Water is the source of life and its nurturer. It has the power to ferociously destroy life and then gently recreate it. This liquid elixir gathers in the high country, often collecting in lakes, and sometimes flowing to the sea through an intricate series of streams and rivers. There is no more important resource on Earth and it is now seriously threatening Costa Rica’s ecological balance, and this affront to nature is occurring within the very heart of this verdant paradise, the Osa Peninsula.

Costa Rica has earned well-deserved praise from ecologists and recognition in the world community for protecting and restoring its forests, and protecting marine areas and its overall biodiversity. Unfortunately, rivers and streams are being carelessly treated as a free and easy resource for building highways, while ignoring their irreplaceable significance in maintaining nature’s fragile balance.

Fourteen gravel-mining concessions have been awarded, fatally impacting five different rivers in Osa, all of them feeding into the Golfo Dulce! They are Rio Tigre (4), Rio Rincon (5), Rio Barrigones (2), Rio Agujas (2), and Rio Conte (1).

Picture an idyllic, lush jungle river and the only sounds you hear are birdcalls and the quiet conversation of local villagers, often accompanied by tourists from all over the world, who have come to witness this precious world within a world. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Now, imagine the jarring sounds of heavy trucks and earth moving equipment. You see the jaws of a metallic dinosaur plunging into this river and quickly scraping along the river bottom and then lifting its claws and depositing a thousand pounds of the gravel riverbed into a rumbling truck, which will then lumber away, ripping up the vegetation on the side of this very delicate waterway. Just one of these fourteen concessions is authorized to remove 80 truckloads of gravel from the Rio Tigre every day!

The consequences of riverbed gravel mining are quite obvious when you see how the Rio Tigre is supposed to look (left) and what happens with mining.

The Osa Peninsula is home to more than 50% of all species found in Costa Rica. It has the largest population of Scarlet Macaws in Central America. Five different cats roam the jungles. There are 358 bird species and the region is extraordinarily popular with bird watchers. According to Eduardo Chacon, a certified Costa Rican biologist, more than 1/3 of these species depend upon the rivers and surrounding vegetation. Any reduction in this vegetation and the insect life found in the rivers would have an adverse effect on bird population, seriously impacting tourism to the area. Many villagers rely on the thousands of ecotourists who come to the southern part of country specifically for its pristine jungle wildlife and rivers. When the highways are finished, the construction jobs will end and there will be a weakened tourist economy in its wake, with less long-term employment for people who desperately need it.

When stretches of a riverbed are ripped up for gravel, the velocity of the water increases dramatically, eliminating deeper waterholes that host a variety of life. It erodes the streamside environment, allowing the sun to shine on the water, significantly altering the aquatic environment and causing a deadly rise in temperature. It creates a lifeless, liquid cadaver that floats its decay downstream. In this case, it spreads its poison to the river mouth and the innocent open arms of the Golfo Dulce. On its way, it manages to infect the forests, reducing the quantity and quality of all life that relies on its natural integrity. Once this water leaves the river, the mangroves, reefs and fisheries of this splendid body of water will begin a slow and painful death.

Usually, there is no compromise when commerce and conservation face off against each other, which has always made for a contentious relationship. In this instance, there actually is an alternative to this environmentally devastating practice, which is creating the tragedy in Osa. There is gravel under most of the Coastal plain, under the plantations and cattle pastures.  Many farms report 7-12 meters of this material with less than 1 meter of soil on top of it.  Taking gravel from pits would be a lot less destructive and have a lot less impact on the environment and the enormous number of species that simply cannot survive without an intact river ecosystem.

A hydrology report relating to the Rio Tigre was prepared by Bruce Melton, PE, a US based civil engineer specializing in critical envirionemtnal issues. He adds to the rational of exploring alternatives to the destructive practice of riverbed mining. “The suitability of upland gravel deposits should be explored fully. The existence of the deposits on the Eastern shore of Osa Peninsula is certain, and their suitability is likely. If these resources could be efficiently developed, untold damages to the environment of the Osa Peninsula could be avoided. Other materials besides sand and gravel from riverbeds are certainly for road building, concrete construction and other concrete uses. These materials are widespread across the world and are used very commonly in place of river gravels.”

