The Junquillal Bay National Wildlife Refuge inaugurated a 100-meter accessible walkway donated by Asociación ProParques (ProParks Association).
Junquillal Bay also has four picnic tables and a special amphibious chair donated by the Association for people with disabilities. This chair allows these persons to enjoy the ocean safely.
The accessible walkway in the Refuge is the result of the Official Plastic Cap Collection Campaign. On this occasion, the campaign was supported by the tourism sector in the area surrounding the Refuge through a fundraiser led by AMSTAR, resulting in the donation of almost three million colones (approximately $5000).
In addition, the Costa Rican Plastics Industry Association (ACIPLAST) led a plastic collection among its associates, gathering a total of 22 tons. Thanks to these solid alliances and the participation of public and private organizations and the community, the goal was achieved.
ProParques has been working for over 16 years to improve SINAC’s Protected Wildlife Areas (ASP). It has built the first two universally accessible trails in Costa Rica, one in Carara National Park and the other in Santa Rosa National Park.
“This project is the perfect encounter between recycling and inclusion. As a country, we were in debt to ensure accessibility in our protected wildlife areas at all levels.
For the Institution, it has been a great satisfaction to participate in this initiative since the start, and this inauguration shows us that we can work throughout the country and make community,” pointed out Rafael Gutiérrez Rojas, Executive Director of SINAC.
The Official Plastic Cap Collection Campaign is a solution to reuse a material that doesn’t always get recycled and ends up in rivers and seas. This raw material offers the opportunity to create plastic wood, which is the basis for the project.
This campaign continues and is executed by the ProParques Association with the help of hundreds of allies who have donated their caps for this cause.
“We are delighted and proud to inaugurate our third accessible walkway. The first is in Cahuita National Park, and the second is in Manuel Antonio National Park. ‘Junquillal Accesible’ has been an example that if we unite, we’re stronger; in less than ten months, we achieved our goal thanks to the strong alliances established,” emphasized Rocío Echeverri, Executive Director of Asociación ProParques.
