In a world where deforestation advances due to indiscriminate logging, agricultural expansion, and urban growth, there are still stories that go in the opposite direction. One of them is that of Paulino Nájera Rivera and his family, who decided to confront the loss of forests with a persistent action: planting more than 37,000 native trees in the indigenous territory of Térraba, Costa Rica.
What began in the 2000s as a community effort transformed into the Rincón Ecológico Cultural de Térraba, a space where the land wounded by logging began to heal. The initiative was not a million-dollar project but a collective and constant decision to bring life back to degraded areas.
Reforestation with Native Trees
The Nájera Rivera family’s strategy was not limited to planting trees but to recovering a complete natural system. Native species play an essential role: they support entire biological chains of insects, birds, soil, and moisture.
Unlike commercial plantations, where a single species predominates, here diversity is central. The thousands of native varieties represent different growth rhythms, climate resistances, and functions within the ecosystem, allowing the forest to regain its natural structure.
Visible Impacts
Over time, the changes became evident:
- The soil regained moisture and new layers of vegetation began to grow.
- The fauna returned, reoccupying spaces that had been left empty.
This slow and silent process demonstrates that nature responds to human constancy. Each planted tree is part of a living network that recomposes itself.
A Community Life Model
The decision to plant thousands of trees is not only environmental but also cultural and social. It is a form of resistance against loss and an example that damage can be reversed if there is continuity and commitment.
The extended Nájera Rivera family turned reforestation into a community life model, where collective action strengthens identity and the bond with the land.
Costa Rica and Its Environmental Leadership
Reforestation is key to maintaining Costa Rica’s environmental leadership, a country that managed to reverse deforestation and today exceeds 50% forest coverage.
Its forests capture CO₂, protect 5% of the world’s biodiversity, ensure water, prevent erosion, and support ecotourism, a fundamental economic engine.
Key Aspects of Reforestation in Costa Rica
- Climate Change: reforested forests capture tons of carbon.
- Biodiversity Conservation: projects with native species restore degraded ecosystems.
- Water and Soil Protection: trees ensure watersheds and prevent landslides.
- Support for Ecotourism: millions of visitors depend on the health of the forests.
- Social Development: promotes environmental education and generates local jobs.
Highlighted Achievements
- FONAFIFO: manages reforestation programs and Payment for Environmental Services.
- Native Species: such as guayaquil, ron ron, and pochote, used to restore balance.
- Historical Success: Costa Rica went from a high deforestation rate to recovering more than half of its territory with forests.
The story of the Nájera Rivera family demonstrates that reforestation does not require large investments, but decision and persistence. With more than 37,000 trees planted, they managed to rebuild an entire forest and contribute to Costa Rica’s environmental resilience. Their example reinforces the idea that community action can be as powerful as national policies in the fight against climate change.
