Rio Naranjo Biological Corridor Project Enters New Phase

By Marina Ocampo

After nine years of work and almost 30,000 trees planted, the Naranjo River Biological Corridor project is coming to a new phase. This oldest project of the Titi Conservation Alliance is currently going through the process of formal acceptance in the system of biological corridors of Costa Rica and the Mezo-American Biological Corridor.

The main objective of the project is to create biological connectivity between the two most important wild areas of the Aguirre county – Manuel Antonio National Park and Cerro Nara Protected Area. This connectivity will allow movement of the wildlife, and especially isolated troups of Titi Monkeys. When small groups of animals are isolated, they are forced to interbreed and the small genetic pool leads to poor health and eventual extinction. It is particularly tragic when the species are rare or endemic (do not exist anywhere else in the world) such as titi monkeys (subspecies Saimiri Oerstedii Citrinellis).

The project consists of several components: growing of native plants in a tree nursery and their planting in the areas along the Rio Naranjo, environmental education of children of 8 local school, maintenance of four school nurseries where children participate in the full process of growing trees from seeds and planting them when they are ready, organizing ‘tree planting days’ for local businesses, children and visitors, and long term maintenance of planted trees. This work is done with full cooperation of about 20 owners of land around the Rio Naranjo.

There are between 20 and 28 species of trees used for this project, mostly native. They form part of the natural habitat of mono titis, but are also of great importance for the increase of biodiversity of the area, which is threatened by the African palm plantations and clearing of the land for agriculture.

For more information, or to learn how you or your business can become involved, please visit www.monotiti.org, or contact us at [email protected].