Projects and Donations

Horizontes has several projects that help create awareness about sustainability issues and the role of each of us in reducing our impact on our planet:

1. Carbon Offsetting:

In 2006, Horizontes will begin calculating the carbon dioxide emissions produced by its operation and will be automatically offsetting this impact through a reforestation project on the Osa Peninsula. In 2006, we donated $10,000 to this project, which is helping create a biological corridor between Corcovado National Park and the Talamanca region of the La Amistad Biosphere Reserve, The reserve connects the high biodiversity regions of southeastern Costa Rica with western Panama. Biological corridors allow for movement of wild animals through protected spaces and aid in the proliferation of species. This project is carried out through a partnership with Costa Rica’s National Forestry Financing Fund (FONAFIFO). www.fonafifo.com/english.html

2. Support for National Parks:

Over the years, Horizontes’ conservation efforts have extended to Costa Rica’s national parks system in several projects.
In 2004, Horizontes donated $20,000 toward the construction of a new park ranger station and additional salaries for rangers in the Los Planes region of Corcovado National Park. The station provides rangers with a headquarters to help prevent poaching of peccaries, tapir and jaguar as well as other endangered animals. Hunting and logging are two of Corcovado’s most pressing threats.

In 1991, together with Costa Rica Expeditions, Horizontes donated $25,000 to the National Park Rangers’ Fund, aimed at supplementing salaries and improving living conditions for the parks system employees. Horizontes has also contributed financially to trail building in Rincon de la Vieja National Park and the construction of washrooms at Carara National Park.

Horizontes includes visits to national parks in all its travel itineraries when possible and actively supported the Environment Ministry’s decision to increase entrance fees to Costa Rica’s national parks.

3. Awareness Campaigns:

In 2005 Horizontes and New-York-based NGO Rainforest Alliance www.ra.org teamed to introduce Costa Rica’s small and medium size hotels to the ideas and benefits of sustainable tourism.

Throughout the year, Horizontes has helped organize 8 seminars on sustainability, with 99 of its suppliers (Costa Rican hotels and tour outfitters) dedicating a total of 3 full days to learning about sustainability. Specifically, the goal of the seminars was to create awareness about: 1. Environmental impact and Social responsibility; 2. “Sustainability” and sustainable tourism, and 3. the benefits of Best Practices and how they can be applied. The workshops were attended by managers and/or business owners.

Aside from creating consciousness, these workshops served as a platform for Horizontes to encourage its suppliers to enhance their business’s sustainable practices. Those suppliers interested in making a greater commitment to the sustainability of their operation will receive free onsite technical assistance from Rainforest Alliance, as well as additional marketing support from Horizontes.