Biological Corridors

Three new biological corridors in Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic

The project „From Farm to Fork“, financed by the IKI programme of the BMUV, has developed a practical system to protect and create biological corridors in areas with banana and pineapple plantations in the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica. These corridors will help to reduce the barrier effect of such plantations to fauna and flora. Many species will be able to move between habitats and disperse between populations.

The three biological corridors in which companies can invest are:

  • Río Jura in the Dominican Republic 
  • Los Malecu in Costa Rica
  • Río Parismina in Costa Rica

The measures foreseen will lead to:

  • Conservation, restoration and protection of rivers, wetlands and alluvial forests.
  • Connection of habitats
  • Protection of biodiversity on plantations along the biological corridors

Two catalogues were prepared to present the options to “invest” in the establishment and maintenance of these corridors. We invite companies along the supply chains of banana and pineapple to make a significant and effective contribution to the protection of biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Each individual measure will contribute to the effect desired. The more measures can be implemented, the more comprehensive the protection of biodiversity on the ground becomes.

The implementation of the connecting structures occurs in four stages

  1. The project teams of GIZ and GNF together with local partners determine the corridors on site and define the areas, measures and budget for the implementation.
  2. Companies along the supply chains of banana and pineapple are invited to become involved in the implementation of the measures and the creation of the corridors – financially and through practical support.
  3. The measures are implemented and coordinated by the project team.
  4. The long-term maintenance and protection of the restored areas are secured. Through the surveying of key species, the development of the ecosystem will be monitored.

With these biological corridors, From farm to fork offers companies the possibility to participate in the restoration of biodiversity in important cultivated areas.

More about investment options

The project coordinators have deliberately avoided requiring extensive calculations of ecosystem service use to determine a company’s financial contribution.

The contributions for supply chain actors are staggered into „investments“ for large, medium and small companies. Together with the companies, „appropriate“ contributions are selected to avoid possible criticism of “greenwashing”.

The calculation of these appropriate contributions for investments in a biological corridor and its ecosystem services are comprehensibly explained in a separate paper.