Stanford University/Osa and Golfito Iniciative (INOGO)

The Iniciativa Osa y Golfito (INOGO) is a program of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and is designed to build on many previous efforts in Costa Rica's Osa and Golfito region, working hand in hand with Costa Ricans in local communities, government, the private sector and NGOs.

INOGO’s goal is to generate a living process for sustainable development led by Costa Ricans, especially the people of Osa and Golfito. This process will consider how to improve essential social and economic factors such as education and employment, while supporting the integrity of both marine and terrestrial ecosystems on which local communities depend.

INOGO recognizes that the future of the region is in the hands of those who live there. For this reason, a key goal of INOGO is to provide useful decision-making tools and information to regional stakeholders. To this end, locally trained staff have surveyed hundreds of area residents about how they perceive their communities’ assets and challenges and key leaders have been consulted in ongoing alternative-futures scenarios workshops. These responses will serve as a basis for INOGO’s diagnostic regional analysis and an interactive process to develop a sustainable vision for the region’s future.