Up to this point, Costa Rica has been incredibly fortunate in that its public perception remains unscathed by questionable internal choices that appear to put development ahead of environmental protection. It is not hard to imagine a tourist’s reaction to the destruction of pristine rivers or the absence of Leatherbacks on the beaches of Playa Grande. Improved highways are very important and so is a strong real estate market, but this desire for commercial development has been fueled by the appeal of the country’s unfettered natural beauty. A balance needs to be struck and the government is the only institution to protect the rivers and coastlines, which belong to all Costa Ricans.

We will be following this unfolding story in the months ahead. In the meantime, you are strongly encouraged to visit http://riotigre.tripod.com/ and learn more about the Save Rio Tigre campaign, which is constantly evolving to include all rivers and communities impacted by this brutal riverbed mining practice.

A recent Op-Ed piece by Nicholas Kristof in the NY Times, and a letter written to us by a loyal ecotourist to Costa Rica, highlight the crux of the conflict relating to Las Baulas Marine National Park. It is not simply about the passage of Expediente No. 17.383 to downgrade the park to a wildlife refuge, it is a basic choice of priorities for the country.

Kristof’s article focuses attention on the typical, well-deserved praise for Costa Rica. The abolition of its army is an extraordinary achievement. High educational standards and an emphasis on environmental sustainability, whatever that actually means, are often mentioned in reference to the country. The recent attention brought about by some happiness indices has put Costa Rica in the spotlight yet again.

One paragraph in the piece stands out because it is at the heart of the dilemma. “This emphasis on the environment hasn’t sabotaged Costa Rica’s economy but has bolstered it. Indeed, Costa Rica is one of the few countries that is seeing migration from the United States: Yankees are moving here to enjoy a low-cost retirement. My hunch is that in 25 years, we’ll see large numbers of English-speaking retirement communities along the Costa Rican coast.”

Costa Rica can sell its irreplaceable natural treasures to foreign investors and speculators, or it can retain park ownership and keep inviting visitors to experience these treasures forever. Maintaining the integrity of the national parks and the coastline is the only insurance against the sale of its most precious real estate to outsiders. If the United States didn’t have a strong national and state park system, much of its natural grandeur would be shared with golf courses, real estate developments and shopping centers.

Land sale is a single transaction, with the money most likely leaving the country. The alternative is to keep promoting a $1 billion a year industry with at least the promise of creating tourism related businesses and employment directly benefiting Costa Ricans. Environmental sustainability, which Kristof emphasizes, must incorporate the needs of the people and be economically viable in the long term. A true ecotourism industry guarantees sustainability, while the private buying and selling of parkland destroys it.

Now, imagine you are a very dedicated visitor to Costa Rica and you have been coming for fifteen years with your husband, and now with your children. What draws you back year after year is the incredible natural beauty of the country, its people, its precious wildlife, and knowing it is at least one place in the world that feels like forever. Well, the next time you visit Playa Grande, you are greeted by a world you thought you were getting away from for at least a few weeks. Lee Anne Simmons is your tourist, she and her family are the $ billion tourist industry. Her letter to the Legislative Assembly speaks volumes on behalf of protecting the Leatherback sea turtles and their precious nesting environment.

Dearest Seniors and Senioras,

Please protect Las Baulas National Park.  My husband and I, and now with our young children have been coming to Costa Rica for 15 years for vacation. Our recent trip we visited Las Baulas National park in 2008 and we were devastated to see the development, the developer from Germany had cut all of the trees and subdivided to build 100’s of homes. The museum was gone. There were now bars on the windows with hired security guards where we stayed. This was not how Playa Grande was just 10 years ago. It was very sad and not good for the local Costa Rican people.  The turtles have declined in the last 10 years even more. It does not have to be this way.

