November 3 to 9, the documentary will be screened at the Wildlife Film Festival in Rotterdam.

Told through the eyes of nature guide Gerald, the film shows how a young man with a passion for the natural world blossoms after Adopteer Regenwoud becomes active in his small farming village of San Miguel, nestled between banana plantations.
The documentary also clearly illustrates the foundation’s mission — combining conservation, research, and community-driven action to create a wildlife corridor that connects vital habitats and supports biodiversity.

The full documentary will be available from November 3 in Rotterdam.

Trailer ‘Eufonia’

Filmposter

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Join us and Adopt Rainforest!

Het bericht Documentary ‘Eufonia’: Trailer & Premiere 2025 verscheen eerst op Adopteer Regenwoud.

Jaguar Tree

Locals call the recently acquired area “Palo Tigre.” This means “Jaguar tree.” In fact, on this plot there is a tree with several jaguar markings on the trunk. How cool: This tree is used as a scratching post by the Jaguar!

Cooperation with the local government

Quite soon after purchasing the new plot, we were approached by the Costa Rican government (SINAC). They needed to plant 10,000 trees to compensate for the widening of the highway between San José and Limon. Palo Tigre would be a perfect location to carry out this project. The foundation regularly has good contact with SINAC for different conservation initiatives. Thus, our good rapport created a new collaboration. The Costa Rican government, together with the coordinating party CCT ( Tropical Science Center) and the local team from the Indian reservation that we trained last year will plant the trees. This will provide additional employment again this year.

Planting trees with a scientific design

Professor Edwin Pos of Utrecht University also heard of the plan to plant trees, and suggested that it be done according to a specific research design, with the goal of studying ecological succession in tropical forests. The effects of density and diversity on tree growth and interaction will be examined. This information will help to decide with how many trees of which species the most natural and diverse forest is generetad, and thus how to make reforestation projects in the tropics successful in the most efficient and effective way possible.

Why is this research needed?

A deforested area, if left completely alone, eventually becomes forest by itself, however, this takes an incredibly long time because of the often present stiff grass where tree seeds have difficulty germinating. Planting trees accelerates this process, but purchasing and planting trees is costly. Also, large quantities of native tree species for planting are not always available. Experts believe that if areas are partially planted, the empty spaces in between will develop naturally, ultimately creating a more diverse forest for less money. Win-win, in other words.

What we ultimately want to know is how many trees of which species we can best plant, and how big the empty spaces should be to get the best effect. Professor Edwin Pos of Utrecht University has devised an innovative experimental research design where this can be figured out.

Something to be proud of

Thus the new plot is not only an important bridge between the reserve and the National Park, but also an opportunity for scientific research. It also provides additional local involvement and employment and we are working with various parties on a beautiful form of nature restoration. We can all be quite proud of that!

Do you want to read more about the latest developments? Check out our news

Het bericht Big news: We are going to plant trees together with the local government of Costa Rica! verscheen eerst op Adopteer Regenwoud.

We all know how important trees and plants are for producing oxygen and absorbing CO2. Especially lately there has been a lot of news about the climate crisis, global warming, sea level rise, CO2 offsetting and the importance of preserving trees, plants and forests. In this blog you can read some background information on how trees store our CO2 emissions.

How do trees absorb carbon and nitrogen?

CO2 (carbon dioxide) is one of the most important greenhouse gases. Deciduous trees are best suited for absorbing carbon, nitrogen and also ozone. The gases are absorbed through stomata in the leaf. Through photosynthesis, the plant or tree transforms these gases into oxygen and plant material. The wider the leaf surface, the more effective trees are at this. Remarkably, the Amazon rainforest alone is responsible for 40% of all oxygen on Earth. And this while it covers only 6% of the entire earth’s surface. This does show the importance of preserving and protecting the rainforest.

On average, a tree removes between ten and forty kilos of CO2 from the air per year. A thirty year old tree has extracted and sequestered about a ton of CO2 from the air. The CO2 remains stored in the wood and roots as long as the tree lives. They need this CO2 to grow, for leaves, needles, flowers and fruit. About half of the tree’s dry weight is carbon; the rest is hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and minerals.

