve protection for their sources of potable water. Our strategy is to stimulate and support communal efforts leading towards scientifically sound conservation practices within and around the watershed.