• The event is part of FIFCO’s volunteer program, Elegí Ayudar.
• The space will be reopened as an outdoor museum with an educational and environmental focus.

May 2025. Where there were once cages, nature now flourishes. More than 60 volunteers joined forces in a day of cleaning, trail restoration, and garden improvement at the former Simón Bolívar Zoo, as part of the process of transforming the site into the new Simón Bolívar Urban Natural Park (PANU), an open-air museum in the heart of San José.

PANUs seek to conserve natural habitats that still remain in urban areas, contribute to carbon capture, promote ecotourism and recreation, and strengthen the ecological connection with green corridors and rivers in the city. This activity was carried out as part of FIFCO’s corporate volunteer program, Elegí Ayudar (I Chose to Help), and is part of the company’s commitment to the regeneration of public spaces, sustainability, and community well-being.

“The transformation of the Simón Bolívar PANU is a symbol of how we can breathe new life into urban spaces with purpose and collaboration. Through our Elegí Ayudar program, we channel the energy of our volunteers towards causes that generate environmental and social value,” said María Pía Robles, FIFCO’s Director of Corporate Relations.

This volunteer work was carried out in partnership with Asociación ProParques, as part of efforts to reopen the space, which will offer citizens a green and educational space. The protected area will serve to promote ecotourism and green jobs, as well as strengthen governance structures that will enable sustainable management of the site.

Through its volunteer program, FIFCO has also carried out interventions in national parks and protected areas throughout the country, with tasks such as trail maintenance, cleaning and painting of facilities, and restoration of spaces and gardens. To date, these efforts have had a positive impact on various areas such as Carara National Park, Irazú National Park, Prusia National Park, Baulas Marine National Park, Grecia Forest Reserve, Poás Volcano National Park, Guayabo National Monument, Conchal Mixed Refuge, Iguanita Wildlife Refuge, and Barra Honda National Park.

This project aligns with FIFCO’s Expansive Sustainability vision, which promotes partnerships and concrete actions to positively transform communities and the environment.