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1,270–14,570 USD/ha/year, or 22–25% lower for convention-
al farms. Non-market values were 460–5,240 USD/ha/year
for organic farmland compared to only 50–1,240 USD/ha/
year for conventional (Sandhu
et al
., 2008).
Restore water supply and reduce effects of extreme flows in-
cluding droughts and floods by restoring natural pathways,
riverine and catchment vegetation and wetlands.
Reduce evapotranspiration, improve weed control and in-
crease soil fertility and biological life in soils through more
organic based production systems, including, where appro-
priate, perennials (Vieria
et al
., 2009; UNEP, 2009).
Reduce sedentary and intensified grazing systems and pro-
mote grazing diversity to reduce overgrazing and depletion
of range diversity which increases probability of invasive spe-
cies infestations.
•
•
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The Nogal-La Selva local Biological Corridor (NSBC) is located in
Sarapiquí, in the northern Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica, Cen-
tral America. The NSBC is an effort which intends to connect for-
est fragments from the Nogal Private Wildlife Refuge (252 acres),
a natural private reserve owned by Chiquita Brands International,
Restoration of abandoned plantations, Proyecto Naturaleza y
Comunidad, Costa Rica
to La Selva Biological Station (3,900 acres), an ecological research
station owned by the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS).
Project and photos credit: Chiquita Brands International/GTZ/MIGROS/
Rainforest Alliance
CASE STUDY #17
Develop alternatives to the use of cereals in animal feed by
recycling of waste or new technology to reduce the effect that
near 1/3 of all cereals are used for animal feed, rising to near
50% by 2050, thus reducing the pressures on cropland ex-
pansion – both locally into natural edges, as well as into pris-
tine habitats (UNEP, 2009).
Changing the meat consumption habits and developing an al-
ternative to the use of cereals in animal feed is actually a pre-
requisite necessary for restoring much lost raindforest and
wetlands cleared and drained to support cattle production. This
demonstrates once again that in restoration one must not only
address the restoration of the ecosystem at hand, but also ad-
dress the socio-economic driving forces that led to degradation
in the first place.
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