As a country, Costa Rica can lead the world in Ocean conservation and biodiversity. Your country has more opportunity than most other countries today. You can have history show your record of protecting the turtles and other marine animals. It will be better for the Costa Rican people as well. Please don’t let foreign developers destroy your national heritage for their own profit. These turtles need your protection.

Please protect the Leatherback Turtles for our children. Please reject this bill and show the world that you can’t be dictated to by citizens of other countries only interested in their personal profit.

Sincerely,

Lee Anne Simmons

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Environmental eyes are all on Copenhagen over the next several weeks. If you are reading this, you likely know that is the location for COP 15, the United Nations Climate Change Conference. In spite of recent scandals attempting to debunk the science of global warming, there is a growing international will to finally do something about Green House Gas emissions. This is a forum where Costa Rica will shine because of its international public perception, some credible efforts to address its own carbon emissions, and its approach to its natural possessions.

Recently, Nature Blog has been very critical of the government’s effort to downgrade Las Baulas National Park, thereby threatening the survival of the Leatherback sea turtles nesting on its beaches.

Over the course of thousands of years, we have yet to create a perfect State. Regardless of Costa Rica’s institutional imperfections, they are making an effort that is hard for any country, developed or developing, to match. When this country set out on its path for a Peace With Nature, it is they who created the high standard by which they should be judged as well, and that is the context for our strong opposition to the Las Baulas legislation.

We are extremely pleased to be working with the Peace With Nature team at Copenhagen. We hope to be hearing from Pedro Leon Azofeifa, Coordinator of the Peace With Nature Initiative when he arrives for talks this coming week. We have recently heard from Carolina Mauri, who is an official representatives at this gathering, and we look to be hearing from Sylvia Leon, who is charged with disseminating conference information in country.

Carolina provided some personal observation towards the end of the first week. It appears that there are three forces at work: developed nations, powerful growing economies, and the undeveloped or emerging nations. Personally, I have always been bothered by terms like First World and Third World, etc. We are in this crisis because we look at a fractured globe, protecting myriad interests; when the truth is we are one interconnected web of nature.

According to her, it is those governments caught in between the developed and undeveloped world that are being most protective. China, India, Venezuela and the wealthier Arab nations believe they should have the same rights and advantages as the United States had in growing its own economy and importance in the world.

The basic principles being supported by the Costa Rican delegation are:

1. The outcome in Copenhagen be legally binding.
2. Provisions that will ensure keeping GHG below 350 ppm and holding global temps below a 2 degree Celsius increase.
3. Developed countries lead in ambitious mitigation actions.
4. All developing countries participate in the solution.
5. The need for a prompt start of a financial mechanism to address inequities.

Costa Rican’s domestic imperatives mirror the government’s position on global matters. A recent survey published in The Tico Times indicates that 80% of the people think more money should be spent on the natural environment. The most important areas are air and water improvements, increased controls of flora and fauna, and the protection of rich ecological zones. An equal percentage considered that a presidential candidate’s opposition to development in the maritime zone is very important. 60% are willing to make economic sacrifices to protect the environment by contributing to environmental education, stricter air and water quality restrictions, guarding against excessive development in ecologically delicate areas.

The challenge for Costa Rica on the world stage and at home is for its actions to affirm its principles. It would appear they have the support of their citizenry in this effort.

The Comptroller General of Costa Rica has submitted a report to the Special Standing Committee on the Environment which fires an explosive broadside into the government plan to downgrade Las Baulas National Park to a wildlife refuge, thereby threatening the existence of the critically endangered Leatherback sea turtle.

According to Article 183 of the Constitution, “The Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic is an auxiliary institution of the Legislative Assembly in its surveillance of the Public Finances; but it has full functional and administrative independence in the performance of its duties.”

