Read the latest article by Forbes Magazine about our destination here
While Costa Rica comes equipped with towering volcanoes and vast expanses of shoreline, few of its natural features can match the grandeur of the Guanacaste Conservation Area. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, this sprawling network of nature preserves is home to the one of the largest continuous tracts of dry forest in all of Central America—and on the west coast of Guanacaste Province, resort community Costa Elena is working hard to set a new standard for sustainable development across the region.
“Costa Elena was conceived as a sanctuary where luxury, community and conservation coexist,” says Carlos Hernandez, CEO of community development firm Pellas Development. From its very inception, environmental preservation has been a core tenet of the Costa Elena ethos, with the design following a low-density, sustainability-driven plan that was carefully curated to minimize impact on the local environment. In addition to utilizing vast networks of solar panels and operating a dark-sky policy to safeguard local sea turtle populations, Costa Elena also plays a crucial role in the protection of the surrounding tropical dry forest, with 60% of the 3,000-acre property left completely undeveloped.
While this decision leaves plenty of room for indigenous flora and fauna to flourish, Hernandez notes that a major threat to the Guanacaste Conservation Area stems from local human activity, with illegal hunting and logging still occurring today across the province’s northern coast. In an effort to address this issue, Costa Elena works closely with local conservation organizations to reduce these actions through education and fostering economic development—and in recent years, their efforts have seen unprecedented success, with some of Costa Rica’s most vulnerable species surging back from dangerously low numbers.
“One of the most inspiring outcomes to the success of the Guanacaste Conservation Area… is that it has become a comprehensive biological corridor, where species can roam throughout the year,” says Hernandez. With roughly 570 square miles of protected land combined, the entire system spans from the Guanacaste coastline into its interior rainforests, providing Costa Rica’s native predators with plenty of room to hunt for prey. While the introduction of the conservation area has benefited creatures like the ocelot and jaguarundi, it was also instrumental in bolstering jaguar populations, reintroducing these majestic cats to parts of the country that they had long been absent from.
While Costa Rica’s feline species are notoriously difficult to spot, the Guanacaste Conservation Area has allowed indigenous birdlife to thrive as well, making Costa Elena ideal for a luxury-forward birdwatching getaway. One species in particular—the yellow-naped amazon—has benefited heavily from the community’s commitment to conservation, and can now be spotted daily across property grounds in spite of its status as critically endangered. Beyond this bird, guests can also look forward to colorful animals like the Montezuma oropendola, streak-backed oriole and tropical royal flycatcher, each one serving as a crucial component to experiencing the true splendor of Costa Elena.
“Every day at Costa Elena is a front-row seat to nature,” says Hernandez. “You’ll hear howler monkeys waking up the forest, spot capuchins and spider monkeys swinging through the trees and see iguanas basking in the sun. Yellow-necked parrots will wake you up. A white-tailed deer will run near you in the hiking trails, you can spot whales, mantas and dolphins in the bay… Those moments make Costa Elena truly special.”
Full article here
