Recent News
ASANA proudly annouces that we earned a permanent spot on GlobalGiving.org for the Savegre Forever Campaign, thanks for your support!
The Savegre Needs Your Help! ASANA is launching a new campaign called "Savegre Forever". Join us in our Campaign: www.globalgiving.org
"A Model of Development for the Path of the Tapir"
In the Path of the Tapir - Islands in the Forest
Is it worth it? The Térraba-Sierpe Wetlands.
Rainforest Rangers
How We Started
ASANA started its life in 1987 as ANADO – Amigos de la Naturaleza de Dominical – but changed its name to its current form when it became a legal entity in 1998. ASANA members are farmers, teachers, students, business people, local residents, retirees, and public employees. Many members of ASANA are board members of other local organizations or are active in community groups such as integrated development associations (ADIs), health committees, education committees, water administration associations (ASADAs), and municipal governments. ASANA also enjoys good relationships with various government agencies including MINAET, SINAC, the Coast Guard, the Police, the National Commission for the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, and municipal governments.
What is ASANA?
Friends of Nature of the Central and Southern Pacific Coast (ASANA, Spanish acronym) is a purely local conservation organization, as its staff and board are all citizens or permanent residents of Costa Rica. ASANA was responsible for conceiving of and developing the Path of the Tapir Biological Corridor concept and getting it officially recognized as a protected area by SINAC.
In more recent years, ASANA had also been involved in organizing conservation actions in the Savegre River Watershed, located in the northern part of the Corridor. The Savegre River has the reputation of being the cleanest river in Central America. Whether actually true or not, the Savegre watershed represents the most pristine area of the Path of the Tapir.
The main goal of ASANA is to promote and maintain the connectivity of the CBPD from the the Osa Peninsula to the Talamanca Mountain Range. Our main specific objectives include:
- Conserve flora, fauna, habitats and ecological processes of the Path of the Tapir and its associated natural areas.
- When necessary, work to restore degraded habitats that are critical to maintain connectivity and ensure conservation of key biodiversity.
- Promote and monitor compliance with environmental laws in the Corridor and its associated natural areas.
- Improve the perception of local people about conservation issues through a focus on the education of school children and environmental education programs.
- Collaborate with other local organizations that have goals consistent with those of ASANA.