The Nature Conservancy and Costa Rican President Reaffirm Commitment to Osa Campaign

Washington, DC—4th December 2006—Today, the president of Costa Rica will join Steve McCormick, CEO of The Nature Conservancy, and the heads of Conservation International and the Costa Rica-USA foundation for a signing ceremony to solidify multilateral commitment to the preservation of Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula.

These organizations will join Costa Rican President Oscar Arias Sánchez to reaffirm their commitment to the Osa Campaign, a public-private international partnership spearheaded by these groups to sponsor conservation projects in the Peninsula. While Costa Rica has been a leader in biodiversity conservation, Sánchez’s unprecedented commitment to the environment and recent re-election signify a new era for the Osa Campaign.

The Osa Peninsula represents some of the world's most diverse habitats - biologists estimate that between two to three percent of the Osa’s flora exists nowhere else on earth. Conservation efforts in region are essential because the Osa’s publicly protected areas are currently too small and isolated to maintain high levels of biodiversity. The area, which is less than half the size of Rhode Island, is home to:

Over 13 major ecosystems
Between 4,000 and 5,000 plant species and more than 700 species of trees
375 species of birds and 8,000 species of insects

The global significance of this region drove these four organizations to create the Osa Campaign, a unique conservation and fundraising effort. The campaign aimed to raise $32.5 million and achieve these goals:

protect the Osa’s biodiversity via private lands strategies and improving park management;
create a biological corridor between Corcovado and Piedras Blancas National Parks;
protect the marine and coastal habitats around the Osa; and
build the capacity of local organizations and communities for conservation success.

“We are proud to partner with our colleagues from Conservation International, the CR-USA Foundation and the Costa Rican government in efforts to secure and preserve the resources of this magnificent area,” said Steve McCormick, President and CEO of The Nature Conservancy. “This public-private partnership is an innovative and progressive tool for conservation, and we believe the Osa Campaign model can be implemented for other successful conservation projects around the world.”

The Conservancy has been working in Costa Rica for over 30 years, and is actively working with partners to ensure the campaign’s success while collaborating with local communities and governmental organizations at all levels.