CATIE forms Pro Campus Committee to strengthen the sustainable management of its

• The new committee will work on environmental conservation, landscape restoration, and biodiversity, under a plan scheduled for March 2025.

On September 20, CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) took an important step towards sustainability by forming the Pro Campus CATIE Committee, with the aim of improving the comprehensive management of its campus, focused on environmental sustainability, landscape restoration, and biodiversity conservation.

The first meeting of the committee included participation from members of the institution, such as Luis Pocasangre, Director General of CATIE; Claudia Kreling, the Director's spouse; Bryan Finegan, CATIE's Emeritus Professor, who will lead the committee; Alejandra Martínez, Head of the Forests and Biodiversity Unit in Productive Landscapes; Johnny Chang, Head of General Services; Alejandro Molina, Administrator of the Commercial Farm; and students Kenneth Barboza and Lasmit Cerón.

First steps toward sustainable campus management

During this initial session, the committee defined the proper management of the campus lake as the first priority, as well as the collection of historical records of the research conducted in the area, such as theses related to the Central Volcanic Biological Corridor and the ecosystem services of the farm.

Additionally, the importance of raising awareness about the rich biodiversity present on the CATIE campus and the positive impact generated by the institution on conservation issues was discussed. There was also a conversation about establishing guidelines for the proper interaction of visitors with the campus wildlife, promoting a responsible and educational experience.

The committee will continue to meet periodically, with the goal of developing a comprehensive work plan by March 2025, covering the main sustainability strategies for managing the CATIE campus.

This effort reaffirms CATIE's commitment to environmental conservation and sustainable development, both locally and internationally, and seeks to position its campus as a model of good practices in sustainability and biodiversity.