About Us
Our Conservation Story
Emmanuel Guzman
Founder and Director
Naturalist guide, garden designer and passionate about nature conservation. Since 2011 he has researched the behavior and ecology of various owl species in the Western Central Valley of Costa Rica.
Our Origins
In the early 1990s, Emmanuel worked with his father and brothers on the property that is now Hotel Robledal. At that time it was a small plot where his grandparents raised cattle. Their tasks included leveling the land, planting shrubs and grass, pruning trees and other gardening work.
At that time, the communities of Ciruelas, La Guácima and El Coyol were mainly dedicated to agriculture and livestock. One of Emmanuel's most vivid memories was watching the cattle pastures and the Pacific Railroad locomotives passing through community properties.
The Discovery
During these visits, it was common to find species of reptiles, amphibians and birds that inhabited the grasslands. With urban development in the area, the family founded Hotel Robledal, preserving trees planted years earlier that attracted various bird species, including owls.
Our Mission
After observing that owls sought human structures to nest (even with many trees available), Emmanuel began researching this phenomenon. Years of data collection allowed us to identify factors affecting these species, leading to the creation of Fundabúho to share these findings and support conservation of these birds crucial to the balance of our urban ecosystems.
Our Work
Since 2011 we have implemented a project with artificial nests in the gardens of Hotel Robledal. We have collected valuable information that we share with the business community, establishing alliances with different actors in the productive sector to integrate the community in the conservation of these raptors.