Mission Statement

Our Purpose and Goals . . .

Proyecto Campanario, a multifaceted conservation effort of its founders and supporters, is dedicated to preserving tropical ecosystems, both terrestrial and marine. This is done by protecting a tract of tropical lowland rainforest and its coastal zones in Costa Rica, offering environmental education programs for national and international students of all ages, promoting tropical research and studies, and working with the local communities.

Programs:

Since Proyecto Campanario's creation in 1990, with the Campanario Biological Station as the central focus, different programs and activities have emerged to put the mission into action.  Proyecto Campanario is engaged in 10 different programs:

• Protection of a tract of tropical lowland rainforest and its coastal zones in Costa Rica, maintaining the ecosystems with a minimum of human impact.
  
• Tropical ecology field courses and camps offered to national and international university and secondary school student groups to give first-hand experience in field studies in tropical eco-systems and in living off-the-grid.
  
• Service Learning programs permitting students to be involved in world communities, committing to internships, and working hand-in-hand with members of other cultures through the service they perform.
• Cultural Conservation programs offering learning opportunities and living experiences in various cultures within Costa Rica, ranging from rural farms to Indian Reserves to nationally known historical institutions.
• Low-Impact living programs demonstrating to students alternatives toward an eco-friendly and more sustainable life style.  This includes a 1-day trip addressing the problems of solid waste.
• Ecotourism adventures for visitors, families and inividuals, looking for a vacation with an educational focus.
• A Volunteer program exchanging work for room and board in the Field Station.
  
• Research and species inventories in terrestrial and marine ecosystems carried out by national and international investigators and Campanario volunteers.
• Local community involvement and service projects to support nearby schools, to offer short courses and talks to the local communities, to promote sustainable tourism, and to work with park officials.
• National involvement through the Costa Rican Network of Private Nature Reserves, which promotes and supports private conservation in Costa Rica and throughout the Central American Isthmus.