Biología de la conservación: un paradigma emergente

A Conservation Blueprint for
Costa Rica: Lessons for Belize
Olivier Chassot1,2,4 & James Barborak1,2,3,4
1Sociedad Mesoamericana para la Biología y la Conservación
2Centro Científico Tropical / 3Conservation International
4World Commission on Protected Areas - IUCN
PA: Philosophical concept
Protected Areas (PAs) contain the best sample
of natural diversity. They are unique places for
the conservation of our natural and cultural
heritage. They must be converted into strategic
places for the development of nations and they
must be considered a national security issue
(WCPA).
Strategic importance of PAs
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At the global level: PAs preserve biological
diversity and mitigate climate change threats
At the regional level: PAs warrant the
provision of environmental services and
contribute to sustainable economic
development
At the local level: PAs enhance the quality of
life and contribute to poverty alleviation
REGIONAL ECOSYSTEM MAP
REGIONAL ECOSYSTEM MAP
1500
1940
1998
Ecosystem
fragmentation is
the main threat to
biodiversity in the
region
Source: CCAD, World Bank, UNPD-GEF, CATIE, 2001.
Costa Rica’s experience
1
Introduction
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29% of Costa Rica is legally protected (PAs)
17% of the land is highly degraded or
seriously eroded
Conservation: legacy of tropical research
pioneers or a more recent phenomena
(1980s)?
The Costa Rican Uniqueness
Factor
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One of the highest literacy rates in the world
One of the highest life-expectancy average, and one
of the lowest infant mortality rates in Latin America
The army was abolished in 1948
One of the most complex systems of protecting
natural areas in all of Latin America
The number of plants and animals is greater than
that of the US and Canada combined
Biodiversity
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870 species of birds
220 species of reptiles
160 species of amphibians
280 species of mammals
9,000 species of vascular plants (4% of the
world’s total), of which 1,200 tree species
History
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Pre-Columbian times: about 80,000 native people only
Because Costa Rica was a relatively poor, isolated
and thinly populated corner of the Spanish Empire, the
loss of forest cover associated with European
settlement was limited (in 1845, CR had no
bookstores, hospitals, universities, theater, research or
scientific organizations)
1830: coffee boon not only lead to consolidating
democracy, but also changed the landscape
z Small latifundia
z Railroad to the Atlantic
History (continued)
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XIXth Century: European naturalists (A. Von Frantzius,
H.Pittier)
1887: Creation of the National Museum (Pittier / Alfaro
/ Zeledón)
Zeledón sent to study at the Smithsonian Institution
z Opening of a new era of collaboration with US
scientists
New generation of Costa Rican scientists:
z Alberto Manuel Brenes
z Clodomiro Picado (first Costa Rican academic
biologist)
z Alvaro Wille
History (continued)
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1940: Creation of the University of Costa Rica
z Alexander Skutch
z Archie Carr
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School of Biology (1955) quickly became one of Central
America’s finest
1957: Natural sciences become mandatory in every major
1942: Foundation of the Inter American Institute for
Agricultural Sciences (IICA) by the OAS
z 1972: Tropical Agronomical Research and Higher
Education Center (CATIE)
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Leslie Holdridge
Gerardo Budowski
Kenton Miller (coached Mario Boza)
History (continued)
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1959: Caribbean Conservation Corporation (CCC)
z Archie Carr (marine turtle conservation)
1962: Tropical Science Center (TSC)
z Leslie Holdridge
z Joseph Tosi
z Robert Hunter
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Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve (George Powell / Wilford
Guindon quaker community)
1963: Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) by a
consortium of 7 leading universities in the field of
tropical ecology (today: +60 universities):
z Michigan, Florida, Miami, Kansas, Harvard,
Washington and Costa Rica
The Environmental Problem
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Deforestation
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1830s: Coffee boon
1870s: Banana industry
1970s: Cattle business
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1950: 607,850 head
1985: 2,050,350 head
1980s: loss of 4% of
forest cover / year
1980s: Timber industry
FRAGMENTATION
The “conservationist” response
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Early parks and conservation laws
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1863: first concept of protecting areas and watershed
1906: first attempt to elaborate a forestry law
1913: the Government classifies Poás Volcano as
“protected”
1930: establishment of a system of forest guards
1953: Soil and Water Conservation Law
1956: Wildlife Conservation Law
1955: Institute for Lands and Colonization (ITCO, then IDA)
z Determines which lands are not suitable for agriculture
1965: first national reserve: Cabo Blanco (O. Wessberg &
K. Olsen)
The Development of National
Protected Areas
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1969: Forestry Law (outlines the creation of “national parks” for
conservation, recreation, tourism and research)
z General Forestry Directorate (DGF) / National Parks Department,
within the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG)
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Enrollment of Mario Boza (MSc graduate student formed by Miller
and Budowski, trained in national parks management in Aspen, CO)
Enrollment of Alvaro Ugalde to administrate the first national
protected areas
1970: Cahuita National Monument
1971: Poás Volcano National Park
