CLUE-CR - AN INTEGRATED MULTISCALE MODEL TO SIMULATE LAND-USE CHANGE SCENARIOS IN COSTA-RICA

A dynamic gee-referenced land use/cover model (CLUE-CR) which simulate s simultaneous local, regional and national land use/cover changes in Costa Rica is presented and discussed. CLUE-CR simulates the effects o f changing demographical and biophysical driving forces on land use/co ver change in Costa Rica, including feedbacks from land use/cover to t hose forces. The multi-scale aspect of the model allows the simulation of realistic system dynamics related to the interaction of top-down a nd bottom-up effects and constraints. As a model CLUE may be implement ed for other countries and has the potential to be scaled down and/or up to link with regional land use models or integrated global change m odels.