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Who are we?
Osa Conservation (OC), formerly Friends of the Osa, is a nonprofit conservation organization committed to the preservation of the Osa Peninsula's globally significant biodiversity, by ensuring the maintenance, restoration and long-term viability of the ecosystems on and around the Osa Peninsula. OC was founded in 2003 and has offices in Washington, DC and Puerto Jiménez. Our team consists of dedicated Costa Rican and international biologists conducting scientific research, environmental educators and land conservation managers. While we maintain a small office in Puerto Jiménez, our center of operations is the Osa Biodiversity Center (OBC) located in Piro and Cerro Osa. sites provide accommodation and lab facilities for researchers, field courses, and training workshops. Our extensive trail network covers diverse ecosystems including primary and secondary rainforest, coastal habitats and numerous freshwater resources.
Where we work?
Our efforts are concentrated in the area extending southeast from Corcovado National Park to Cabo Matapalo. This expanse of critical wildlife habitat is a complex mosaic of mostly privately-owned land and is commonly referred to as the Corcovado-Matapalo Biological Corridor. This land serves as a de facto extension of the boundaries of the national park.
OC's efforts are particularly concentrated in the Osa National Wildlife Refuge (ONWR), a private conservation initiative that spans over 2,000 hectares of primary lowland forest within the biological corridor. We work closely with landowners and the Costa Rican government to provide oversight and land stewardship for the refuge. Ensuring the integrity of this land is crucial for conservation because this area provides the continuity of habitat for keystone species like the jaguar, tapir and white-lipped peccary as well as hundreds of other species that depend on this biologically diverse habitat to survive.
We are currently the only conservation organization with on-the-ground presence in the Corcovado-Matapalo Biological Corridor.
Why the Osa?
Located in southwestern Costa Rica, the Osa is hailed by many as Costa Rica's "last frontier" as it remains a largely untouched, remote wilderness. The Osa's high level of biological diversity coupled with its unique combination of 13 distinct tropical ecosystems have made it a high global conservation priority. With a total area of only 121,500 hectares, the Osa is home to 50% of species found in Costa Rica, including many endemic species. When one considers the size of the peninsula, approximately 300,000 acres, there are few places left on earth that rival the Osa's intense biological diversity.
It is here one can find the largest intact mangrove ecosystem in Pacific Mesoamerica, the most significant remaining areas of lowland Pacific tropical rainforest, and one of only four tropical fjords on the planet, the Golfo Dulce. These ecosystems, and numerous others, provide habitat that is essential for the Osa's plentiful wildlife.
The Osa is not without threat, however. Although the government and people of Costa Rica have made an unparalled commitment to the preservation of the environment by setting aside 25% of the national territory in protected areas, there is much still to be done to support the short and long term protection of flora and fauna. Volunteer on the Osa Peninsula to help save endangered species and restore their habitat, visit our facilities to learn more about the Costa Rican wildlife we're protecting, or make a donation to support conservation of the Osa Peninsula. |
White-faced Capuchin Monkey
Waterfall on Piro Beach
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