Simply stated, this is an extraordinary development in the effort to maintain the status of this national park and the Leatherback. In addition, it makes a powerful case for protecting all of Costa Rica’s parks. This is the first time a high-ranking official within the government has spoken against this pending legislation.

This story was first reported in El Diaro and written by Betania Artavia. An unofficial translation and invaluable commentary has been provided by Stephen Duplantier, the designer and contributor of the soon to be published ezine, Voice of the Leatherbacks.

The single most important line to be culled from this piece is that according to the Comptroller General there is “no technical justification to change the park’s status.”

The Comptroller General’s report stated, “The proposed measure lacks an adequate and proper technical justification, which seems to be enough to question its conformity with the law, since [the proposed measures] are involved in a comprehensively-protected area that ensures that all people have the use of its ecosystems. Without the existing safeguards, these ecosystems may be immediately threatened by the negative impacts the proposed measures can have on our growth and involvement as human beings in our global environment.”

The Comptroller General’s finding that the Constitutional Court on repeated occasions has been clear in stating that the lack of financial resources or technical personnel are not excuses for the inaction of public bodies in obeying the law. The cost of the expropriation of the lands held in private hands was one of the reasons given by the Executive Branch for the necessity of changing the park’s status. Neither the Court, nor now the Comptroller, agrees with this.

The report continues, “any precautionary measures in constitutional principles such as In dubio pro natura [“In case of a doubt, defer to nature”] would apply to the guarantee that since 1991 has tried to ensure compliance within the framework laid down in Articles 50 and 89 of the Constitution.” The principle declares that unacceptable environmental and health risks should be anticipated, and should be prevented before any damage becomes irreversible even if there is incomplete scientific understanding of the risks or dangers involved.

In 1993, Tamarindo was declared a Ramsar site– a designation of global importance, notes the Comptroller. A Ramsar site designation is intended to preserve wetlands to stop the encroachment of human destruction and subsequent loss of wetland. Wetlands have fundamentally crucial ecological functions in addition to their economic, cultural, scientific, and recreational value. Costa Rica was a signatory (along with 158 other nations) to this convention in 1971.

In addition to the Leatherback turtle subspecies that nest in this area, the marine zone of the park is the habitat of several species of threatened flora and fauna plus endangered ecosystems such as mangrove swamps.

According to the Comptroller, Costa Rica has signed several international conventions that require it to protect the Las Baulas Marine Park. These treaties include the International Sea Turtle Convention, the Convention on Biological Diversity Biological and its additions, the Convention for the Protection of Flora, Fauna and Natural Scenic Beauty of the Americas, signed by Costa Rica on 24 October 1940.

Costa Rica also signed the Convention for the Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage Convention. This agreement signed in 1992 calls for the conservation of biodiversity and wilderness protection priorities in Central America. Costa Rica signed the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. 

The Rio Declaration consists of 27 principles intended to guide future sustainable development around the world. Principle number 10 of the Rio Declaration calls for public participation by all concerned citizens in the handling of environmental issues. People should have appropriate access to environmental information held by public officials, and they should have the opportunity to participate in the decision-making processes.

The Comptroller General concludes that any legislative provisions that are under the status of the Political Constitution and also under the international conventions signed and ratified by Costa Rica must revert to respectfully treating the real and effective protection of the area that now constitutes the park. 

Another international conservationist speaks out against the Costa Rican government’s plan to downgrade Las Baulas Marine Park, home to the critically endangered Leatherback sea turtle. Julian Bakker is a retired Dutch lawyer who has spent the last ten years on environmental conservation projects in Colombia and later in Costa Rica. He represents the Environmental Association for Latin America, EALA, which works at times with  APREFLOFAS, APS Domincal, and other Costa Rican environmental ngo’s. As EALA is duly registered in Costa Rica, it is able to present, and has done so on various occasions, charges against perpetrators of environmental law  violations and/or authorities that fail to take action against them.. 

