After several years of work trying to recover the wetlands of Palo Verde National Park in Guanacaste, this park celebrates today the IV Bird Festival.

This exotic bird sanctuary has been battling with the typha (typha dominguensis), an invasive plant that affects the wetlands, reducing the extension and depth of the wetlands’ water mirrors, which are used by aquatic birds to feed and rest in their migration route.

The typha began creating problems since 1986 and during 30 years the extension of the Palo Verde wetlands diminished by 35% due to this plant.

Today the park has recovered 300 hectares of wetlands and with this the number of aquatic birds visiting the park went from 1,300 to an estimate 24,000 individuals, according to data provided by the Program of Investigation and Monitoring of the Tempisque Arenal Conservation Area; in fact 44 migratory species returned to this protected wildlife area.

In 2012 the Tempisque Arenal Conservation Area, the Association Costa Rica Por Siempre and enterprises in the private sector, launched the campaign “Salvemos Palo Verde” (Let’s save Palo Verde), and established the goal of recuperating 300 hectares of the wetland known as Palo Verde Lagoon; this campaign was able to collect $284,161.00 USD for this purpose.

“It’s with great joy and satisfaction that we inform the country, that together we reached the goal of recovering 300 hectares of water mirrors for the wildlife of the area and migratory species that use this important wetland, and what better way to celebrate it that with this festival in which we will be able to see how the birds have returned to their habitat”, commented Zdenka Piskulich, Director of the Association Costa Rica por Siempre.

The funds were used to purchase and give maintenance to two tractors, build a shed and hire the services of locals for puddling services. A drone was also acquired to monitor the area.

Throughout the years efforts have been done and will continue to protect and recover other 1,800 hectares of wetlands in the Palo Verde National Park.