LA SABANA WILL BE RE-POPULATED WITH 5,000 INDIGENOUS TREES

An intensive reforestation plan designed by the National Institute of Biodiversity (INBio) of Costa Rica will reduce the predominance of exotic species like Eucalyptus and Cypress trees in the metropolitan park.More than 5,000 indigenous trees will be planted in its place whose fruit will serve as food for birds and insects in the Central Valley of Costa Rica.The idea is, when the trees develop, the La Sabana ecosystem will be as biologically diverse as the country itself in the long term.“Within 15 years we will be able to enjoy an urban forest in La Sabana,” said Alfio Piva, executive director of INBio.For every tree cut, two will be planted in its place. Over time it is hoped that some 5,000 will exist in the park.Some of the trees will be fruit trees, and other will be timber-yielding, and many others will be species considered under the threat of extinction. Of which, all will be indigenous to Costa Rica.The biological richness of the park is guaranteed: “Currently, there are 79 different types of trees (indigenous and exotic) in La Sabana. However, we are planning to plant 134 species, all indigenous,” said biologist Tobías García.So, by the year 2023, when the forest has matured, those that visit Costa Rica La Sabana will see some 2,500 exotic trees and 5,000 indigenous ones, which will be categorized by name and characteristics.

ANNE FRANK SCULPTURE ON DISPLAY IN SAN JOSÉ COSTA RICA

The painful and inspiring story of Anne Frank, the German-Jewish girl that suffered along with her family under Nazi persecution during the Second World War and detailed it in her diary, is now represented in San José Costa Rica. The representation is a bronze statue of the child created by the Dutch artist Joep Coppens, and is located south of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Costa Rica.The piece is a donation from the Benelux embassy, and on it is a plaque that reads “My dream is liberty,” taken from Ana Frank’s famous diary, which became well known after she died in a concentration camp.