In addition to involvement with Leatherback preservation, the English web site of EALA is dedicated to informing foreigners about current environmental challenges in Costa Rica such as the new airport in Sierpe, the Golfito Marina, the open-pit gold mining projects of Bellavista and Las Crucitas, and the risks from large scale pineapple and oil palm cultivation, They also own a 30 hectare nature reserve at La Gamba, near Golfito.

What follows is the English translation of a letter EALA wrote to the Costa Rican Ambassador to the Netherlands:

His Excellency the Ambassador of Costa Rica

in The Netherlands

Amsterdam, 2 September 2009

Dear Mr. Ambassador,

Recently, the Government of President Oscar Arias has proposed to convert the National Park Las Baulas into a national wildlife refuge. In the current parliamentary session, the proposal is being studied by the Environmental Commission under nr. 17.383.

We are deeply concerned about this proposal. The present park is of vital importance for the Leatherback turtles, the biggest turtles in the world, to lay their eggs. The Leatherback turtle is in serious danger of extinction due to the destruction of its habitat and the large-scale fishing on the high seas.

The majority of the lots situated in the National Park Las Baulas belong to private companies and persons, many of whom are foreigners. Several of these companies and persons have acquired their lots with the knowledge that they were located within the park and that development would be prohibited, thus at their own risk. Under these circumstances the values of these lots are low and the cost of expropriation for the Government of Costa Rica is not very high.

If the Government should not clear the lots and should allow construction in the area with direct influence to the nesting beaches, there are great risks of destruction of nesting areas and removal of eggs while illumination of future houses will have a catastrophic effect on the orientation of the turtles at sea. Moreover, the gardens, swimming pools, septic tanks, pavements, streets, the passing of vehicles, etc. will change the ecosystem and negatively affect the aquifer underneath the park.

The Attorney General of the Republic has determined that the Government can expropriate the lots within the park. A few months ago, the Constitutional Court ordered the Government to suspend the granting of construction permits and urged the authorities to continue the expropriation procedures.

It would be a very negative signal to international tourism and for the reputation of Costa Rica to conserve its valuable natural resources if the Government should degrade the National Park Las Baulas to a mixed wildlife refuge just to please some national and foreign investors.

Sincerely,

Julian T. Bakker

EALA

Amsterdam, The Netherlands                                    

La Gamba, Costa Rica

www.latinambiente.org�

Scientists and environmentalists continue to voice their opposition to the Costa Rican government’s plan to downgrade Las Baulas Marine Park.

Who owns the earth? Does any government have the right to eliminate a species of plant or animal? When a country willingly accepts outside funds to preserve its natural resources, does it entitle those organizations or individuals to have a say in the future of those resources?

When the Costa Rican government unilaterally decides to devalue one of its natural resources, Las Baulas Marine Park, and threaten the existence of a nearly extinct species, the Leatherback sea turtle, can it do so without considering the international community that has helped support their preservation effort in the first place?

One member of that international community has raised his voice in protest. Michael Schnitzler is an absolutely extraordinary human being. I am personally at a loss for words when I read about this Austrian gentleman and what he has been able to accomplish on behalf of Costa Rica. The present administration of this country doesn’t appear to have the imagination or motivation of this single individual when it comes to developing a strategy to preserve its national park system. They appear to be content to simply justify their decision to downgrade Las Baulas Marine Park, rather than exploring creative alternatives to preserve it.

Michael came to Costa Rica in 1989. He purchased land near Golfito and built a home there. According to Alvaro Ugalde, “ Rainforest of the Austrians (Rigenwald der Osterreicher) was created by Michael Schnitzler in 1991, after he and I met to discuss conservation in the Osa. He took up the challenge of the territorial consolidation and land acquisition of Piedras Blancas National Park. Later, he got help from his government to help local communities adjacent to the Park.”

