ACTUAR's postive Footprint How do we reinvest our profits? The profits made by ACTUAR are reinvested in capacity building programs, promotional campaigns and solidarious loans for the communities associated to ACTUAR. This is how every year we provide technical assistance and workshops on diverse tourism related activities, such as Creole cooking workshops, marketing skills, product development, among other training programs. Every year we organize the Community-based Rural Tourism Fair which is well known by tour operators and responsible travellers in Costa Rica, and every two years we publish The Real Costa Rica, Your Community-based Rural Tourism Guidebook. ACTUAR’s conservation efforts Costa Rica is world famous for its commitment to the conservation of natural resources. More than a quarter of the country is under some kind of protection, either as national parks, indigenous reserves, forest reserves or wildlife refuges. The government of Costa Rica has devoted many resources to this end, but without the collaboration of the populace, especially of the people who live near protected areas, it would be very difficult to ensure that conservation is really happening. The leading organizations in community-based rural tourism are also leaders in the protection of forests, water sources, and endangered species. With environmental education, community awareness campaigns and legal action, they contront many threats to wildlife on a daily basis. For example, the Association ASEPALECO is creating a biological corridor throughout the length of the Nicoya Peninsula. Its environmental education programs are enhanced by 32 small forest reserves at local schools. ASEPALECO has made its solid waste dump into a model of sustainability. It has mobilized volunteer brigades to fight forest fires. In addition, it protects the private, 800 hectare Karen Mogensen Reserve. We our proud to highlight some of the conservation efforts of our associates: Environmental education: • Cerro Escondido/ASEPALECO • ANAI • El Encanto-CODECE • Montaña Verde • Nacientes Palmichal • Casa del Sol/Sol de Vida • Casa Calateas   Organic Production: • El Encanto/CODECE • Montaña Verde • Nacientes Palmichal • El Yüe • Casa de las Mujeres • Sendero al Pacífico • ASOPROLA           Solar energy: • Cerro Escondido • El Copal • Chira Island • Casa del Sol • Tesoro Verde • Keköldi • Casa de las Mujeres • Sendero al Pacífico Biodigestors for gas production: • Nacientes Palmichal • El Copal • El Yüe       Watershed protection: • Monte Alto • El Encanto-CODECE • Nacientes Palmichal Carbon off-setting friendly transportation: • As far as possible the vehicles that ACTUAR uses for the transfers are involved in the carbon off-setting program in Costa Rica. We also provide our clients the possibility of contributing in this cause.       Protected forest: • ACTUAR’s network with its 28 associates conserves more than 10,000 ha of forest Carbon off-setting friendly transportation: • As far as possible the vehicles that ACTUAR uses for the transfers are involved in the carbon off-setting program in Costa Rica. We also provide our clients the possibility of contributing in this cause.