Since 1978, ANAI has worked hand in hand with the inhabitants of Costa Rica’s Talamanca region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and ‘Biodiversity Hotspot’. ANAI and its Talamancan partners have advanced a sustainable development agenda in one of the most logistically and socially difficult areas of Central America. This alliance has successfully nurtured local communities and organizations to carry out economically viable activities that are environmentally sound, while also advancing national technical capacity and leadership for integrating conservation and development.