1971: Santa Rosa National Park
1972: Manuel Antonio National Park (local initiative)
1973: Guayabo National Monument
The Development of National
Protected Areas
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Financial and technical help and advice came
from:
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US Peace Corps
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Christopher Vaughan
IUCN (Gerardo Budowski)
World Wildlife Fund
The Nature Conservancy
Conservation Continued
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1974-1978: Daniel Oduber Quirós, President of
Costa Rica
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“The greatest friend the national parks ever had”
z Perception of national parks as an economic boon for
tourism
Development and expansion of the national park system
(from 2.5 to 4.5%: 9 new PAs)
z 1975: Tortuguero National Park
z 1975: Corcovado National Park (TSC, OTS)
z 1975: Chirripó National Park
z 1978: Braulio Carrillo National Park (TSC, national
conservationist movement)
1977: National Parks Service (SPN)
Conservation through Crisis
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1982-1986: Luis Alberto Monge, President of
Costa Rica
Fundraising campaign from Washington DC
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TNC / CCC / OTS / RARE / WWF / New York
Zoological Society
1983: Boza & Ugalde recipients of the Getty prize
for conservation (awarded by R. Reagan)
Better management of existing protected areas
Expansion of some protected areas
The Nongovernmental
Approach
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Local groups
National associations
International environmental organizations
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Monitoring the Government
Endorsing or rejecting governmental policies
Lobbying for conservation efforts
People’s perception that the Government has
been unable to address adequately the country’s
deteriorating environmental conditions
The first NGOs
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1968: The Association of Biologists (professional guild, that lends
technical advice, scientific expertise and professional assistance
to conservation causes)
1972: ASCONA (Costa Rican Association for the Conservation of
Nature)
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First grassroots environmental organization
Established in response to U.N. Stockholm Conference on the
Human Environment
“Watchdog” for environmental policy
Lobbying with the Legislative Assembly for environmental policies
Responsible for reforestation projects
1983 campaign against the trans isthmian pipeline proposal
National Parks Foundation (1979) + Neotropica Foundation
(1985)
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Support to the national parks system
Acquire land for protection
The first NGOs
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Costa Rican Ecological Association: 1988
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Center for Environmental and Natural Resources
Law (CEDARENA):1989
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Multidisciplinary and multisectorial vision
Very inclusive organization
Environmental education programs
Research and training workshops
Lobbying campaigns
Citizen involvement campaign
Legal aspects of nature protection
Association for Volunteer Service (ASVO)
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Logistic support to the national parks system
Costa Rican Federation for the Conservation
of the Environment (FECON): 1989
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Umbrella organization
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Uniting organization and networking to promote
communication amongst them
Publishes the annual directory of NGOs
Commission work (forests, water, etc.)
Political lobbying
International NGOs
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The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
Conservation International (CI)
World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
International Union for the Conservation
of Nature (IUCN)
Rainforest Alliance
Friends of the Earth International
NETWORKING
4 Different kinds of NGOs
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“Merchants of conservation”: they truly
believe in conservation
“Post-communist” conservationists,
using the environmental agenda to fit
their own political agenda
“Status quo” NGOs, low political profile,
supporting the Government, not critical
Research branch of the conservation
movement
NETWORKING
A snapshot at the current national
system of protected areas
2
Number and extension (terrestrial and marine) of
Costa Rica’s protected areas, by management
category
Category
Nº PA
Ha
Continental
%
continental
superficies
Nº marine
Ha
protected
51,100 Km2
Percentage
marine
area*
Total
protected
superficies
(ha)
30,308 Km2
Total area
%*
81,408
Km2
Biological
Reserve
8
625,531
12,24%
475,620
15,69%
1.101,151
13,53%
National Park
28
22,032
0,43%
5,207
0,17%
27,239
0,33%
National Wildlife
Refuge
71
243,040
4,76%
18,425
0,61%
261,465
3,21%
Protection Zone
31
153,506
3,00%
0
0%
153,506
1,89%
Forestry Reserve
9
221,239
4,33%
0
0%
221,239
2,71%
Wetland (includes
mangrove)
12
66,388
1,30%
5
0%
66,393
0,82%
Other categories
(RN / MN)
5
7,843
0,15%
1,612
0,05%
9,455
0,12%
160
1.339,579
26.21%
500.869
16.53%
1.840,448
22,61%
TOTAL
La "superficie marina nacional" corresponde a las aguas interiores y las aguas territoriales;
no incluyen la totalidad de la zona económica exclusiva costarricense
Source: INBio, 2006
Visitation in national parks
(1985-2006)
Forest fire (1998-2006), ha
Weaknesses of the system
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Marine conservation is weak
Mountain peaks and coastal lowlands relatively
well protected, but…
Lack of adequate protection of medium elevation
and special habitats
Loss of freshwater and wetland biodiversity
SINAC (NSCA): excessive decentralization /
funds generated by PAs end up into the “blue”
hole / loss of vision and mission
Source: J. Barborak, 2007
SINAC / MINAE
… what about our seas?
