Faraaz Abdool visits Costa Rica and shares some insights from a farm and forest estate.
The Pacuare River snakes its way through tracts of pristine jungle on its way to Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. A short distance west of its course is the village of Tres Equis, or Three X’s.
Linking the village to the forest is Finca Tres Equis,
finca being Spanish for “farm.”.This property of 318 hectares strives to be an eco-friendly and sustainable farm, using a model that aspires to a greener future.
Such a vision requires investment and resources which have been running low since the global covid19 shutdowns.
A river runs through
Alfonso Pacheco Revilla explains, “Before our family became stewards of Finca Tres Equis nearly 30 years ago, the land had passed through two other owners after the original proprietor. My father purchased the property, which had primarily been used as a cattle ranch and for agricultural activities such as growing coffee, sugarcane, rice and other short-cycle crops.
"At that time, about two-thirds of the land was pasture and fields, while the remaining third was forest.
"However, the forest was in poor condition due to unregulated logging over the years. Picture a big piece of land, with one gravel road that divides the property in two. When you are at the highest point, you see a very hilly area, with no forest coverage, just grassland. In the background and looking down, you can see mountains and hills, some covered with forest and their different shades of green.
[caption id="attachment_1135901" align="alignnone" width="768"] Signage within Finca Tres Equis prohibiting activities such as hunting, fishing, removal of plants, and starting fires.[/caption]
"At the bottom of the property, you have the magnificent Pacuare River and its canyon. This area is the most irregular and difficult to access, so it bears a more preserved forest.
"Today, the trees have grown so tall that there are not many open-view areas, and a thriving canopy has replaced them.
“In the initial stage, during the first eight years, we maintained much of the grassland and pastures to support a small herd of cattle and horses, but we chose not to grow any crops. Instead, we focused on giving the forest the chance to rest and recover. We implemented a strict no-tree-cutting policy and embraced a deep commitment to forest preservation – a philosophy that continues to guide us today.”
Reforestation remains one of the most effective mitigating actions against the climate emergency, and this is solidly at the forefront of the operations at Finca Tres Equis.
The slogan, “Farm and Forest” speaks to a commitment to forest preservation. At present, the forested area of the farm boasts an impressive species list, including several predatory felines (Costa Rica’s largest, the jaguar, is yet to be recorded here, though), as well as a myriad of other fauna, including more than 360 species of birds.
The cocoa forest
After a decade of maintaining a small herd of cattle, Finca Tres Equis bade goodbye to the lives
