TALAMANCA, Costa Rica— The Center for Biological Diversity has donated more than 40 acres of land in Costa Rica to a group of Indigenous women for conservation and sustainable cocoa production. The forested land located 2 miles from the coast near Manzanillo will allow the Association Commission of Indigenous Women of Talamanca, or ACOMUITA, to continue producing artisanal chocolate.

“We deeply thank God and CBD for considering the association of Bribri Indigenous women and all of those who supported this process, where the objective of giving us this privilege of obtaining this benefit of land so we can work and conserve it accordingly,” said Justa Morales Orozco, president of the association commission. “It is of so much value for the purposes of the association and specially for our women, that all of them are heads of household.”

The property is located within the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge on the east coast near the Panama border. It is an ecological gem featuring diverse species including the harpy eagle and Central American tapir.

The Center acquired the site after the passing of Carita O’Conner, who bequeathed the land. The property donated by O’Conner, a Center supporter, was in turn donated to the Indigenous women’s group.

“We want to honor and thank CBD for giving us our first asset or property, which allows us to substantially increase our ability to work the land and produce more cocoa to sell and improve our quality of life and above all, impact our families who depend on our work,” said Faustina Torres Torres, secretary of the association commission.

Formed in 1999, ACOMUITA is made up of 135 women who practice sustainable farming and continue the cultural legacy of harvesting cocoa.

“We are thrilled to be returning these ancestral lands to the women of ACOMUITA,” said Peter Galvin, cofounder of the Center and director of programs. “We celebrate their work to reclaim their lands and to carry out their organic, sustainable cacao production in harmony with the surrounding landscape. It’s the honor of a lifetime to participate in this historic land transfer.”

The Center has for many years fought for endangered species protection and challenged destructive development in Central America. More recently the Center is raising environmental concerns and calling for a thorough review of a proposed landfill project in Salamá de Osa, Costa Rica. The landfill is proposed near rivers and springs that feed into the water supply of more than 400 residents.

The land donation to the Indigenous women’s group was made possible with key support from Paula Simmonds, the Center’s chief development officer, and Enrique Rojas Solis, Ph.D., a Costa Rica-based attorney who represented the Center in the land donation.