How the Austrian people are helping to save the Esquinas Rainforest

 In 1991, the Esquinas forest, one of the last unprotected lowland tropical rainforests on the Pacific coast of Central America, was declared Piedras Blancas National Park. However, since all land was in private hands, it could only be catalogued as a "paper park" until it was owned by the Costa Rican national park service. Logging permits for tropical hardwood trees had been issued before the declaration of the park and deforestation continued, inflicting irreversible damage. This prompted, Michael Schnitzler, a well-known classical violinist from Vienna and part-time resident of Costa Rica, to found a non-profit organization called Rainforest of the Austrians with the goal of raising funds to buy property in the Esquinas forest.

By 2008, over 15.000 Austrian individuals had donated more than $3,500,000, enabling the purchase of more than 15 square miles of forest. All property, most of which had exploitation permits for logging, has been donated to the Costa Rican government and become part of the national park; logging in these areas has ceased. With the help of the Costa Rican government, the hydroelectric company Tenaska, The Nature Conservancy, and the Moore Foundation, 70% of the Esquinas forest had already been purchased by the end of 2008.

Since 2003,  Rainforest of the Austrians has donated funds to the Corcovado Foundation for the employment of two park wardens. The organization has taken an active role in the campaign against illegal logging and  hunting and regularly meets with park officials, rangers and members of the community. In 2007, it will fund the construction of a park ranger station in La Gamba.  

Michael Schnitzler in discussion with hunters from La Gamba

Rainforest of the Austrians has donated 30 acres of property and contributed more than $40,000 to The Nature Restoration Foundation for it's successful scarlet macaw release project in Piedras Blancas NP. Hundreds of confiscated birds and mammals have been reintroduced into the Esquinas forest. Michael Schnitzler was awarded Austria's highest environmental prize, the Konrad Lorenz Prize, for his conservation efforts, and was appointed Honorary Member of the Costa Rican National Park Service. Rainforest of the Austrians was awarded the prestigious, CHF 50.000 Binding Prize in Liechtenstein.