The association’s history
A timeline of the key milestones
Founding of the Regenwald der Österreicher association by Michael Schnitzler
Start of the association’s activities. Purchase of privately owned primary rainforest areas using donated funds. By 2014, 40 plots of land (a total of almost 4,000 hectares) had been acquired, protecting a quarter of the area of Piedras Blancas National Park.
Purchase of an old farmhouse (in the immediate vicinity of the Esquinas Rainforest Lodge) as a base for tropical research by the University of Vienna. Within a few years, the La Gamba Tropical Research Station becomes an internationally recognized research station.
Construction of the Esquinas Rainforest Lodge after the Regenwald der Österreicher association was commissioned by Austrian Development Cooperation to manage this ecotourism project.
Start of the cooperation with Zoo Ave on a reintroduction project for the scarlet macaw, which established a viable population in the region by 2008. The costs amounted to €43,600.
Handover of the La Gamba Tropical Research Station to the Association for the Promotion of the La Gamba Tropical Research Station. Since 2011, the Tropical Research Station has been a research, teaching and continuing education institution of the University of Vienna.
Start of the cooperation with the administration of Piedras Blancas National Park, under which the Regenwald der Östericher association pays two ranger salaries each year.
Start of the cooperation with Fundacion Corcovado to protect various species of sea turtles
Funding of a park ranger station for Piedras Blancas National Park in La Gamba
Start of support for the La Gamba Tropical Research Station in establishing a biological corridor (COBIGA project, Corredór Biológioco La Gamba) intended to reconnect the existing coastal and mountain rainforests of the Fila Cruces.
Cooperation with the species conservation organizations Yaguará, Pro Felis and Osa Conservation with the aim of safeguarding wild cat populations in southern Costa Rica (Osa Peninsula, Regenwald der Österreicher) through targeted measures. By 2014, the organizations’ work had been supported with a total of €50,500.
72% of the 151 km² Esquinas rainforest has been bought out and integrated into Piedras Blancas National Park. The remaining plots are not threatened by logging. This means the Esquinas forest is considered protected.
The association is focusing on the COBIGA project, which aims to connect the lowland rainforest in the national park with the mountain rainforests of the Fila Cruz. So far, the purchase of 15 plots of land and/or their reforestation with more than 60,000 trees from over 200 different tree species has been (co-)funded.
Association founder Michael Schnitzler hands over the position of association chair to his long-time companion Dr. Anton Weissenhofer (La Gamba Tropical Research Station, University of Vienna).
