Finca Eduardo

The Finca Eduardo is located in the La Gamba Valley and is surrounded by oil palm plantations to the north and south. The finca is strategically well-placed for the biological corridor and connects the forests of the Fila Gamba (to the east) with the Eastern foothills of the National Park Piedras Blancas. This finca, together with the Finca Amable, is the first newly created green bridge in the La Gamba Valley.

The Finca Eduardo mainly comprises pasture (ca. 18 ha) with differing moist soil conditions, drainage ditches and an oil palm plantation (2,2 ha).  

The finca was used for banana plantations by the United Fruit Company early on (1940ies), until the company left the area in 1986. After this many fincas, amongst them the Finca Eduardo, were confiscated by the Banco Nacional de Costa Rica due to the irrecoverability of the mortgage loans and the finca lay fallow for some years. Starting from around the year 2000, the company Agro Arenal SA cultivated Maniok (Manihot esculenta, Euphorbiaceae) and Papa chiricana (Dioscorea trifida, Convolvulaceae) for exportation. The Finca has been used as a pasture since ca. 2015 and a small part is an oil palm plantation. The soils are compacted due to intense use by grazing animals.

The plan is to reforest parts of the finca with select tree species (ca. 9 ha) and leave 5,5 ha to natural succession. The creation of wetlands and ponds should create additional habitats for amphibians, reptiles and birds as well as water plants.

Special feature: The Finca Eduardo is of special importance due to its location between two large forest areas, which will be connected through the planned reforestation and natural succession. Preliminary studies showed a high diversity of bird species.