Restoring Costa Rica’s Balsa River Watershed: from the ground up

The goal is to facilitate the return of the forest to these sites in order to better protect the area’s water resources. Costa Rica’s upper Balsa River watershed is the site of ongoing, grassroots conservation efforts. Local communities have been buying land, in some cases, with eco-loan assistance from Nectandra Institute. Join us on an aerial tour of some of these community-owned protected areas. But first, a quick lesson in watershed hydrology… COSTA RICA

replenishing shallow aquifers that eventually spring forth as the start of streams and rivers. Rainfall on ground with little or no vegetation results in substantial surface runoff. Forest-covered areas, however, act as a sponge, soaking up rain and other forms of precipitation. Surface runoff is reduced as more water ends up filtering into the ground,

San Carlos River Watershed

Balsa River (sub)Watershed Juan Castro Blanco / Water National Park SAN CARLOS RIVER WATERSHED

Aguas Zarcas River La Vieja River Tapezco River La Balsa River Aerial Tour Area Water Flow Water Flow Water Flow Water Flow Water Flow Water Flow Espino River Zarcero

Headwaters of the Espino River

Additional property La Palmita would like to buy and restore Freshwater spring that helps supply town’s drinking water Property owned by community of La Palmita (protected & under restoration since 2008) North Tributary of the Espino River

Confluence of the Tapezco & Catarata Rivers

Tapezco River Catarata River Property owned by community of Tapezco (protected & under restoration since 2008) Freshwater spring that supplies nearly all of town’s drinking water North

Along the Tapezco Creek

Property owned by community of La Brisa (protected & under restoration since 1985) Tapezco Creek Freshwater spring that helps supply town’s drinking water North

Outskirts of Juan Castro Blanco “Water” National Park

North Catarata River Property owned by AFAMAAR, a local conservation group (protected & under restoration since 2009)

Hope you enjoyed the flight!

Hope you enjoyed the flight! Find out more and support our work at: www.nectandra.org Click here for more aerial photos