Michael adds, “Since 1991, the non-profit organization Rainforest of the Austrians has been collecting donations to protect the Esquinas rainforest in the Osa Conservation Area. Thousands of Austrians have donated more than 3 million dollars, enabling the purchase of 3850 hectares (9500 acres) of endangered forest. The land has been donated to the Costa Rican government and is now part of Piedras Blancas National Park.”

The unbelievable part of this story is that it is only the beginning of this man’s effort. He was instrumental in developing the Equinas Rainforest Lodge, a textbook study of what a real ecolodge is all about. In conjunction with the University of Vienna, he helped to create the La Gamba Field Station, a research facility within the national park. His accomplishments go on from there.  I strongly encourage you to take 25 minutes out of your busy day to listen to Michael describe his experiences in Costa Rica in a beautiful slide presentation. When you and I think about what we can do to make a difference against seemingly overwhelming odds, this man’s story is an inspiration.

The entire aforementioned is a preamble to a letter Michael recently wrote to the Costa Rican ambassador to Austria, Ana Teresa Dengo, adamantly protesting the proposed plan to downgrade Las Baulas to a wildlife refuge.  While I could have simply reprinted the letter without sharing Michael’s story, it would have devalued its significance. In many ways, Costa Rica belongs to all of us. Its precious natural gifts must be preserved. Special people like Michael Schnitzler understand this.

Dear Mrs. Ambassador,

Please excuse my writing in English. You might remember that we had lunch together with Alvaro Ugalde two years ago. I am the director of the NGO “Regenwald der Österreicher” (Bosque de los Austriacos) that has been working since 1991 to preserve Piedras Blancas National Park in the Osa Conservation Area.

This is to express my deep concern about President Arias’ proposal to change Las Baulas National Park into a mixed reserve. For almost 20 years, I have been promising the Austrian people that Costa Rica will never abolish a national park. What should I tell them now? I am very disappointed by the present government’s attitude against conservation and in favor of the commercial development of a beach. It is extremely hypocritical by the government to launch a campaign called “Paz con la Naturaleza” while at the same time destroying its natural resources, and I am afraid that your country’s reputation as a leader in conservation will be seriously harmed by this radical change in policy.

During the next days, Regenwald der Österreicher will be sending E-mails to around 6000 of our donors asking them to write to Señora Hannia M. Durán, Jefa de Area, Comisión Permanente Especial de Ambiente opposing the Proyecto de Ley 17.383.  It is quite possible that you will be receiving telephone calls or e-mails from representatives of the media in Austria. I am sorry to cause you any inconvenience, but my conscience as a conservationist and my concern for Costa Rica’s precious national park system makes this necessary.

If Las Balas is changed into a zona mixta”, the same could happen to Piedras Blancas National Park and all the other parks.  If Proyecto de Ley 17.383 is approved, I am very sorry to inform you that  “Regenwald der Österreicher” will be forced to cease its cooperation with the Costa Rican government after almost 20 years.  If you have any way of communicating this to President Arias, I would be grateful in the name of thousands of Austrians, including children from more than 200 schools, who have donated almost 3 million Euros to protect 3800 hectares of rainforest in your beautiful country.

Yours sincerely,

Michael Schnitzler

Director, Regenwald der Österreicher

Our friends at Rainforest Alliance recently announced a very exciting collaboration Nestle Nespresso. They have come together to help reduce the environmental impact and increase the social benefits of coffee cultivation in tropical regions throughout the world. Jessica Webb of Rainforest Alliance sums up its direct value to Costa Rica, “One of the most significant impacts is that Nespresso will be sourcing primarily from small farms, so thousands of small producers will benefit directly from this large international alliance. It will help conserve acres of sustainably managed land and surrounding ecosystems, plus the employment and help benefits that will accrue to thousands of workers.”

The farms will meet guidelines for farming that integrate the three spheres of sustainability: economic viability, environmental conservation and social justice.The Rainforest Alliance and other nonprofit groups formed the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) in the early 90’s to develop the aforementioned guidelines and have since helped thousands of farmers adopt them on farms growing a variety of crops in 22 tropical countries.

