NATURE RESERVE LAPA VERDE
1'825 hectares of land, including around 1'365 hectares of tropical rainforest
The property has a great variety of habitats.
6'000 native young trees were afforested on former cattle grounds
The private, two-part nature reserve "Refugio Lapa Verde" is located in Chilamate and Pueblo Nuevo / Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, in the province of Heredia. From the capital San José it can be reached on an 87km long asphalt road.
At Refugio Lapa Verde 1'825 hectares of land are under protection, of which about 1'365 hectares are covered by tropical rainforest. About 300 hectares are young forest in regeneration, 30 hectares are reforestation and 130 hectares are swamps and lagoons. The area is part of the biological corridor San Juan - La Selva and is located at its narrowest point.
The state recognition as a private nature reserve was granted by the government of Costa Rica in July 2013 and personally signed by the president Laura Chinchilla.
The property has a great variety of habitats such as lagoons, streams, swamps, pastures, scrubland, secondary and primary forest, which allows a very high biodiversity.
On former farmland, 6'000 native young trees were afforested, which were previously grown from seeds in the company's own tree nursery. These provide food for various indigenous animals, in particular the endangered green macaw (Lapa Verde), which also gives the nature reserve its name.