About Us Mission and Vision Ecotourism Sustainability
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Seeking a profitable activity which didn’t require lethal competition with other living creatures, we began abandoning cleared areas and began planting trees for lumber and furniture production. In 1977 no one was reforesting in this part of Costa Rica because cattle-raising was so easy and lucrative due to the unlimited demand by voracious North American hamburger-eaters. Also there was still plenty of forest left and lumber was cheap. However, by the time we began to build La Cusinga Lodge in 1996, Costa Ricans had destroyed 70% of their primary forests, mostly squandering valuable hardwoods.
By that time we were wealthy in reforested wood which was, mostly native species and was ready to be harvested. La Cusinga Lodge is made from those trees especially teak, which is an exotic species. We keep planting trees every year. It is a sustainable business which we are very satisfied with because it has a benign effect on the local and global environment and provides steady employment for many local people who need the work.
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