Simply by what they are and do, forests thus moderate the temperature on planet Earth. The imminent excess of CO2 in the atmosphere can therefore be reduced by promoting the growth of trees and preserving existing trees, so that as much carbon as possible can be sequestered in forests. In this way, trees ensure that we can live on this planet.

Capturing more carbon can be done by:
– increasing the wood stock in the existing forest, i.e. “saving” wood and not cutting it;
– promoting diversity and growth in the existing forest, for example enriching coniferous forests with the planting or stimulation of deciduous trees;
– planting new forest on land that is not currently forested, such as pasture, heath or fields.

Mangroves

Mangroves have the ability to store large amounts of carbon dioxide – up to four times as much carbon as other tropical forests. A 2018 study calculated that the world’s mangrove forests soak up more than 6 billion tons of carbon per year. This clearly makes them a really important player in the fight against climate change. The problem is that they are threatened worldwide.

I spoke to several Costa Ricans, also known as Ticos, and all those I spoke to saw with pain in their hearts that mangrove forests are slowly disappearing. Because of sea level rise, more salt water is entering the mangroves and there is less brackish water. Mangroves need this brackish water to thrive. So sea level rise has a direct effect on mangrove forests, and thus direct impact on CO2 storage.

Several reasons to protect mangrove forests: they store CO2 and can hold it for many thousands of years. In addition, mangrove forests serve as protection for the rainforest located further inland; they provide a buffer, so to speak, between the salty sea water and the fresh inland water. When mangroves disappear due to sea level rise, the adjacent rainforest is also indirectly at risk.

The decomposition of wood releases CO2 and requires oxygen

During the life of trees, decomposition of organic matter also takes place. Leaves fall every year. The lower branches of trees also die sooner or later due to lack of light. In addition, trees produce fruits and seeds, which also fall to the ground. All this material slowly decays on the forest floor: it is reduced and broken down by insects, fungi and bacteria. In this decomposition, the opposite happens as during the growth of trees: it releases CO2 and requires oxygen. Fortunately, in a healthy forest, more greenery always grows than dies.

However, due to human influence, large-scale deforestation takes place. This releases much more CO2 than natural processes when only a few (old) branches break off. That is why it is so important to preserve and protect the existing rainforest! And that is why it is so important to encourage the planting of new trees/forests.

The more trees, the more CO2 is absorbed and the more oxygen is produced.

Reducing your CO2 emissions

There are many ways to reduce your CO2 emissions. For example, by leaving your car at home more often and not going on a plane vacation this year. Turning up the heat less often also helps. And did you know that your belongings, such as clothing, also have a great impact on the environment? This is partly because a lot of CO2 emissions are released during the production of items and transportation. So if you buy less or second-hand, you automatically contribute to a better earth!

Furthermore, the positive impact of eating plant-based food (more often) is enormous. For the production of meat and animal feed, a lot of forest is cut down and water is consumed. Moreover, a lot of greenhouse gases are released in the process. For comparison: the production of one piece of beef releases 34 kilos of CO2. For a vegetarian burger this is only 2.6 kilos

Offsetting your CO2 emissions

If you still want to do more than just reduce your emissions, you could also offset your emissions. There are several initiatives where, by making a donation, you can have trees planted or adopt a piece of rainforest to offset your air or car travel.

How many trees should you plant or how much rainforest should you adopt to offset the CO2 emissions of a plane trip or car ride?

For example, to offset the CO2 emissions from a car trip of about 5,000 kilometers, you would need to plant about 20 trees per year. Or adopt 37 square meters of rainforest. For a flight of 10,000 kilometers, you would need to plant about 90 trees per person or adopt 100 square meters of rainforest to offset emissions.

Wondering how big your footprint is? Do the math on our website!

Het bericht CO2 storage in trees – how does it work? verscheen eerst op Adopteer Regenwoud.

This month chairman Martin and founder Matthijs were at Trees for All’s headquarters to ratify a new cooperation for reforestation of 25 hectares of grassland. One of the largest projects in Costa Rica for the Adopt Rainforest Foundation to date. A total of more than 27,500 trees will be planted.

