Foundation 'OASEBOS'

The Mission

Oasebos is a professional and independent foundation.
We are dedicated to the purchase and sustainable protection of threatened tropical ecosystems.
Within Oasebos, overhead costs are limited to a minimum and financial accounts are available to everyone.

Background information on the mission

Healthy and sustainable ecosystems are essential for the survival of life on earth.
Most bio-diverse, and therefore valuable, ecosystems are situated in tropical primary forests.
Unfortunately these forests are immanently under threat of being destroyed. This destruction is being caused by the increase of the population and the short-sighted emphasis on quick economic development.
According to the so-called Red List of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) 12.000 species of plants and animals are threatened with extinction.
It is the actions of people that is causing this destruction However these people and others can act to conserve, rather than to destroy.
The purpose of Oasebos is to purchase tropical ecosystems which we will protect en sustain.

The first purchase of Oasebos was "El Salto" in Costa Rica in 2004

Because of high land prices an high salaries, nature conservation in the Netherlands is extravagantly expensive.
In the Netherlands, a nature area with a maximum of 7 tree species costs 15.000 Euros per hectare. In Costa Rica, rainforest with a minimum of 90 tree species costs 1.450 Euros per hectare.

A thousand hectares of this rainforest contains the same number of bird species as the whole of the Netherlands. In a country such as Costa Rica, with few inhabitants per square kilometre, nature has the chance to develop itself in its own way, without pressure from human activities.
In conclusion it is obvious that an investment for the conservation of nature conservation in Costa Rica gives a return that is 200 times more 'nature per euro' than a similar investment in the Netherlands.

With the first purchase of land in 2004 the founders of Oasebos established good contacts with the inhabitants of that region of Costa Rica and with the Ministry of Nature Management. We established that we can come to an agreement with ease, and that agreements and promises are kept by us and by them.
The Government of Costa Rica will now help with the finance and facilitate the set up and management which will become by law protected official nature reserves.
Since 2007 Oasebos has also purchased 111 hectares in de region Manquenque in the north of Costa Rica. The new area "Copalchi" is a lowland forest, vital to worldwide rare species such as the Great Green Macaw (beautiful big parrot). Medio 2010 we started a process for buying an other forest in the same area. This forest is called "El Cerrito".

Financial information

Oasebos intends to use a minimum of 90% of all donated money directly for the purchase and protection of nature. The financial accounts of the foundation will be available on the website yearly.

How to support Oasebos

Within Oasebos, 4 types of support are possible:

Donations: you can make a one-time donation, a monthly, quarterly or yearly donation: just as you like it. Through the website you can be informed on Oasebos' actions.
Participation: if you participate in Oasebos, you will be the co-owner of a real piece of forest. The minimum area where you can participate in is 0,5 hectare. Participants will get digital newsletters through e-mail to keep informed on the proceedings within Oasebos. Also participants can, just as donators can, keep informed by checking the internet site. Participants get the exclusive right to visit their Oasebos. The participants can get a round tour with information on management activities of the forest.
Sponsoring by companies, municipalities or institutes. Oasebos will make agreements with the sponsors themselves.
Cooperation with organizations that have the same, similar or complementary missions. This cooperation is not of a financial sort, but cooperating gives synergy and knowledge can be transferred in this way.

View a sample participation contract: contract.pdf

Contact for more information: Hylke Sierksma,
Telephone: +31(0)320-245513 or +31(0)6-13710734