The Connected Gardens project by the Sloth Conservation Foundation aims to reduce habitat loss in human-dominated areas of Costa Rica. It focuses on recovering canopy connectivity to increase and safeguard arboreal wildlife populations like endangered sloths. Unsustainable development is the biggest threat to sloths, disappearing from their former ranges at an alarming rate. Connected Gardens has already reconnected 48 square kilometers of sloth rainforest territory by installing wildlife bridges and planting trees on private lands.
This project will help scale to new regions, using this reforestation model to balance development and conservation. The expanded nursery will increase sapling production and employ more Indigenous women from the Talamanca community.
Through a network of “connected gardens,” this project ensures safe passage for wildlife, creates green jobs for locals and boosts income for property owners with new trees. The goal is to grow the project by 80% by 2025, fostering harmonious coexistence between humans and wildlife while protecting the region’s unique biodiversity.
