WHY THE OSA?

The Osa Peninsula was referred to by National Geographic as “the most biologically intense place on Earth”.  It houses 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity and half of Costa Rica’s biodiversity. It contains the most significant wetland ecosystem and mangrove forest of Central America and the largest remaining tract of lowland rainforest in Pacific Mesoamerica.  It is home to the largest population of Scarlet Macaws in Central America, over 700 species of trees (more than all the temperate regions combined), species found no where else in the world, and turtle nesting sites for 4 species of endangered sea turtles. Separating the Osa Peninsula from the mainland is the Golfo Dulce Bay – one of only 4 tropical fjords on the planet and a vital nursery for both northern and southern populations of humpback whales and hammerhead sharks.

The Osa Peninsula is at an important juncture. Historically, it has been very difficult to access making it less desirable to developers and tourists.  However, with increasing infrastructure and desire to visit, it is facing a critical choice between rapid unsustainable growth or steady sustainable development. There are many threats; unsustainable palm oil expansion polluting the ecosystem; poverty driven wildlife poaching and illegal logging and mining; historical lack of effective governance and public services due to corruption; lack of jobs and land insecurity due to inadequate conservation policy regulations, international land acquisitions, and poor education; ill advised, mass tourism development projects including a recently-built large marina and Hilton resort and a proposed international airport that threatens sustainable development; and siloed actions and funding of stakeholders. These are all symptoms of systemic challenges.

What are the root causes? What are the leverage points for collective action that can ensure a shared future vision of a thriving ecosystem, thriving blue/green economy, and thriving communities?  What capacity support infrastructure is necessary to increase the success of project implementation? How can systems financing of projects reduce risk in the market and create enabling conditions for systems-wide savings and reliable, if not higher-performing, triple bottom line returns?  

Systemic challenges need systems based solutions. The Osa Peninsula Regenerative Economy Lab (REL) aims to address these questions together with the Indigenous People and local communities of the Osa Peninsula, pre-existing donors, government institutions, local and national organizations, and investors.

HISTORY OF THE PROJECT

In 2015, Regenerative Earth was invited to conduct a systems analysis of the Osa Peninsula, building on four years of Stanford University’s INOGO project. Together with the Indigenous People, local communities, and governmental leaders a systems map was created that showed the shared vision of the community, the current reality and barriers that are preventing this vision from happening, and high leverage points of action that could shift some of the root drivers of negative outcomes to virtuous cycles, enabling a desirable future. The shared vision that was collectively identified is a thriving rainforest and marine ecosystem, regenerative economy, community, and culture, whereby the economic success of the region depends on the health of the ecosystem. 

Several groups, such as SINAC, the ADI Corcovado, and the Institute for Rural Development (INDER), utilized the systems map once it was completed for communication about the need to support sustainable livelihoods alongside conservation and for strategic planning.

In 2017, the Osa became its own territory and the Osa Territory Council was formed. The Osa Territory Council is a local governance body made up of 60% civic and 40% government representation, and is responsible for creating a sustainable development plan for the Osa Territory and selecting projects that INDER then funds. Once formed, the Osa Territory Council utilized the systems map for the development plan and began selecting high leverage projects with a systems lens to implement the plan. However, with a lack of capacity support, these projects over time were considered high risk and underdeveloped, and thus struggled to receive the funding needed to implement them. Regenerative Earth was asked to help address this capacity gap, so that these projects and future projects would have ongoing training support to effectively plan, develop, and implement projects and receive the funding needed. 

CENTER FOR STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE OSA PENINSULA:

Centro Estratégico de Desarrollo de la Peninsula de Osa (CEDPO)

In 2022, Regenerative Earth co-founded the Center for Strategic Development in the Osa Peninsula (CEDPO) with the Institute of Rural Development (INDER) and the Osa Territory Council (OTC). CEDPO was created to build the capacity of the Osa Territory Council as a local governance body for the region; co-develop the sustainable development plan of the Osa Peninsula Territory through a participatory process; support the communities selection of projects using a systems based criteria; strengthen the capacities of projects, organizations, and leaders; connect projects with alliances, organizations, and resources; and systemically and collaboratively invest in projects selected by the Osa Territory Council and board of CEDPO.

The learning, structures, and processes we develop are intended to be shared and scalable to advance the field of systems change that is locally led and locally implemented. 

OSA PENINSULA SYSTEMS MAP

Maintained by:
Centro Estratégico de Desarrollo de la Peninsula de Osa (CEDPO)
(Regenerative Earth, Osa Territorial Council, and INDER)

Developed by:
Jennifer Menke
Joe Hsueh, Ph.D
Todd Khozein

As part of the:
The Academy for Systems Change Fellowship

Based upon:

• Research by the Iniciativa Osa y Golfito (INOGO) Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment
• Interviews of Indigenous People, local community members, government officials, and other relevant rightsholders and stakeholders
• Over a dozen multi-stakeholder convenings

OSA PENINSULA SYSTEMS MAP: Updated Last in 2024

PROJECTS WE SUPPORT

RAISING CORAL

Restoring coral reefs in the Golfo Dulce Bay and training local youth to be coral gardeners. 

STRENGTHENING CULTURAL SYSTEMS WITH THE FAMILIES OF THE NGÄBE COMMUNITY OF THE ALTO LAGUNA TERRITORY

A series of projects designed and led by the Ngäbe tribe of Alto Laguna and supported by CEDPO through capacity strengthening and multi-year grants. Some of the projects include:

• Intercultural exchange with other indigneous territories in Costa Rica to learn from one another and rescue knowledge.

• Eco- and ethno-tourism

• Regenerative agriculture with native seeds

• Cultural school to transfer knowledge from the elders to the youth

• Woman’s art cooperative

• Cultural Fair

ASSOCIATION OF ARTISANS AND RECYCLERS OF OSA (ASAOSA)

CEDPO assists with strengthening the capacity of the ASAOSA staff in project management, proposal writing, strategic planning, financial management and through small grants improves the working conditions, machinery, infrastructure, and community education.

AROMAS DE OSA

CEDPO is supporting Aromas de Osa through a regrant in the production and sale of native vanilla beans grown by local farmers in the Osa Peninsula. 

OSACOOP

A cooperative of 109 small scale farmers in the Osa Peninsula.

OTHER PROJECTS SUPPORTED BY CEDPO

• TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND USES OF SEEDS, PLANTS, AND TREES

• GUERREROS DE LA SALUD (Health Warriors)

• PUEBLOS UNIDOS TURISMO ARQUEOLÓGICO 

• COMISIÓN PLAN DE MANEJO DE RESIDUOS SÓLIDOS 

• ASOCIACIÓN DE PESCADORES DE PUERTO JIMÉNEZ

• RESCATE DE VALORES 

REGENERATIVE ECONOMY LAB TEAM