• Biodiversity inventory on FIFCO property will allow the design of a reforestation plan that will provide safe passage, food and shelter for dozens of wildlife species.

Terrestrial mammals, bats, insects, reptiles, amphibians and birds will find a safe haven from environmental degradation and extreme weather events on FIFCO property in Heredia.

On World Environment Day, the Costa Rican company is kicking off an ambitious project to transform more than 10 hectares of land in the canton of Flores, where its headquarters and beer and soft drink production plants are located. The plan includes the strategic planting of native species of flora, which will provide safe passage, food and shelter for the area’s wildlife.

The first stage of the project starts this June and consists of an inventory of the existing biodiversity in the company’s green areas. Biology professionals have identified the possibility of finding at least 22 species of terrestrial mammals, bats, reptiles, amphibians and birds, as well as dozens of types of insects.

Among the specimens expected to be observed are raccoons, opossums, coatis, golden-eyed frogs, velvet snakes, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, parakeets, bees, beetles, butterflies and dragonflies. The inventory will allow the design of a reforestation plan aimed at turning the area into a climatic refuge for biodiversity.

Karine Steinvorth, head of Positive Environmental Value at FIFCO, explained that this initiative seeks to turn the company’s land into a buffer zone from the effects of climate change, which causes excessive heat, water shortages and difficulty in accessing suitable habitats for both animals and humans. At the same time, he stressed the potential of green areas within private properties, both in industry and in home gardens, as, regardless of their size, they can serve as a place for resting, feeding and safely moving species through urban areas.

Maria Pia Robles, Director of Corporate Relations at FIFCO, explained that this initiative is part of the corporate sustainability strategy, specifically in relation to climate change adaptation.

“Climate change affects the balance of ecosystems, representing a real threat to biodiversity. Forests and urban green spaces, with all their biological diversity, act as natural carbon sinks, offering nature-based solutions to counteract climate change. The protection, management and restoration of forests constitutes approximately two-thirds of the total mitigation potential of all natural alternatives,” said Robles.

This FIFCO initiative plays a linking role between green areas and the patches of natural forest present throughout the Cubujuquí Interurban Biological Corridor (IBC), an initiative the company supports. The Cubujuquí IBC aims to contribute to the restoration of the area’s ecosystems and facilitate the safe transit of wildlife through the region.

In addition, FIFCO will implement educational programs aimed at both its staff and the external public, with the objective of providing them with tools that will allow them to contribute to the protection of biodiversity.