The document summarizes the work of Model Forests in Latin America, focusing on the Reventazón Model Forest in Costa Rica. Model Forests generate scientific knowledge, develop leaders, implement sustainable development projects, and contribute to public policy through partnerships. The Reventazón Model Forest covers 300,000 hectares and supports sustainable livelihoods through six approaches, including agriculture/forestry systems, restoring pasturelands, and biological corridors. It has a vision of integrated natural resource management to improve quality of life. Key stakeholders collaborate through initiatives like biological corridors, protected area management, agrotourism, analog forestry, and municipal environmental management.

1. Application of Landscape Approaches in
Latin America: Model Forests
Agriculture, Food Security, and Climate Change
EcoAgriculture Side Event
November 5, 2010
Jose Joaquin Campos, Director General
John Beer, Director of Research and Development
Ronnie de Camino, President, Iberoamerican Model Forests Network
Fabrice De Clerck, Environmental Livestock Group
Tamara Benjamin, Agroecology Group

2. • Generate scientific knowledge related to needs in Latin America
and the Caribbean
• Form leaders capable of solving problems in a complex
and changing world
• Implement projects that contribute to agricultural development
and conservation of natural resources
• Contribute to public policy at municipal, national and
international levels through scientific knowledge
• Work in strategic alliances with more than 200
public and private partners
• Serve as a regional platform for the development
and implementation of local solutions for global
priorities
What we do

3. Sustainable
livelihoods,
landscapes, and
ecosystems through
system approaches
6. Collective action through
local governance and
comanagement
1. Agriculture and forestry
systems
2 . Restoring degraded
pasturelands
3 . Inclusive value chains
4. Economic and market-
based instruments
5. Locally led biological
corridors

4. A virtuous circle for
sustainable development

5. What are Model Forests?
A diversity of values
on the landscape
Partnerships working
towards a common vision
Developing and testing
approaches to sustainability
Networking and
knowledge sharing

6. Model Forests: Key Attributes
• Partnerships;
• Commitment to sustainable
development;
• Landscape level (watershed or
sub-watershed);
• Scope of activities reflect
stakeholder needs and values;
• Transparent and accountable
governance structure;
• Commitment to networking:
cooperation, sharing, and
capacity-building.

7. Reventazón Model Forest

8. RMF: Biophysical Profile
• Approx. 300,000 ha, 6% of CR landbase;
• mid-upper slopes of the Reventazón
watershed;
• other watersheds – Pacuare and Tárcoles;
• elevation of between 410m - 3500m;
• avg. precip: N slopes 1500mm, S. half
7000mm;
• 2 active volcanos - Irazú and Turrialba;
• Holdridge zones:
– premontane moist forest - montane rainforest -
paramo
• Land uses:
– primary/ secondary forest, coffee, pasture,
sugar, annual crops, horticulture, urban

9. Importance of
Watershed
• 11% of the total value of the country’s
agricultural exports are produced
• 38% of its hydroelectric energy
• 50% of its cement
• 50% of the water used by the
metropolitan area of San José
Photo: F. De Clerck

10. Portion of the Reventazon Model Forest

11. Photos: T. Benjamin, M. Decker
• Vision:
• “Communities, organizations and citizens
working in an integrated manner to
advance sustainable management of our
natural resources in order to achieve a
better quality of life for the habitants of the
Reventazón Model Forest”
• Objectives:
• Strengthening local conservation
initiatives, values.
• Promoting governance
mechanisms that facilitate greater
participative management by
stakeholders and consensus based
decision-making.
• Improving the quality of life for
local people.

13. Key Stakeholds in
Reventazon Model Forest
• Local, provincial, and national government
agencies
– Ministry of Environment and Energy
– Municipalities of Cartago
– Sewage and Water services
• Producers (Agriculture, Forests, Agroforestry)
• Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Tourism, and
Services
• Donor groups
• Educational system (elementary, high school,
universities)

14. Photo: F. De Clerck

15. Support Participatory
Processes
Biological Corridors
Management of Protected Areas
Community Rural Agro Tourism
Analog Forestry
Municipal Environment Management

17. Biological Corridors

18. Management of Protected
Areas

19. Community
Rural Agrotourism

20. Analog Forestry
Restoration of degraded areas
Demonstration sites, including in
technical high schools.
Nursery establishment
Training the trainers and innovative
farmers

21. Municipality
Environmental Management

22. Thank you
Dank U