The University of Georgia Costa Rica 2014-2015 Sustainability Report UGA Costa Rica 2014 - 2015 Sustainability Report | Page 47

As displayed in the mission
statement, UGA Costa Rica
is not only about Costa Rica.
It is about the world. It is
about making a difference in
Monteverde and providing
the necessary demonstration
techniques so others may
continue elsewhere what
UGACR has started in San Luis.
As UGA Costa Rica enters a new
chapter in its evolving tale,
the time has come to consider
challenges and opportunities
lying ahead. During the next
5 to10 years, four areas of
special importance stand out:
water resource management,
alternative energy generation,
sustainable agriculture and rural
development, and ensuring the
health and safety of small, rural
communities.
Given that climate models for
Central America show increased
drought frequency for the coming
100 years, how we manage water
during wet periods for use during
dry periods will become of critical
importance. UGACR is currently
developing a research agenda
to study and build an outreach
and education program revolving
around best management
practices for agriculture and
other land uses in the Bellbird
Biological Corridor. This would
immediately serve the San Luis
area and provide a regional
model for watershed-scale water
resource management. Specific
concerns include seasonal flow
management, water storage

and distribution alternatives,
wastewater treatment, and best
management practices.
As a country, Costa Rica is heavily
invested in hydropower for the
national grid, using it to meet
around 80 percent of national
energy needs. The current and
upcoming water problems do not
bode well for such investment.
Opportunities for alternative
energy generation abound.
Continuing to invest in biogas
generation and implementing it
as both a cooking and electricity
source is one area for growth.
Specifically, UGACR may be able
to replace diesel purchased for
campus generators with biofuel.
In Georgia, exploration of biofuel
production from native and noninvasive grasses and woody plant
materials is already underway.
UGACR hopes to translate the
findings of this research to
Costa Rica. Solar power can be
equipped to provide energy for
processes besides heating water.
By investing in alternative energy
generation, we can reduce the
reliance on hydro-power for
energy and create a more energy
secure future for both the campus
and the country.
Rural communities face many
daily stresses. It is important to
ensure those in rural communities
can make a viable living, one
attractive to both younger and
older generations. Sustainable
agriculture is one option, but it’s
only one aspect of a combination
of economic activities that will
need to take place to cultivate

thriving rural communities.
Incentivizing ecosystem services
and creating multiple income
streams will help stabilize the
economic conditions of these
communities, increasing quality
of life. UGACR can help provide
a model for this, but more needs
to be done in the surrounding
community to develop outreach
programs serving farmers in our
re