1. Costa Rica: sustainable management Costa Rica is a small country but has a rich environment with 5% of the world’s biodiversity. This includes 2000 species of plants, 1239 species of butterflies, 838 species of birds, 440 species of reptiles and amphibians and 232 species of mammals. Costa Rica is known as a ‘bridge of biodiversity’ because it has flora and fauna from both North and South America.

2. Deforestation in Costa Rica Costa Rica’s population has rapidly grown from 1.3 million to 4.7 million since 1960. this growth put pressure on the land for area to grow more food and therefore the forests have suffered. Cattle ranching and crop plantations are the main reasons for deforestation in Costa Rica. In the 1960’s, USA offered Costa Rica more money to produce more cattle, resulting in the loss of fragile forests and a decline in biodiversity. Conservation International and McDonald’s put programs in place on forestry, agriculture and soil conservation, as Costa Rican beef was being used in McDonald’s burgers. Acres of land were reforested and farmers were educated on sustainable farming strategies.

3. Ecotourism In the 1990’s, Costa Rica’s government decided to generate money through ecotourism. This meant it became important to increase the area by reafforestation, not just preserve what they already had. Since then, 50% of Cost Rica’s land has been classifies as national parks, reserves and wildlife refuges. In 1996 the country established a program to compensate landowners for maintaining forests and reafforesting degraded areas. The country’s conservation program protects more than 10% of the country, targeting areas with high biodiversity.

4. Costa Rica has so far achieved great results through conservation and reafforestation.

5. Questions 1.Describe the location of Costa Rica. Why is it called a ‘bridge of biodiversity’? Why is forest protection important in Costa Rica? 2.What is the main reason deforestation originally took place at a rapid rate? 3.Describe the decision Costa Ricans made in 1996 regarding their forests. 4.What is ecotourism? Investigate how Costa Rica is using ecotourism to protect its forest and earn money for the national economy.