The University Of Costa Rica Transforms Communities Through Science And Social Action To Restore Rivers

(MENAFN- Costa Rica News) The Grecia Campus of the UCR is promoting a comprehensive effort that combines teaching, through the Water Resource Management program, scientific research , social action, and community participation to address the serious deterioration of aquatic ecosystems in the Alajuela canton.

Within the framework of the Surface Water Quality in the Rivers of the Grecia Canton project (C3095) and the Systematization of Community and Territorial Management of the Agualote River initiative (Pry01-65-2026), the university has implemented innovative actions such as the use of clay spheres with microorganisms (Bokashi), which function as natural water decontamination systems . This simple yet powerful technology oxygenates rivers and encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria that degrade pollutants, involving the community in its production and application. Clay spheres with microorganisms (bokashi) are a simple technology that oxygenates rivers and encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria that degrade pollutants.

A Living Project

The recent Agualote River cleanup is part of the efforts being carried out to restore the ecosystem and empower local communities in its care and defense. This strategy has allowed students and teachers to work side by side with organizations such as the National Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA), the Ecological Blue Flag Program (PBAE), the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE), and various biological corridor associations, such as the Citizen Water Observatories (OCA) project and the National Alliance of Rivers and Basins of Costa Rica (ANRCCR).

“We want rivers to be part of the local imagination,” emphasizes professor Rocío Chamorro, explaining initiatives such as river labeling and knowledge generation for communities and businesses.

Participating students, such as Leonardo Barrantes and Yendri Salazar, emphasize that urban and industrial growth in Grecia poses new challenges for water resources, making genuine involvement from the business sector and new residents crucial.

UCR, through this comprehensive approach, contributes to anticipating major pollution problems, proactively strengthening social and environmental awareness.

John Diego Bolaños, professor of the Integrated Water Resource Management program, emphasizes that the initiatives respond to a need to generate scientific knowledge and social action to raise awareness of the environmental challenges of water resource care and quality.

Commitment to sustainable regional development

Through its projects at the Grecia Campus, the University of Costa Rica reaffirms its commitment to sustainable regional development, demonstrating that science, education, and social action, together, are forces capable of positively transforming territories and ensuring a cleaner and more just future for all.-

>At Resonance, we aspire to live in harmony with the natural world as a reflection of our gratitude for life. Visit and subscribe at Resonance Costa Rica Youtube Channel @resonanceCR

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