Case Study: Costa Rica

Question 1

Explain the relative size of Costa Rica

Answer 1

Total area is 51,000 km2.
 Represents about 0.03% of the world’s land surface.
 Lies between latitude 1 and 12 degrees north, longitudes 82 and 86 west.
 The tallest point is 3,819 meters.

Question 2

Explain the relative biodiversity of Costa Rica

Answer 2

 Contains ~5% of the world’s biodiversity.
 ~10% of all bat species.
 More bird species than all of North America.
 Many species (birds and monkeys) require full forest cover. Many are fully arboreal.

Habitat for sensitive large mammals
* Large cats and tapirs for example.
* Important habitat for jaguars.
* Last remnant populations of white-lipped peccaries in Central America.

Question 3

Explain edge effects in Costa Rica

Answer 3

o Causes many issues for many species.
o This reduces forest diversity and forest cover which many species depend on.
o Lots of deforestation in Costa Rica.

Question 4

What are the four main features of the 1996 Forestry Law

Answer 4

 National definition of forest = 60 trees of >15 cm dbh/ha.
 Prohibits conversion of natural forest to any other land use.
 Deregulation of tree plantation management (attempt to promote reforestation)
 Created a voluntary PSA program to compensate landowners for environmental services their land provided the nation/work including:
* PSAs often believed to be carrots while the stick prohibits forest conversion.

Question 5

List some Environmental services recognized in the PSA program.

Answer 5

o Greenhouse gas mitigation (carbon sequestration)
o Protection of water resources for human consumption and the generation of hydroelectric power.
o Protection of biodiversity for scientific value as well as for pharmaceutical uses.
o Protection of scenic value, for touristic and recreational ends.

Question 6

How are payment levels calculated

Answer 6

o Services not evaluated individually, bundled value on a hectare basis.
 Negative in that forests producing more services are not receiving more money.
 Positive because of limited monitoring expenses to only having to evaluate forest coverage.
o Landowners are chosen on a first-come, first-serve basis but there are priority areas for payments.

Question 7

What are the resources of funds for priority conservation areas?

Answer 7

o 1/3 of the total generated by 3.5% nationwide gas tax.
o Private hydroelectric power companies.
o Sale of carbon offsets in the international market (Norway paid $2 M in 1997)
o World Bank Loan & GEF grant  used to create an endowment to provide PSAs.

Question 8

How much does Costa Rica get for Priority Conservation Areas?

Answer 8

PCA’s = 36 million per hectare.

Costa Rica’s total surface area = 1.5 M ha.