Cielo Verde

The Plan

Three phases. One direction.

This is a multi-year build, not a one-time campaign. Phase 0 is happening now. Everything after it depends on what we document in July and what we raise before then.

Every phase is a prerequisite for the next. Nothing gets skipped.

Phase 0In Progress

The Outpost

May–July 2026 · Goal: $6,000–9,000

Before anything can open or be shown to the world, the land needs to be workable and Daniel needs a base. This is the foundation everything else is built on.

Trail Work

  • Priority clearing — machete, walking-width corridor toward the bosque
  • Motoguadaña (Stihl FS) purchased — stays on the land

The Outpost — The Caretaker's Shack

Everyone wants to tear it down. We are not tearing it down.

  • Bahareque walls — mud and cane, traditional Central American construction. Same technique used in this region for centuries.
  • New metal roof
  • Spring water line repaired
  • Power audit — solar supplement where needed
  • This is Macho's house. It becomes Daniel's base. Eventually a small outpost for volunteers.

The Farm

  • 2 meat heifers for Daniel's family — income from cattle sales is his, not the project's
  • 2 guard dogs — coyote protection for the cattle

Property

  • Gate replacement at road entrance
  • Fence assessment and priority repairs
  • Property cleanup
  • Garmin inReach satellite communicator — safety for remote work

July 2026 Expedition

  • First full walk to the highest point of the property — the family leads, we follow
  • Wildlife photographer documents the property for the first time — photography, video, drone
  • All springs and water sources mapped
  • Platform site candidates identified
  • Before/after documentation of all Phase 0 work

What this unlocks

Daniel has a base. The land is documented. Phase 1 fundraising opens.

Phase 1Up Next

Opening the Land

Late 2026 · Goal: $15,000–35,000

The trail system opens. The farm expands. Day visitors can come. The legal structure that makes this a real partnership gets built.

The Trail System

  • Full trail from the outpost to the highest point of the property
  • Blazed, marked, cleared to walking width
  • Trail signage — distance markers, species callouts

The Farm

  • Dairy cow(s) — milk, eggs, real food for the people working and staying here
  • Chickens — eggs, pest control
  • The farm is not commercial. It feeds the people who come, and it teaches them where food actually comes from.

The Outpost Expanded

  • Solar panels installed
  • Composting toilet
  • Bunk sleeping for 4–6 volunteers
  • Running water from confirmed spring, gravity-fed

Programs Launched

  • Guided day walks open
  • Birdwatching program — professional survey, full species list, eBird submission
  • Forest preservation income program applied for

Legal Structure

  • Costa Rica operating company formed — co-led with Daniel's family
  • Daniel has formal officer role and documented path to equity stake

What this unlocks

The land is walkable and open. Daniel has formal equity in the company. Day visitors can come. ICT registration process begins.

Phase 2Planned

Overnight

2027 · Goal: $40,000–90,000

The first overnight platform goes in at the northwest corner. Paying guests can stay. Small retreats begin. The land starts funding itself.

Platforms

  • First overnight platform — highest point of the property, against the park boundary. Canvas tent, real bed, wood stove.
  • Additional platforms at different elevations and habitat zones
  • Ecotourism registration obtained
  • Emergency access plan in place for remote overnight stays

The Outpost as Hub

  • Central kitchen and common area — extension of the outpost shack, same materials, same scale
  • Composting toilets and solar showers
  • This is not a lodge. It is an outpost that grew.

Revenue

  • Paying overnight guests
  • Small writers retreats — 3–4 people, 4–5 days, total quiet. The forest is the program.
  • Yoga retreats — partnered with an existing instructor. They bring people, we provide the land and food.
  • Sponsor a tree — a name in the public ledger next to a real tree
  • Carbon credits — voluntary market verification for primary cloud forest
  • Limited print shop — numbered prints from the July expedition, field journal from the land

What this unlocks

The land funds itself. Daniel works here full time. The partnership is real and documented.

The Numbers

Phase 0 goal

$6,000–9,000

Seed Bearers to fund Daniel full time

40 people at $25/mo

Break-even on overnight platforms

~120 nights/year

Phase 0 is happening now. The July window is tight. If you want to fund the work that makes everything else possible, this is the moment.