Conservation &Nature
Costa Rica is at the forefront of conservation, preservation, and sustainability with over 30% of its territory designated for protection. Their forests are of three types: rainforests, cloud forests, and tropical dry forests. Nosara is situated between the two beaches of Playa Pelada and Playa Guiones, both of which see a natural barrier of thick jungle between the shore and the town. While these crab-laced trails from hotel to beach are not particularly conducive to tourism, they are an effort by Nosara’s government to maintain the integrity of the habitats they are disrupting; they take particular caution with sea turtle egg maturation on their shores. Nosara is not the only part of Costa Rica fighting to preserve its beaches. In fact, the National Wetland Inventory reports that Costa Rica is on track to conserve 100% of its coastal wetlands by 2025, and by 2030, they will increase the area of coastal wetlands by a minimum of 10%. Our stay in Nosara confirmed the town’s dedication to maintaining a clean and luscious environment for future generations. This included sustainable water recycling and filtration, minimal plastic usage, eco-friendly farming practices, and dedicated waste bins for paper, glass, plastics, and trash.
While taking on the activities during the first half of our stay in Nosara, Costa Rica we embarked on a kayaking tour. This tour consisted of going down a naturally preserved river that then opened into the ocean. In order to be able to preserve these waters from being contaminated by the locals, Costa Rica has put into effect a social norm of not littering. The waste management in the surrounding areas of the water area is regulated so that plastic was at a minimum. Glass jars, cups, and water bottles were always an option at neighboring shops. Costa Rica has implemented policies throughout the government to promote less destructive land use, conservation of biodiversity, and formal protections for large parts of the region. The government has implemented wide-ranging policies across several areas including tourism, eco-hotels, taxes, protected areas, and funding for conservation groups. Costa Rica has deployed a variety of levers to promote the restoration and protection of Nature including tax changes, land policies, and the minimization of deforestation.
Costa Rica’s focus on living in harmony with nature has benefited the country’s economy by boosting one of its largest sectors: tourism. Costa Rica promotes and encourages hotels to use energy conserving practices, like solar power, and sustainable management practices like water, waste, and garbage conservation. They do this by promoting them on websites about travel and recommendations of lodging to tourists. Eco-hotels generally use eco-friendly materials in their buildings, such as locally sourced materials and biodegradable products. Some hotels have volunteer conservation programs for guests as well as Costa Rican citizens. Some ecotourism practices in Costa Rica have helped minimize the adverse effects of traditional tourism on the natural environment, created awareness, provided financial benefits to the local communities, and have facilitated in building of the environment. Responsible tourism has also allowed the country to respond effectively to the growing demands of the tourism industry and enhance the cultural integrity of the local community.
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References:
https://www.conservation.org/costa-rica/en/home
https://www.earthlawcenter.org/blog-entries/2019/1/costa-rica-paving-the-way-for-rights-of-nature
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2020.580724/full
