Saturday 23rd of August, the town of Uvita witnessed a remarkable display of community spirit when nearly 200 volunteers joined forces for the Eco Beach Clean Up 2025 inside Marino Ballena National Park. Families, businesses, firefighters, police officers, NGOs, and international visitors all took part. By the end of the day, more than half a ton of waste had been collected from the beach. The initiative, led by the regional tourism chamber CATUOSA, in collaboration with park rangers and community partners, reflected the deep connection people feel to this unique coastal environment.

The event had been prepared in advance with support from local businesses and hotels, such as El Tecal, which provided its facilities and services, with everyone working together in a shared spirit of purpose. Participants came together out of passion for their surroundings and a responsibility to care for them. That passion was visible from the first hours of the day. Volunteers were welcomed with traditional music and biodegradable, compostable kits, and even before the official start, many were already stooping to collect litter along the paths. The sustainable materials, including garbage bags made from cassava and corn starch that can safely decompose in the environment, were provided by the local business Green World Solutions PZ, dedicated to innovative, eco-friendly solutions.

The work itself revealed both the beauty and the fragility of Marino Ballena’s beaches. At first glance the shoreline looked clean, but soon countless fragments of plastic appeared: bottle caps, candy wrappers, fishing lines, and especially microplastics embedded in sand and driftwood. Much of this debris does not come from the visitors themselves but is carried by rivers and ocean currents, showing how local ecosystems are tied to global patterns of pollution. “Sometimes you don’t see the problem until you start looking closely,” one participant remarked. “Then you realize it’s everywhere.”

For the volunteers, however, the clean-up was more than manual labor. Recycling stations were set up where waste was carefully classified into different categories, and rangers and NGOs explained the broader impact of marine debris. The timing was particularly significant, as this is the season when sea turtles nest on the park’s beaches. Plastic pollution can have deadly consequences for them: hatchlings can get entangled, and as one ranger emphasized “the trash affects the animals because they think it is food, and it contaminates their stomachs.” For many of those present, this direct link between waste and wildlife made the experience even more meaningful.

Two environmental NGOs added their perspectives. Costa Rica Coral Restoration reminded volunteers that clean beaches also mean healthier corals, since every piece of debris eventually affects the ocean floor. Fundación Corcovado stressed the importance of integrating clean-ups into long-term conservation strategies and educational programs. Their message was clear: removing waste is vital but raising awareness and offering opportunities for ongoing involvement are just as important.

The day also highlighted how environmental protection and local development go hand in hand. Tourism is the lifeblood of Uvita, and the national park is one of the country’s most visited. Protecting it is therefore both an ecological and an economic priority. Local business representatives spoke openly about wanting to leave a better environment for future generations while ensuring that visitors continue to see Costa Rica as a destination that values its natural heritage. “We want tourists to leave with a good impression of our nature, and we want to leave our children a better future,” one participant explained.

By the end of the event, 504.79 kilograms of waste had been collected, and the organizers proudly received the Bandera Azul Ecológica, a prestigious national award for environmental and health standards, with a perfect score. Yet the most important result may have been less tangible: the sense of unity, the new knowledge shared, and the confirmation that collective action matters. Firefighters spoke of protecting biodiversity, business owners emphasized community responsibility, and NGOs reminded everyone that conservation is a continuous process.

As the group gathered for a final photo in the late afternoon, tired but smiling, there was already talk about next year. Every participant interviewed said they would return, and the tourism chamber confirmed that preparations are already underway for the next edition. For those who missed this year’s clean-up, the message was simple: the doors are open. Everyone is invited to join the effort, lend a hand, and help keep Marino Ballena National Park a place of pride for Costa Rica and a sanctuary for its wildlife.

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