She is spontaneous; he is reserved. Olivia wants to take advantage of every minute of life to preserve her little piece of land; Jesús imagines himself 30 years from now, able to see how the land he will convey to his daughters has become densely forested. Though their visions are imbued with different personalities, they converge around the importance of preserving the land for the future.

With the support of the GEF Small Grants Programme, implemented by UNDP, this family demonstrates how a livestock farm can contribute to healthy soils and environmental sustainability while becoming wildlife corridors supporting both people and wild cats.

María Olivia Rodríguez Vasquez and Jesús María Molina Salas on their farm in Costa Rica.

A place where clouds and dreams are born

To the west of Costa Rica's Central Valley, we find the Montes del Aguacate Biological Corridor (CBMA), a place of biological connectivity between Protected Wildlife Areas and Protected Zones. Within its boundaries live dozens of rural communities that are characterized by low human development and limited job opportunities, which can force families to migrate to cities in search of options.

But as with soil degradation, this doesn’t have to be the case, as demonstrated by the story of . More than 30 years ago, they decided to embark on a joint undertaking on a 20 hectare plot of land - a place where clouds are born, mist blankets vegetation, and where they saw their four daughters grow up: Natalia, Celina, Marianela, and Paulina. Since that date more than three decades ago, besides being beekeepers, they have made their living by livestock farming. Both agree: "Producing and protecting is the most beautiful thing there is".

Climate-smart livestock for living soils

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the link between deforestation and cattle ranching is strongest in Latin America. In Central America, forest coverage has been reduced by almost 40% in the last 40 years. Over the same period, grazing areas and livestock populations have increased rapidly.

Nevertheless, there is room for optimism among the pastures. Olivia and Jesús are living proof of how livestock farming can be compatible with climate action: they protect water sources, thoughtfully consider the use of natural resources, reforest and regenerate soils, abjure the use of chemicals, and are assiduously humane with their animals.

According to the National Agricultural Survey (ENA) of the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC) 2022, the main cause of losses to cattle between 1 and 2 years of age was due to animal attacks, specifically snakes, wild cats, and coyotes. According to official data from the Unit for Attention to Conflicts with Felines (UACFel), 90% of the cases of predation caused by jaguars and pumas are due to poor livestock management on the farms of the communities that coexist with these big cats.

Pumas used to be a nuisance for the communities of La Guaria, in Piedades Sur de San Ramón (in northwestern Costa Rica). Today, people, livestock, and wild cats (pumas, ocelots, and even jaguars) coexist in these communities, improving soil quality and sustainable livestock production.

Reaad more about this inspirational work HERE