CONSERVATION IN ACTION - PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF THE NATIONAL-PARK SYSTEM OF COSTA-RICA

Costa Rica's national parks stand as a model for the preservation of b iodiversity in the tropics, with 622,000 ha, or 12.2%, of the country set aside in preserves. In 1970, efforts to establish the parks were m et with indifference, but a practical strategy for nature conservation and favorable opportunities led to success, including establishment o f Poas Volcano, Cabuita, Santa Rosa, and Tortuguero National Parks in 1970-1971. Since then we have concentrated on four main activities: (1 ) procuring funds and personnel; (2) obtaining national and internatio nal support; (3) developing conservation education programs; and (4) g etting environmental legislation passed. Today we continue to build th e national park system We are creating a system of national forests, e ncouraging commercial reforestation and management of private land, co nsolidating the national parks system, and continuing to raise funds. Because most tourism is based on the national parks, we are asking the tourism industry to do its fair share to support the parks and to enc ourage wise use and conservation. Many organizations use funds to main tain an international bureaucracy rather than supporting direct conser vation in the field. We do not need more planning studies and document s to tell us what to do, but instead we need funds to make environment al conservation a reality at the grass-roots level International envir onmental standards should be set by a United Nations environmental org anization that is empowered to infringe on the sovereignty of individu al states in environmental matters. Future concerns for the national p arks of Costa Rica include the economic situation, conservation educat ion, the need to demonstrate the monetary value of conservation, popul ation growth, the need for citizen involvement, and the need for effec tive environmental legislation.