Aula Global Rain Forest Conservation Project
Located in the mountainous regions of Guanacaste province of Costa Rica
10 degrees 20' 59" N latitude and 85 degrees 45' 48" W longitude

The Aula Global conservation project expands preserved territory with the purchase of 311 acres of old growth rain forest abutting Aula Global reserve. This pristine forest corridor, now threatened with development, is critical to many endangered species and the continued success of Aula Global. Once acquired, this property will be incorporated into the Aula Global Reserve and Rain Forest educational project. Aula Global staff will immediately assume stewardship of the property.

Objectives

Conservation
• Spare critical biological corridor from pending development of adventure thrill ride.
• Increase the protected areas of Aula Global reserve by 330%.
• Complete a critical step in linking Aula Global and lower slope biological corridor to the highland reserve complexes of Santa Elena, Children's Eternal Forest and Monteverde Reserve.
• Ensure protection of large habitat area for several endangered species dependent on contiguous lower slope forests, of which approximately 85% have been cleared in Costa Rica.
• Continue reforestation of previously cleared pasture using endemic species critical to the survival of endangered lower slope species.

Education
• Continue successful Aula Global educational program (founded in 1992), which has successfully introduced thousands of students to environmental education regardless of social / economic background.
• Make use of essential enlargement of pristine lower slope forest area, ensuring long term access to large areas of diminishing virgin lower slope forest for field research and educational programs.
• Increase the data stream to I.C.A.N. (International Canopy Network) through scientific partnerships and information exchanges. Studies include climate change, new species identification, reforestation/regeneration studies, entomological transects, water/soil analysis.
• Generate increased revenues through research station user fees and carbon off-set abatements, enabling Aula Global to continue conservation/reforestation/education efforts.

Strategy
• Heighten public awareness of rain forest issues through hands-on research, lectures, international student exchanges, interactive web sites, concert tours and media coverage.
• Increase community outreach to address health issues in local villages through no/low cost training and service projects focusing on the construction of composting toilets, sustainable energy and permaculture design.
• Continue to engage universities, colleges, high schools and educators in hands-on rain forest research projects, community service efforts and for-credit educational projects.
• Solicit support from public, business, and educational organizations that wish to sponsor reforestation efforts, specifically to help offset carbon emissions. Participants in “carbon offset” projects receive an Aula Global certificate in recognition of their active involvement in our program.
• Implement plot studies of experimental multi-tier forest gardening of endemic species as a potential profit alternative for local farmers dependent on raising beef.