Marine territory 10 x
terrestrial superficies
Many challenges…
- How to consolidate and protect what has been
achieved during the last 40 years?
- How to strengthen a PAs system with vision and
wisdom?
- How to value social, cultural and economic benefits
that our PAs provide?
- How to maintain and strengthen a PAs system in a
changing world?
- Climate change
- Social and political change
- Economic drivers change
Possible solutions
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Strengthen SINAC, using a wide array of funding mechanisms,
institutional schemes, management categories, etc.
z Strengthen municipalities to achieve their functions as land
management
z Establish partnership with the private sector to administer non-essential
services within PAs
z Re-think the current management scheme of SINAC
z Strengthen civil society participation in PAs management
z Improve the interinstitutional coordination with institutions responsible of
productive politics.
Strengthen programs in order to warrant connectivity in biological
corridors and buffer zones
Develop a base line and monitor change in key ecosystems and species
Develop contingency action plans for ex-situ conservation in extreme
cases
Restore habitat and species and control invasive exotic species
Collaborating with neighbor
countries is fundamental
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Conservation success for reef system, Talamanca forest,
migratory marine species and very wet Atlantic lowland
forest requires an international approach
It is especially relevant to work with Nicaragua and
Panama to preserve shared ecosystems, and to work at
the regional level in order to foster shared marine and
terrestrial natural resources management
It is necessary to harmonize environmental
transboundary legislation and regulations
GRUAS II: the future of Costa
Rica’s national system of protected
areas?
3
Land use in Costa Rica
1992-2002
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Decrease of 8% of forest cover and pasture
Increase in agriculture, urban and
regenerated pasture covers.
Forest cover passed from 1,196 to 34,268
forest fragments
Forest fragments with more complex and
irregular shapes (fractal dimension increases
from 1.27 a 1.66)
fragmento regular
fragmento complejo
e irregular
Source: R. García, INBio, 2007
GRUAS II: Context
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Identifies connectivity routes
Identifies conservation gaps
Delineates highest value areas for
conservation
Assess the current state of
biodiversity alteration
Are Protected Areas large enough?
RNVS ISLA CHORA
4 ha
PILA
193.727 ha
Methodology
1. Core areas identification
2. Definition of the difficulty for connectivity
Methodology
3. Map of movement difficulty:
base for
connectivity
routes
Methodology
4. Generation of connectivity routes: each
route must connect 2 protected areas
1. Altitudinal connectivity
2. Longitudinal connectivity
5. Definition of difficulty for connectivity
Proposed connectivity routes
Connects PA and
conservation gaps
Ecological representation:
gap analysis
Identification of existing
biodiversity at the
ecosystem and taxa level
Conservation gap
analysis
What components of
biodiversity are not
represented in the PAs
system?
Identification of
existing
biodiversity at
the ecosystem
and taxa level
under a
management
category (PA)
Design of a strategy to implement recommendations
Conservation proposal
More information on GRUAS
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http://www.tncinfocostarica.net/
http://www.sirefor.go.cr/gruas2/index.html
Epilogue
Climate change is the most important challenge
that humankind as to face for the next decades.
Latin American protected areas have a key
function to mitigate and adapt to climate
change effects.
References
FOURNIER Louis A., Desarrollo y perspectivas del movimiento conservacionista
costarricense. San José, Costa Rica: Editorial de la Universidad de Costa Rica, 2002
AVENDAÑO Isabel, La relación ambiente y sociedad en Costa Rica. Entre gritos y
silencio, entre amores y odios. San José, Costa Rica: Editorial de la Universidad de
Costa Rica, 2005
CHACÓN Mario, Historia y políticas nacionales de conservación. San José, Costa
Rica: Editorial Universidad Estatal a Distancia, 2003
EVANS Sterling, The Green Republic. A Conservation History of Costa Rica. Austin,
TX: University of Texas Press, 1999.
GÓMEZ Luis Diego, SAVAGE J., Searchers on That Rich Coast: Costa Rican Field
Biology 1400-1980, in D. Janzen (Ed.), Costa Rican Natural History. Chicago:
University of Chicago Press, 1992, 1-11.
WALLACE David R., The Quetzal and the Macaw: The Story of Costa Rica’s
National Parks. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books, 1992.