Ecofeminist Summer Internship Experience Grant
The Corredor Biológico Talamanca
“The principal objective of the Association of Organizations of the Corredor Biológico Talamanca Caribe ACBTC – (Talamanca-Caribbean Biological Corridor Association) is the protection of the Biological Corridor, as a geographical area, which seeks to ensure the connection between the protected areas, indigenous territories, and promote the genetic exchange of wild species of flora and fauna. We collaborate on local, national and international development.”
The Association of Organizations of the Corredor Biológico Talamanca Caribe mission statement is “to preserve Talamanca's biodiversity and ecosystems by stimulating communities and community organizations in their capacity for sustainable development and conservation.” The main objects include the promotion of the development of activities that protect biodiversity, support the development of sustainable services and activities, sponsor the consolidation of grassroots organizations that focus on the protection and management of natural resources, and to urge the issuance or modification of policies that benefit natural resources in the Talamanca region.
I am hoping to be a part of an expansive environmental social justice network working directly with Afro-Caribbean indigenous groups in the most biologically diverse region in Costa Rica. My work would primarily be focused in agroecology projects working on the installation of bio-digesters, the construction of living fences, and working with a microbial solution to combat the spread of Monilia. I would be practicing my Spanish throughout the summer and living with my sister in Talamanca while working on a variety of environmental projects through the Corredor Biológico. My sister and I have been cultivating these relationships for several years but I never have had the opportunity to fully dedicate my time and energy to this larger organization. I think about environmentalism every day and how to make the world a more equitable, healthier, and environmentally conscientious place. I believe this experience would change my life and improve the lives of many others. Small farms and agroecology are the solutions to fight world hunger and promote ecofeminism cross-culturally and internationally.
One of my responsibilities while working for the Corredor Biológico would be to help small farmers become self-sufficient and be resilient in the face of Climate Change. One main objective is to provide farmers with a reliable income and not depend on external resources such as pesticides and fertilizers. These external costs are not only harmful to the local families but are additionally harmful for the environment. Another component to my work will be assisting in marketing and set up a digital portal project for an expansive network of sustainable activism. Women are still the prominent subservient class in Costa Rica, constantly experiencing machismo and are mainly disregarded. The Corredor Biológico specifically works with women to promote an ecologically stable livelihood.
In Talamanca, my host sponsor Jaime works with twenty farms fighting for food security and within the next 10 months she plans on expanding the network and work with 20 more farms. Her work is essential to empower these marginalized communities. The Corredor Biológico Talamanca has several Conservation Forest Farms to evaluate how the rainforest continues to change over time. In the field work, the projects include planting trees, installing bio-digesters, establishing vegetable and fruit gardens, working in environmental education, and participating in re-forestation campaigns.
