Arenal Conservation Area
The Arenal Conservation Area (ACA) is north of the Costa Rican
capital. It is one of 11 areas that constitute the National Conservation
Areas System (SINAC).
ACA consists of two basic zones:
- core protected areas; and
- buffer zones that include land and villages surrounding the
core zones.
In the core protected areas, the primary goal of Costa Rica is
to conserve natural resources, for example, the Arenal and Tenorio
Volcano in national parks.
The Costa Rican government with the assistance of Canada, has
been working to find productive roles for the people who live
in the buffer zones that are both economically sound and work
to preserve and support the surrounding ecology and the core protected
areas.
Canadian Role
Arenal's Importance
to the economy
The Arenal Conservation Area stretches 200 thousand hectares
along the northern spine of Costa Rica.
It is an area that is crucial to the Costa Rican economy.
Lake Arenal is a human-made lake that supplies up to 40 percent
of the country's hydroelectric supply. Windmills catch the wind
that whips along the top edge of the Tilerán mountains
near the lake. Volcanic activity also is tapped for its electrical
power.
But the region is also a major supplier of beef and dairy products
for domestic and export.
The high mountains also make it ideal for the productions of
some of the best coffee found in Central America.
What is at stake
But the impact of this activity has been dramatic. What was once
tropical rain forest has become high rolling hills of grass. While
many of these areas are not in core protected zones, they still
have a impact on the wildlife found in reserves.
For example, the resplendent quetzal of the Arenal volcano and
monteverde Cloud forest region, is a colourful, long-tailed bird
that depends upon wild varieties of avocado.
Part of the year, it is in protected zones but it will also migrate
to agricultural zones depending on where the avocado is currently
in season. Even with protected zones, the loss of habitat in agricultural
areas threatens the quetzal and along with it a multi-million
dollar tourist industry that uses the quetzal as a trade mark
of Costa Rica.
The erosion of the soil is affecting the water sheds. Hillsides
are being washed away, along with it farm land and watershed.
The life of Costa Rica's hydroelectric plants are being shortened
with the build up of silt.
coffee plantations are also helping to pollute water systems.
Costa Rica converted most of its coffee plantations to factory
farms that grow coffee in rows without much tree cover used in
traditional plantations. These coffees use more pesticides and
herbicides that work themselves into the ground water.
Finding a balance
But the answer to these ecological issues is not to stop all
production in the Arenal region. More than 60,000 people live
in the region in more than 108 communities. They need to make
a living and feed their families.
The purpose of the Arenal Project is to find a balance that will
halt further environmental degradation and help stabilize land
use by strengthening the resource management capacities of the
public and private sectors. But more importantly, it will link
the economic interests of the communities to the future ecological
health of the region.
Next Page