During years of fieldwork in coffee-growing areas, specialists in sustainable farm management from the Rainforest Alliance and the SAN joined with coffee quality experts from Nespresso to explore every detail of farm and mill management, and to identify social and environmental improvements. The resulting comprehensive program is called “Ecolaboration.

Farms that are certified in this new, innovative program have to comply with a wide variety of standards covering all aspects of sustainable farming, including soil and water conservation, protection of wildlife and forests, and ensuring that farm workers, women and children have all the proper rights and benefits, such as good wages, clean drinking water, access to schools and healthcare and security.

“The happy marriage of sustainability and quality proves the importance of an integrated approach, one that results in benefits for farmers, wildlife, ecosystems and communities”, says Tensie Whelan, president of the Rainforest Alliance.

Richard Girardot, CEO of Nestle Nespresso concurs, “We want to share value with the farmers who grow these highly prized coffees. Their quality of life, environmental quality and quality in the cup are equally interlinked.”

The Nespresso program already boasts six million espresso aficionados. Their coffee comes in capsules that get popped into a special Nespresso machine. It’s a great marketing idea with coffee that tastes good, while making you feel good about supporting a sustainable quality program benefiting small coffee farmers in Costa Rica and around the world

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We introduced you to Tex Hawkins a number of months ago. He has just posted a terrific article that shares a combination of environmental and political science. He provides an English translation of the Citizen’s Action Party (PAC) environmental platform, which we consider to be extremely important in Costa Rica’s political dialogue. It will also be posted separately, in the interest of encouraging this dialogue.

“In my last post to Nature Air’s Nature Blog, I translated and shared observations from Costa Rican presidential candidate and opposition party leader Otton Solis, made after he attended the January inauguration of Barack Obama.  Of course, it’s impossible to predict how the ideals embodied in those reflections would play out if he were elected to that nation’s highest office, just as it would have been impossible for many of us to predict the effects of the military-industrial-financial-media complex on the rhetorical promise of our new president’s social and environmental agendas.  As my 90-year-old mother often advises, “hope for the best.”

I would advise further that we stay informed, involved and committed to a peaceful quest for the common good.  In that spirit, Winona State University launched a unique educational exchange last year, in the form of an interdisciplinary travel-study course on comparative conservation history and evolution of environmental policy.  We titled the course, “Making Peace with Nature,” borrowing from the initiative launched by Nobel prize-winning President Oscar Arias.  Our agenda called for visits to important conservation areas and communities participating in innovative programs.  The founders and leaders of Costa Rica’s internationally recognized efforts graciously found time to share their personal stories with the students, frankly discuss successes and failures, and answer many questions regarding future possibilities for a sustainable, healthy and just society. Read on…

Purposely waiting until the day after Earth Day to post this commentary. It is really what happens to this Earth the other 364 days when we are not paying attention to it that matters. If you are writing for a blog that calls itself Nature Blog, you feel kind of compelled to pay some respects to this combination of celebration and loud siren of warning.

I believe our greed has sanctioned violations of excess without parallel in modern history. Over the course of the millennia, we have grown much more efficient, but no more intelligent. Cheap oil, followed by an explosion in technology, stewing in a soup of extraordinarily greedy financial institutions, and finally, seasoned by the relentless destruction of our natural environment, have created a catastrophic recipe with unbelievable consequences.

I would like to raise some questions on behalf of nature, who does not seem to have a voice in the discussion. What is it that ever gave man the idea that Earth, with all its finite natural resources and delicate life balances, was somehow placed here strictly for his convenience? Why is it that greed is a trait found only in the human species? How is it that our intellect has trumped our instincts? Why isn’t healing the planet more important than determining its origin?

