Reforestation and Green Zones

Volcano Lodge & Gardens, looks out for our planet; our beautiful, warm home, this motivation and the difficult situation that our planet is living today have made us more conscientious and caused us to take aggressive drastic measures for the health and good of our beloved planet and to avoid its deterioration.

One of the most important and attractive programs that we have begun is a reforestation program called, “LEAVE YOUR MARK ON COSTA RICA”. This unique project in the Arenal Volcano Area was initiated and motivated by local businessman and owner of Hotel San Bosco and Volcano Lodge & Gardens, Mr. Asdrubal Castro Miranda, who has taken it upon himself, not just beautifying the area in and around La Fortuna by planting and maintaining beautiful local gardens, but also by planting more than 3000 trees in the region...and counting. We have no plans of stopping any time soon, so we have decided to share this experience with our hotel guests by inviting them to take action in the protection of our planet and plant a tree and leave their mark of life and love on Costa Rica and particularly on the region of Arenal.

Leave your mark on Costa Rica project:

You will have the opportunity to plant an endemic tree in the northern zone of our country, in our property, at the base of the Arenal Volcano.

Each participant will name their tree, and thereby leave a perpetual mark on our planet, since even after they have passed away from this earth, their tree will continue to live and generate life.

We will take photographs of the tree planting ceremony and award you with a certificate of “Mother of Father” of your tree. Periodically, you will receive information on the growth of your “child” by internet.

Join us in this nurturing experience that will save the planet!

Recycling Program (Single Women Association of Z13):

The Association of Single Women of Z13 is headed up by Ms. Luisa Varela and Ms. Isabel Gutierrez, who have taken the courageous decision to clean up their community and surrounding communities by collecting and separating recyclable waste products in the La Fortuna area. This difficult labor is the product of courage and dedication, intending to contribute to the control of the alarming population increase in our community, at the same time, contributing to low income families and the local orphanage and safe house, put in place to educate and protect abandoned children.

Volcano Lodge & Gardens, as a consequence of its firm dedication to the social well being and its sustainable philosophy, fully supports this initiative.

On our property, you will find waste receptors thoroughly identified for each type of waste disposal (glass, plastic, aluminum, organic). These waste products are then separated and packed to be given to the single women of this project to begin the recycling process.

Bun-ca Organization, Energy Efficiency Program – Tourism Sector

Bun-ca is a non-governmental organization dedicated to promote the efficient usage of natural resources in order to generate sustainable energy, and thereby conserve the environment. This program consists in educating business owners and their employees, to create awareness and identify areas of possible savings. The program, which is funded by international organizations and foundations like Hivos, UNESCO, and the Holland Board of Tourism, includes classes and personalized follow ups in each case.

Committed to the Earth Charter.

The Earth Charter is a declaration of fundamental ethical principles for building a just, sustainable and peaceful global society in the 21st century. It seeks to inspire in all people a new sense of global interdependence and shared responsibility for the well-being of the whole human family, the greater community of life, and future generations. It is a vision of hope and a call to action.

The Earth Charter is centrally concerned with the transition to sustainable ways of living and sustainable human development. Ecological integrity is one major theme. However, the Earth Charter recognizes that the goals of ecological protection, the eradication of poverty, equitable economic development, respect for human rights, democracy, and peace are interdependent and indivisible. It provides, therefore, a new, inclusive, integrated ethical framework to guide the transition to a sustainable future.

The Earth Charter is a product of a decade-long, worldwide, cross cultural dialogue on common goals and shared values. The Earth Charter project began as a United Nations initiative, but it was carried forward and completed by a global civil society initiative. The Earth Charter was finalized and then launched as a people's charter in 2000 by the Earth Charter Commission, an independent international entity.

The drafting of the Earth Charter involved the most inclusive and participatory process ever associated with the creation of an international declaration. This process is the primary source of its legitimacy as a guiding ethical framework. The legitimacy of the document has been further enhanced by its endorsement by over 4,500 organizations, including many governments and international organizations.

In the light of this legitimacy, an increasing number of international lawyers recognize that the Earth Charter is acquiring the status of a soft law document. Soft law documents like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are considered to be morally, but not legally, binding on state governments that agree to endorse and adopt them, and they often form the basis for the development of hard law.

At a time when major changes in how we think and live are urgently needed, the Earth Charter challenges us to examine our values and to choose a better way. At a time when international partnership is increasingly necessary, the Earth Charter encourages us to search for common ground in the midst of our diversity and to embrace a new global ethic that is shared by an ever-growing number of people throughout the world. At a time when education for sustainable development has become essential, the Earth Charter provides a very valuable educational instrument.

You can also support the Earth Charter http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/content/pages/Endorsement%20Form