What
We do?
To bring sustainable development to the Los Santos region by converting conventional coffee farms into organic ecological coffee farms. With the involvement of student volunteers, Green Communities will protect the cloud forests, raise the economic status and awareness of ecology in local communities, while creating mediums for cultural exchange.


How we
Started
The organization saw its beginnings in 2003 with Jonathan Cerdas’s and Carlos Marín’s vision to put lesser-known regions of Costa Rica on the map for rural eco-tourism. Their home region, Los Santos, is known for its green cloud forested mountains, cool climate and coffee production. Inspired to share the beauty of this part of Costa Rica, they created Santos Tours, an eco-tour company that made the Los Santos region a significant destination for rural tourism.
After several years of success they took their organization to the next level by implementing a new mission to bring sustainable development to the region. For thousands of local farmers, coffee is the main crop and source of income. Jonathan and Carlos realized that a sustainable development model is crucial to the future of the forest and the people.
They developed one that could support the growing number of farmers economically, conserve the natural cloud forests and water systems, and educate and create an awareness of ecology in rural communities. With a deep concern for the community, social issues, and environmental conservation, Santos Tours combined rural tourism with sustainable development with the foundation of Green Communities in 2009.
Today Green Communities partners with educational institutions and volunteer organizations to offer student volunteers an opportunity to be part of this project vital to the sustainable development of Los Santos.
COSTA RICAN
Biosphere Reserve
The Biosphere Reserves constitute a network of territories that develop and strengthen models of sustainability where biodiversity and local economies flourish jointly.
UNESCO’s MaB Program and its World Network of Biosphere Reserves have built a vision of a world where people reconnect with nature and act collectively to build prosperous societies in harmony with the biosphere.
By being awarded the Costa Rican Biosphere Reserves brand, we aim is to take advantage of the recognition and prestige that Biosphere Reserves have to create opportunities for local entrepreneurship, as well as promote, nationally and internationally, the products and services that are generated under criteria of Sustainability in the Biosphere Reserves of Costa Rica.
This brand not only reflects natural and cultural wealth, but also a commitment and responsibility. It distinguishes the initiatives that live the values of the Biosphere Reserves.
The development of the guidelines for the use of the Biosphere Reserve brand is a joint effort of the National MaB Committee of Costa Rica and the four local Management Committees of the Biosphere Reserves of Costa Rica, with the facilitation of the Manduca Audiovisual team, the support from the Costa Rican Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO and financing from the UNESCO Participation Program.

Meet
The team


Jonathan Cerdas
Jonathan Cerdas is the Program Manager, Project Leader and Coordinator for all the programs. He studied Business Tourism at Cartago College in Costa Rica. He received a certificate of Collaboration from the UNA (National University) in San Marcos de Tarrazu, Costa Rica, for implementing clean technology in coffee plantations in the Los Santos Region between 2009-2010. In 2012 Jonathan presented to the U.N. during the Rio+20 Conference on sustainable development. He has also helped with training and technical assistance at the Change Management and Strategic Alliances for SMEs in the Los Santos Tourism sector in Costa Rica.
Jonathan Cerdas
Co-Founder


CARLOS MARIN
Carlos Marín is a CEO for Green Communities, he works on project development and logistic for the volunteers programs and the organic coffee production in the area, providing support to the project leaders, families and farmers in the communities. He attended high school in the region of Los Santos Costa Rica, and studied tourism and business administration at Cartago College and Universidad Central Costa Rica.
His passion for agriculture is inherited from his father, an educator by profession and a coffee and avocado producer.
Carlos is a founding partner and active representative in Costa Rica of the Tourism Board of Los Santos Region.
Carlos Marín
Co-Founder


BRIAN BUNTZ
Brian graduated from University of Iowa with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. Upon graduating, he worked in Guatemala as a Peace Corps Volunteer. In addition to becoming fluent in Spanish, he developed a passion for education and helping move people out of challenging circumstances into a life of choices and opportunities. When he returned to the U.S., Brian began teaching middle school ESL and bilingual classes to immigrants from Latin America. He earned a Master’s Degree in Education from San Jose State University during that time. He has been organizing service trips for youth since 2007. Brian’s dream is to eradicate poverty by nurturing young leaders throughout the world to achieve their maximum potential. He believes this will result in them lifting up their local communities which will in turn lift up our global community.
BRIAN BUNTZ
U.S. Outreach Director.
Organic
Farmers
WHAT people
Say about us?
“Happy national coffee day! I had the amazing opportunity this summer to work with Los Santos Green Communities to help farmers in Costa Rica convert to 100% organic coffee. The process is lengthy and difficult, but with the help of volunteers, it’s made possible. It inspires me to continue to reach out to different communities and give within the global and local spectrum. And it’s by far the best coffee I’ve ever had! Thank you Jonathan for creating such an amazing program and inspiring so many individuals to follow their passions and make a difference in this world.”
“This trip was completely amazing and a life changing experience! I learned so much and made so many new friends, it’s definitely an amazing experience.”
“I was inspired beyond comprehension by the drive and passion that fuel this operation. My time in Los Santos was, in simple terms, life-changing. I hope the message of resourcefulness and conservation that Santos Tours instills in its participants reaches unseen distances. Thank you Santos Tours and Jonathan Cerdes for giving me a new perspective on life.”
“Phenomenal experience! I really cannot put into words how life changing this was! An amazing project that I would love to do again.”
“The tour guide was awesome; the tour was very educational and gave a purpose to my vacation. Thank you! I will never forget this experience.”
“I spent two weeks working in a community called San Pedro with Santos Tours. I can guarantee that you have never met anyone remotely like the members of staff at Santos Tours, truly remarkable and incredibly inspiring. Perhaps more importantly I thoroughly enjoyed working. It was so rewarding and I feel like I’ve made a lasting positive effect.”