Chapter 19 - Assessing the Role of Parks for Protecting Forest Resources Using GIS and Spatial Modeling

Abstract

Two conflicting views of conservation in Costa Rica exist. One view is that Costa Rica is a “model for the preservation of biodiversity in the tropics”. The other view is that—despite its conservation policies—habitat destruction and the depletion of natural resources continues in Costa Rica at a rapid rate, calling into question Costa Rica's commitment to conservation. This chapter examines the role of national parks in protecting forest resources in Costa Rica. The national parks system is the flagship of conservation efforts in Costa Rica, and is the underlying policy instrument for much of the rest of Costa Rica's conservation plan, including the preservation of biodiversity, the conservation of natural resources, and the promotion of ecotourism. The primary way in which the national park system supports other conservation efforts is through the protection of forests. Costa Rica's forest resources are the base on which other conservation efforts and ecotourism are built. This chapter presents an attempt to quantify the relationship between conservation and national park protection, and so resolve this paradox.