Project COBIGA: How renting storage space protects the rainforest in Costa Rica.
Protecting the rainforest is one of the key challenges of our time. Tropical forests store enormous amounts of CO₂, regulate the climate and are home to a large part of the world’s biodiversity. At the same time, they are threatened by deforestation, agriculture and land sealing.
An exciting example of how rainforest protection, environmental protection and economic activity can be combined is the project COBIGA – Corredor Biológico La Gambawhich focuses specifically on the rainforest in Costa Rica.
The La Gamba Biological Corridor (COBIGA)
The La Gamba Biological Corridor (COBIGA) lies in the south of Costa Rica in the Golfo Dulce region. The aim of the project is to reconnect isolated areas of rainforest and thus create new “lifelines” for animals and plants.
Over the last few decades, agricultural use has created so-called “forest islands” – separated remnants of the original rainforest. This fragmentation leads to, among other things:
- Species impoverishment
- limited genetic exchange
- Higher susceptibility to climate change
- disturbed ecological cycles
COBIGA specifically counteracts this development.
How does the project work?
The project pursues two central strategies:
Reforestation of former fallow land
Land formerly used for agriculture is being purchased and reforested with over 200 native tree species. The focus is on species adapted to the location in order to create stable and species-rich forest structures.
Protection of existing forest areas
Existing but isolated forest islands are permanently secured through land acquisition. In addition, new areas serve as buffer zones around the Piedras Blancas National Park.
The corridor connects the lowland rainforests of the Golfo Dulce with the mountain rainforests of the Fila Cal (Fila Cruces) and further on with the Cordillera de Talamanca.
It is part of Costa Rica’s national network of biological corridors and is embedded in a larger network that connects the Corcovado National Park with the La Amistad National Park, among others.
Scientific support & climate protection
The project is supported by the Austrian Rainforest Association. An important component is the scientific monitoring of the reforestation.
Among other things, the following are being investigated:
- CO₂ accumulation in the biomass
- Growth rates of different tree species
- Suitable reforestation methods
- Effects on biodiversity
In this way, COBIGA not only contributes to species conservation, but also to the long-term reduction of the greenhouse gas CO₂.
COBIGA in figures (as at October 2024)
- Project start: 2007
- 19 properties
- 760.72 hectares total area
- 65,171 trees planted
- 45,619.7 tons of bound CO₂ emissions
These figures show how strategically organized environmental protection can have a measurable impact.
Sustainable storage as part of larger environmental strategies
Why protecting the rainforest has global significance
More and more companies are integrating environmental projects into their business model. One approach is to combine services – such as storage space – with specific nature conservation measures.
For example, STOREROOM supports the COBIGA project by protecting one square meter of rainforest for every square meter of storage space booked.
This model shows how sustainable storage can go beyond simply conserving resources: Economic activities are directly linked to long-term rainforest protection.
Several thousand square meters of rainforest have already been saved in this way.
Tropical rainforests:
- store enormous amounts of CO₂
- regulate regional and global climate systems
- secure water budgets
- provide habitat for millions of species
- stabilize soils and prevent erosion
The protection of these ecosystems therefore has an impact not only locally, but worldwide.
Biological corridors such as COBIGA are a particularly sustainable approach: they connect existing protected areas, prevent further fragmentation and strengthen the resilience of entire landscape areas.
How self-storage makes a contribution to the environment
The COBIGA project impressively demonstrates how strategically planned nature conservation preserves biodiversity and at the same time contributes to CO₂ reduction.
At the same time, it illustrates that economic models – for example in the self-storage sector – can also make a contribution if they specifically integrate environmental projects.
Protecting the rainforest, strengthening environmental protection and using resources responsibly – this combination will play an increasingly important role in the future.
STOREROOM has also made sustainability its mission. What makes it special: For every square meter of storage space booked, one square meter of rainforest is purchased and protected as part of COBIGA. This turns self-storage into active environmental protection.
Already protected:
12,080 m² rainforest
This means that storing at STORE ROOM not only creates space – it also helps to secure valuable habitats in Costa Rica in the long term.
As STORE ROOM is aware of its social responsibility and the reduction of the company’s ecological footprint is a top priority, the digital operation is completely paper-free and STORE ROOM Wien-Süd is completely CO2-neutral.
Other projects such as HEKTAR NEKTAR by STOREROOM actively support the environment and Project 2028 raises awareness for the protection of bees and actively makes a valuable contribution through honey production.