The biggest question of all is what are we going to do about repairing the consequences of our actions?  Countries like Costa Rica are terribly challenged by the imbalance between their bountiful natural resources and very modest economic resources. It is difficult to preserve its exquisite natural beauty from the onslaught of unfettered commercial development. Well-intentioned laws are hard to enforce and environmental violations are not policed with sufficient manpower. The reasons for this are two fold: Lack of funds and a true political will to put the Earth first, ahead of commerce. There is nothing unique about this circumstance, but the country’s extraordinary natural gifts heighten the dilemma. The good news is that debate is growing louder in Costa Rica and the voices of preservation and community are being heard. The small number of conservationists and community activists has been growing over the decades.

The idea that maximizing profitability is the only yardstick for measuring success is precisely the thinking that has begun bankrupting our planet. The new world of sustainability has created three equally important units and we must navigate our future by using them to maintain our new course. Making money is no longer in charge; it now shares the stage with benefiting the people and safeguarding the Earth. Successful solutions incorporate these three basic elements and while there is balance between them, there is no exclusion of anyone for the benefit of any other. Like a tripod, it will topple over if one its legs are too weak.

When you look at Costa Rica through this thought prism called sustainability, you see a country well poised to chart a course through the minefield of challenges ahead. Like the rest of the players in the actual, Earth Survival Reality Show, winning is a matter of natural attributes, resources and will. However, in this game we really can’t afford any losers.

Now, if you have gotten this far into this post, I want to encourage you to read about Natureair by visiting their web site. While they are the folks who make Nature Blog possible, they are the same people who would want me to put the Earth first, especially the day after Earth Day, when it really counts.

Corporately, they don’t like to blow their own horn because being a responsible business is normal for them. On the other hand, you can only become an example through creating awareness. NatureKids is a splendid program the airline underwrites at an annual  cost of $65,000 USD. Equipment and supplies are provided for children, including computers, and they are taught English. Family involvement is encouraged in the program.

All of Natureair’s ground transportation runs on biodiesel they collect, refine and process. This is a great program and I encourage reading more about it.

No matter how efficiently the airline operates, they are definitely in the carbon emission business and all they can practically do is to purchase offsets. Well, the fact is, they were the first carbon neutral airline in the world, accomplishing it through the preservation and reforestation of portions of the pristine Osa Peninsula.

Happy Day After Earth Day.

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On April 11^th, Thomas L. Friedman published an OP-ED piece in the New York Times, describing his experience on a recent vacation to Costa Rica. He is a very well respected journalist and there are many people who take his writing at face value. His account of Costa Rica’s efforts to preserve and protect its environment paints a beautiful picture of a country that is moving forward with ease, serving as a model worthy of emulation.

I think it is misleading to give the impression that the country is not challenged every day by inadequate infrastructure and enforcement, along with development that threatens its delicate ecosystems. Costa Rica is not paradise. It is a Central American country blessed with exquisite natural gifts, but it faces hard choices and every win for nature is frequently offset by some compromise for profit elsewhere. It is unfair to burden Costa Rica with the mantle of environmental sainthood because it is only through the incredibly unselfish efforts of many of its citizens that hard fought battles for nature have been won. 

I wanted to check in with our friend, Leland Baxter-Neal for some perspective on the matter:

“It’s always nice to see news of Costa Rica in the international press, and I was interested to see that one of my favorite columnists at the New York Times, Thomas L. Friedman, wrote about Costa Rica during a recent visit. He exalts many of this country’s more environmentally friendly features and policies, and argues that the United States could stand to learn a lot from this tiny Central American neighbor.

But Friedman does not tell the whole story. Some of the facts he cites are misleading, and he gives a very superficial view of the real environmental situation in Costa Rica. While it might be a good tactic in arguing for more sustainable policies — particularly in energy — in the United States, for those of us that are concerned about truly progressive environmental policies in Costa Rica, he does us no favors.” 

I strongly encourage you to read Leland’s blog for an in depth analysis of Mr. Friedman’s story and its implications.

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