Our policy promotes several actions focused on protection and preservation of the environment.

• To maintain an active program of protection and conservation of the environment in the Portasol and its surroundings.
• To facilitate learning programs related to environmental conservation to Portalon citizens and citizens of the nearby communities.
• To preserve flora and fauna within Portasol and its surroundings.
• To respect Costa Rican regulations, laws and dispositions related with environmental preservation.
• To encourage the children of Portalón and the nearby communities to get involved through clubs and programs oriented to look after and preserve the environment.

Portasol Biological Reserve is located within the borders of Portasol rainforest and Ocean View Properties.  The land is irregular with gradients between 0 and 78 degrees.  The majority of the layout of the land has orientation of West Southwest, towards the subcanyon of the Portalón River, in the central part of the area. The gradients are arranged with orientation of Southwest South covering the area of the microcanyon of the Astua Creek.  The hydrolic currents of the Astua Creek flow towards the southwest to meet with those of the Portalón River forming a small flow system that drains the area.  There the majority of the water flow is created on the outskirts of the divisional limits that digress between steep gradients that exceed a 45% inclination.  The forest is characteristic of the Tropical Humid Rainforest with influence from the transition of prehumid (Bolaños y Watson, 1993), covered by jungle type vegetation in some parts with vines and epiphytes such as many outstanding species like the Baco (Brosimun utile), Zamia fairchildiana, Asterogyne martiana, Bactris sp, Costus sp, Socratea exorrhiza, Hyeronima alchorneoides, Cyclanthus bipartitus, Inga sp, Andira sp, Ficus sp, Virola sp.  Forest with significant development has been able to recover many similar characteristics of the mature forest but with a value of better heterogenesis.

The land is susceptible to erosion due to the excess of precipitation throughout the year.  However, much activity occurs due to the high productivity of biomass.  The highest and lushest tropical forest in Costa Rica is found here.  The range of precipitation fluctuates between 4000 and 6000 milimetres per year.  The temperature varies between 24 and 25 degrees Celcius with and average temperature of 24 to 27 degrees Celcius.

Flora and Fauna

Together the flora and fauna create a resourse of unmeasurable value for the human being.  Traditionally in this zone, like much of rural Costa Rica, the relation between society and nature has been set for the use of resources as important elements of survival.  For example, the consumption of animal protein as well as vegetable fibers.

Flora

The study area contains a particular mosaic of different types of vegetation which give space to a great diversity of animals.  In the grasslands you find medium size trees dispersed with the presence of pioneer species such as Trichospermum sp, Vismia macrophylla, Dillenáceas, Melastomatáceas y Psychotria poeppigiana.

In the dense forest typical species like Arecaceae, Cyclantáceas, Siparuna tecaphora, Ficus tonduzii, Apeiba spp mix with the Selaginella spp on the ground of very humid areas, for example the Symphonia globulifera, Siparuna tecaphora, Melastomataceas y Virola sp.  To this date we have classified more than 143 different plant species.

Fauna