Local population

The foundation is not doing this alone. Thanks to the support of Trees for All, a team of seven locals from the neighboring Indian reservation will be able to take on the challenge of planting these 27,500 trees. In doing so, Adopt Rainforest not only provides nature restoration but also offers seven families employment and income for at least a year.

The mission

Adopt Rainforest’s mission is to protect 2,000 acres of rainforest. This 2,000-hectare area serves as an important buffer to the nearby Barbilla National Park and the Cabécar Indigenous Reserve. Pressure on the rainforest is well felt in this region. From the inhabited world, deforestation is shifting increasingly toward the National Park and the Indigenous Reserve. Adopt Rainforest aims to ensure that both the National Park and the Indigenous Reserve remain untouched. So that animals, such as the Jaguar for example, can continue to exist here carefree. The reserve is located in a part of the country that is very important as a corridor (connection) for many animals between North and South America. In this regard, it is important that the reserve consists of a continuous stretch of forest so that animals can move freely throughout the forest area. Many animals avoid open areas and meadows when moving. This is because of the risks involved in moving through unsheltered areas. The animals in the rainforest and therefore in our reserve also have an important role in natural forest formation. Almost all seed dispersal in the rainforest is done by animals.

Why reforest?

In order to expand the reserve, it is of course important that the new plot is adjacent to the existing reserve. The foundation always prefers to select a new plot to be purchased that already consists of rainforest. However, Adopt Rainforest cannot escape the fact that occasionally it must also purchase a plot where part of the plot has been deforested in the past. In the region where the foundation protects rainforest, forest plots are fragmented by small-scale agriculture and cattle ranching. Thus, there may be a strip of grassland between the current reserve and a new piece of rainforest to be purchased. To ensure that the reserve remains a continuous forest, the foundation plants a mix of tree species there. This will create a young forest within a period of 5 to 10 years where animals dare to cross again.

The project of 27,500 trees

Last year, the foundation was able to expand the protected reserve in Costa Rica with an area of 65 hectares. Forty acres of this is a piece of beautiful rainforest that connects directly to the existing reserve. The 25 acres where there is no rainforest yet is currently pasture land, but is an important connection to the Barbilla National Park. We will now reforest these 25 hectares of pasture land. A total of 27,500 trees will be planted. The tree species have been selected based on their specific growth characteristics. It is important that we create a forest climate again as soon as possible with the trees we plant. This forest climate is a precondition for the growth of the ultimate target species (original tree and plant species from the rainforest). These only grow in a shady environment with the right humidity. The seeds of these target species, such as forest giants, are mainly dispersed from the adjacent rainforest by animals. It is therefore important that these animals (such as; monkeys, birds, rodents) return to the area because the planting of different trees has made it more attractive to them.

Suitable tree species.

In our previous reforestation project of 4 acres of pasture, 14 tree species were eligible. These 14 tree species are indigenous to the region and thus are all native to this area. Because this reforestation project was an experiment to see which tree species would be most suitable for reforestation, we planted all 14 native tree species. For the past three years we have been monitoring these trees with the help of several forestry students. All trees were numbered and measured every 6 months. In this way we gained a good understanding of which trees are doing well in the region, and which trees are not doing as well or are not suitable at all. In the end, we chose to use a mix of the six most successful trees from our reforestation experiment for the reforestation of these 25 acres of pasture that will now be converted.

Great Green Macaw

In addition to the six selected tree species, nearly 4,000 Almendro trees will also be planted. This is a species of tree that is slowly disappearing in Costa Rica due to deforestation. This tree is hugely important for the critically endangered Great Green Macaw, abeautiful large green Macaw whose population is under pressure with only 1,000 left in the wild. The Great Green Macaw depends on this particular species of tree to build its nest in. As a foundation, we hope to contribute to the population growth of this beautiful animal.

Cooperation with University EARTH

All saplings are purchased through the nearby Costa Rican Universidad EARTH. A forestry university that owns a tree nursery. We experienced a pleasant cooperation in the previous reforestation project, so we are happy to support EARTH again with the purchase of the saplings.

