Costa Rica Sustainable Tourism Flashcards
Where is Costa Rica ?
A small country in Central America between Panama and Nicaragua
Name some of the ecosystems in Costa Rica
Tropical rainforest , beaches, coral reefs and volcanoes
When was deforestation at its worst in Costa Rica ?
Between 1970 and 1990
How much rainforest was cut down a year ?
32,000 hectares
How did the government halt the destruction of its forests ?
It created protected areas and passed laws to stop deforestation they paid landowners to keep the forest and not destroy it
Name two strategies for sustainable management of the rain forest
Selective logging only felling trees when they reach a certain height and Agroforestry trees and crops grown together
What is ecotourism ?
Tourism that minimises the damage to the environment and benefits the locals
Name an ecotourism resort in Costa Rica
Samasati nature reserve
How is the resort sustainable ?
Build in the wilderness , houses made from local materials and wood from afforestation projects. The buildings fit in between the trees and are on stilts to reduce humidity, they use natural light and ventilation to reduce energy use and collect there own water local people run it
What sort of activities do tourist take part in ?
Bird watching , exploring the rainforest on tree top walks and kayaking and walking
How are activities at Samasati sustainable ?
They aim to protect and conserve the environment by operating on a small scale consulting with locals .
