Is Costa Rica Truly Conservation‐Minded?

Abstract

Mario Boza and his associates should be given high marks for their efforts to help preserve biodiversity in Costa Rica (Boza 1993). Largely because of their actions, this small country is much praised for its conservation policies, size and number of national parks, and promotion of ecotourism. Despite such endorsements, however, there is growing evidence that Costa Rica's recent conservation and environmental record has been less than illustrious. An in-depth economic analysis (Repetto 1992) demonstrates that Costa Rica is depleting its natural resources at an alarming rate. A series of articles by Brennan (1993) discusses what might be considered questionable tree planting schemes in many areas of the country, endorsed in part by the government itself and promoted under the guise of environmentally and economically sound land use. Despite high-pressure propaganda asserting that these plantings are the best means of reforesting worn-out or cutover land, monocultural stands of untested trees (chiefly exotics) at unproven spacing are no more real forests than plantations of African oil palm or sugar cane. In addition, serious habitat destruction is now occurring in many areas. A further misfortune is that no accompanying efforts are being made to inventory the biodiversity of these areas before their destruction. An example of this decimation has occurred in the northeastern region, chiefly to establish new banana plantations. I was informed by some in the Sarapiqui area (Fig. 1) that the banana boom would help the development of the region. Others felt that the big banana corporations were the primary beneficiaries, not local residents. They cited the case in which the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was ostensibly assigned to build or repair