which hosts 13 native vanilla species, including 7 in the study area. The project will implement joint land-sparing and land-sharing approaches. Land sparing involves conserving some land while using other areas for crop production, while land sharing integrates crop production within forest systems, such as agroforestry. Combining these methods, wild vanilla on conserved land could help pollinate nearby vanilla farms.

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The project will be tested in four phases on the Osa Peninsula, specifically in the Área de Conservación Osa (ACOSA), one of Costa Rica’s 11 conservation areas. If successful, it could revolutionize the vanilla industry, providing new income for local farmers while preserving the natural habitat of endangered species like the spider monkey.