Let’s Rally for Ire and La Silva Vida

Permaculture land advocacy doesn’t stop at garden beds and food forests — it extends to the people working those systems, the communities that support them, and the urgent moments when both need help. This is one of those moments.

1 | Because “People Care” Starts at Home

One of the three core ethics of permaculture is People Care — looking after each other so we can all thrive while caring for Earth and sharing fairly. When a member of our own community needs help, living those ethics means acting, not just nodding along.

2 | Who’s Asking? Meet Ire

• Name: Ire, community member and originally from Hamburg, Germany
• Background: two decades as a TV lighting technician and all-round handywoman before she followed her heart to Costa Rica eight years ago
• Project: La Silva Vida, a 25-hectare farm tucked into the rainforest hills of the Canton de Osa
• Residents: three horses, seven goats, six dogs, chickens, ducks, turkeys — and a parade of wild monkeys, sloths, iguanas and even the occasional ocelot!

Irena is more than a homesteader; she’s building a living classroom that neighbours can visit to learn zero-chemical, higher-value agro-forestry — vanilla, cacao, pepper and 230 fruit trees already flourish under her care.

3 | Why the SOS?

Costa Rica is rightly famous for reversing deforestation; more than half the nation is once again cloaked in forest, and the government rewards landowners who add to that green shield. But timber takes years to grow and vanilla vines don’t pay the bills until year three. A brutal rainy season, a stuttering ecotourism market and urgent animal-care costs have combined to leave Irena with a six-month funding gap. Your contribution will:

1. Buy feed and vet care for the horses, goats and poultry
2. Fix the truck (starter motor + tyres) so produce can reach market
3. Upgrade fences that keep hungry goats out of young fruit trees
4. Pay local helpers to clear storm-damaged trails and plant more native species
5. Cover essentials until cabin bookings and crop income pick up again

4 | Why This Permaculture Land Advocacy Matters Beyond One Farm

• Biodiversity multiplier. Restoring four more hectares of former pasture means extra habitat for pollinators and rainforest wildlife that already roam the property.
• Carbon capture. Every hectare of new agro-forest links straight to Costa Rica’s goal of cutting 12 million t CO₂ by 2025 — a target backed by up to US$60 million in performance payments.
• Community ripple. A successful, visitor-friendly model shows neighbouring families that diversified, pesticide-free farming can beat the earnings of single-crop ginger or coffee.

5 | Five Ways the PermaGuide Crew Can Help — Today

1. Donate whatever you can — €2 buys a bag of goat corn; €200 covers a month of farm labour.
   gofundme.com/f/ein-permakulturvorzeigeprojekt-in-costa-rica-braucht-hilfe
2. Share the link on WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram. Personal notes work best: “Hey, I know Irena through PermaGuide, here’s why I’m giving…”
3. Book the guest cabin for your next tropical break (link for more information). Future reservations give Irena solid cash-flow projections.
4. Lend expertise. From grant-writing to social-media video editing, drop her a message — skills are gifts too.
5. Check back and comment. A loud, active donor wall boosts GoFundMe’s algorithm, putting the campaign in front of fresh eyes.

6 | Spread the Word — Here’s a Ready-Made Blurb

“PermaGuide friends! Our member Irena is regenerating 25 ha of Costa Rican rainforest and needs a six-month bridge fund. I just chipped in — join me?
gofundme.com/f/ein-permakulturvorzeigeprojekt…”

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Additional resources

1. Global Forest Watch – Costa Rica Dashboard: globalforestwatch.org
2. World Bank – Protecting Forests in Costa Rica: worldbank.org
3. Permaculture Ethics: Read our guide to the three core permaculture ethics