From barren shores to green oases: how a surfer looking for shade ended up transforming Costa Rica's coastline

A surfer's quest for shade started a project that transformed Costa Rica's coastline. Costas Verdes planted 100,000 native trees across 34 beaches since 2011. This effort revived wildlife habitats and combatted deforestation, turning barren shores into green oases. "This is what Playa Guiones looked like when we started in 2011," said Gerardo Bolaños.