Costa Rica Ecology

To have arrived on this earth as the product of a biological accident, only to depart through human arrogance, would be the ultimate irony. ~ Richard Leakey, anthropologist Its reputation as an ecological paradise is what first drew us to visit Costa Rica – and it keeps us coming back. Costa Rica has been described as the “poster child” for ecological protection for the world, and with that label comes a great deal of responsibility – and public scrutiny. Costa Rica boasts 25% of its land area dedicated as “wildlife protected,” and is rightfully proud of its remarkable national park system. Its conservation effort is important because of its unique position in the north-south corridor between the two larger American landmasses. A primary stop on the evolutionary highway, it has an incredible multiplicity of individual animal, plant, insect and bird species. Tiny Costa Rica may cover only 0.03% of the planet’s surface, but is the natural habitat for as much as 5-6% of the world’s bio-diversity. It leads the world, including the United States, in meaningful ecological preservation efforts. Each year thousands of students research and study in its natural outdoor laboratories and thousands more tourists enjoy eco-touristic diversions that help make the forests more valuable in their natural state than either logged or cleared for farming. Unique “biological corridors” of undeveloped land have recently been created that, at least on paper, will allow animals to move unhindered between protected areas, instead of trapping them in pockets of parks. The de-centralized overseer of forests, wildlife and protected areas is the Sistema Nacional de Areas de Conservacion (SINAC), governed in turn by the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE). They pursue the goal of reaching sustainability in safeguarding the country’s natural resources

Costa Rica Eco-tourism

We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us.
When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.
~ Aldo Leopold, American ecologist, 1886-1948
The first tourism for pleasure was confined to the rich and powerful, an indulgence for the Greek and Roman civilizations. In the 18th and 19th centuries, wealthy Europeans and Americans toured the cultural centers of Europe or vacationed in country summer mansions. But everyday people stayed home and worked. Thomas Cook organized English rail excursions as early as 1840, when a middle class emerged from the industrial revolution. But mass tourism only got a start 100 years later, when air travel began to shrink the world. Inevitably, that innovation brought developing “Third World” countries within reach as leisure destinations.
In an effort to attract tourists to sun, sand and surf, countries such as Mexico and Jamaica licensed builders to change or exploit the natural environment to create resort areas. Slowly it became apparent to many that the costs of such developments – both environmental and social – could be higher than the benefits. Eco or “green” tourism developed with the heightened environmental awareness of the 1960s and 70s. It is generally defined as low-impact activities in nature that help preserve and sustain the environment and benefit native people. The hope is that this type of tourism can prevent and even reverse environmental destruction. The tourist trade in Costa Rica, in a country described by one naturalist as “one big safari park,” is a test of that hope.

It’s Not Easy Being Green
Unfortunately, the designation “eco-tourism” is much like the nomenclature “organic” ¬– it means different things to different people. Everyone at least agrees on the objective: a “win-win” situation for the environment, the tourist, the travel industry and the local people. But whether it actually achieves its promise is another issue.

• For an insightful and in-depth look at the problems and solutions of green tourism, read Ecotourism and Sustainable Development, by Martha Honey, published by Island Press.
  Various environmental organizations have similar definitions, but it is generally agreed that true eco-tourism projects should meet these seven criteria:
  - Covers tourism only to natural areas
  - Minimizes ecological impact
  - Builds environmental awareness
  - Provides direct financial benefits for conservation
  - Provides financial benefits and empowerment
    for local communities
  - Respects local culture
  - Supports human rights

When traveling, it is very easy to slip into enjoying “eco-tourism lite,” a phrase coined by Ms Honey. In this mindset, we whiz through the forest canopy on high wires, neither appreciating the forest nor edifying ourselves – but having tons of fun. On a higher scale, hotel chains and tourism operations can claim they are green and benefit the environment because they use recycled toilet paper or biodegradable soap. That is not wrong in itself – every little bit helps – but it is not a particularly big part of the solution and shouldn’t be advertised as such. The “lite” experience tends to enjoy nature without being overly concerned about its preservation. So remember, if you are concerned, when accommodations are chosen, small is beautiful.

The Certificate of Sustainable Tourism
In response to the demand for more green tourism, Costa Rica’s government authorities developed a Certificate of Sustainable Tourism (CST) that they hoped would root out the “green washers” (businesses that abuse the concept of eco- or sustainable tourism). Costa Rica’s tourist board, ICT,  awards Blue Flags to clean beach destinations and lists certified “green leaf” eco-friendly properties on their CST website (www.turismo-sostenible.co.cr). A hotel can receive a maximum of five green leaves after completing an extensive questionnaire. Unfortunately, their website’s arrangement is a little confusing. Select a list of hotels geographically and those with only one or two leaves are not distinguished from more ecologically sensitive properties with three or four. Only when you select a list by “green levels” does it distinguish the number of leaves.A big flaw in the designation process, argues fellow author and environmental proponent, Beatrice Blake, is that the survey favors large businesses and fails to credit smaller, more environmentally conscious hotels with lower consumption per guest. This is also a common complaint by small hotels against the tourism board. Also, the survey does not give special consideration for those with private nature reserves. Many of the more rustic and ecologically friendly lodges don’t even make the list. However, CST’s green leaf approval does help travelers choose hotels that are at least attempting to follow ecological practices, especially those located in urban areas. Let’s hope that, as the process is fine-tuned, the certification process will get better and even more hotels will respond to the demand for environmentally responsible practices.