In short

Objective

• To plant trees on grasslands deforested decades ago, in order to restore the ecological land bridge (connecting zone) to Barbilla National Park;
• Generate local employment, income and awareness;
• Increase protection of rainforest and stop illegal hunting through physical presence of local workers.

Results

• 25 Hectares of land re-vegetated with a diversity of trees, plants and flowers;
• Increased habitats for all animals and microorganisms present that are essential for biodiversity conservation, migration and expansion
• Providing seven families with employment and income for guaranteed one year, and 2 households will benefit for at least 3 years.
• Capturing CO2. (Planting trees is one of the most efficient methods)

Het bericht An extraordinary new step for foundation Adopt rainforest verscheen eerst op Adopteer Regenwoud.

Why reforestation

It is obviously more important to preserve existing rainforest by protecting it instead of planting new trees. If no trees are cut down, the need to plant them would also be much smaller. The Adopteer Regenwoud foundation therefore consciously chooses to protect as much rainforest as possible and only plant new trees where necessary.

It has chosen to reforest only areas that are strategically important. The main reason is to enable migration for plants and animals. Animals avoid meadows to migrate, because of the risks it entails due to lack of shelter. The same animals are also the ones who have to spread the seeds of trees and plants, almost all seed distribution in the rainforest is done by animals. In contrast to the Netherlands where a lot of seed dispersal is done by the wind.

The jaguar

So it is important to get back to the original forest where rainforest was cut down in the past. The mission is to fully protect an area of 2000 hectares of continuous rainforest and restore it where necessary so that plants and animals can move and reproduce freely again. A good example is the Jaguar that needs at least 2000 hectares of continuous rainforest to survive. This feline is a key species for the rainforest, a species that ensures that animal life remains in balance. If the jaguar can survive in the area then this is a good indication that the rainforest is healthy and diverse enough.

But how do you get the original forest back to these important strategic places?

Theoretically, you could just wait. If you wait long enough and don’t let any more cattle graze, then bushes and eventually forests will come again. Probably it will indeed become forest, but that could take a few human lives. In practice, few tree seeds end up in the meadows, because of the absence of seed spreaders (animals). And if a single tree seed ends up in the meadow there are few that can cope with the stiff high grass. The grass is so long and thick that sunlight can barely reach the ground and the grass also develops an enormous root mass in which almost no tree seed can germinate.

In order to speed up this process and perhaps create rainforest again within one lifetime, the biologists at Adopteer Regenwoud thought of something else. The final tree species we want to have in our rainforest are those that occur in the rainforests around the deforested plots. However, these are species that you can’t just plant and water in a meadow in the hope that they will grow. The “valuable” tree species (climax species), species that have a high natural value because they are important for a lot of life in the rainforest, are trees that can only grow in shade and a good forest climate. And not on a meadow in bright sunshine.

2 year old tree – already 9 meters tall!

The creation of a forest climate

In order for these ultimate target species to grow again, it is therefore important that a forest climate is created where there is sufficient shade. Previous studies in the high mountains of Costa Rica have shown that when you plant trees you can create a forest climate to stimulate natural rejuvenation.

To create this forest climate, 14 indigenous tree species have been selected (species that occur naturally in Costa Rica). There is chosen for fast growing tree species that preferably bear fruit. In this way you not only create a forest climate and shade as quickly as possible, but you also attract animals from the existing rainforest to these planted fruit-bearing trees. These animals are the key to success. If they feel comfortable to move freely in the reforested area again, they will ensure that the desired tree seeds from the rainforest will end up in the desired plot again. The planted trees provide an ideal climate and enough shade for these seeds to germinate. This allows them to grow into the desired “valuable” trees that will eventually create a fully-fledged rainforest.

Man and animal work together

It is still too early to draw conclusions. But there is good hope that with the help of some human input and the important contribution of rainforest animals, the succession of pasture to an adult rainforest is accelerated. And that eventually the area of 2000 hectares will be a fully interconnected rainforest, where the majestic Jaguar can roam freely and raise her young.

Read more about Costa Rica and her history, then go to:

Costa Rica: From mass deforestation to a paradise for eco tourism.

Het bericht From pasture to a fully-fledged rainforest verscheen eerst op Adopteer Regenwoud.