Le concept de corridor vert et le développement durable au Costa Rica / The concept of green corridor and sustainable development in Costa Rica

Abstract

Costa Rica has numerous protected reserves, as many islands of wildlife ; however biodiversity can't be maintained in these isolated areas. The concept of green corridor comes from the necessity to create a communication between two protected areas. A group of two reserves, as a whole entity linked by a corridor surrounded with a buffer zone, is the basic unit. From this unit, one or several corridors can be linked to other units to make a network. The purpose is to restore the ecosystems in their genuine working order while allowing for the development of human activities. The testing project takes place in Monteverde, north west of Costa Rica. The original name of this area comes from a Quaker community that settled there in the fifties. At the moment, a network of institutions and associations is launching different schemes for sustainable development. These programmes involve local people in the fields of architecture, education, agriculture, administration of protected areas, ecotourism...