Ecological Restoration in Costa Rica

Ecological Restoration in Costa Rica

Fred Loxsom Evolution and Diversity November 21, 2003

Fred Loxsom Evolution and Diversity November 21, 2003

Sustainable Development Course

Summer 2002 & Summer 2003

Sustainable Development Course

Summer 2002 & Summer 2003

Renewable EnergyRenewable Energy

BiodiversityBiodiversity

EcotourismEcotourism

Service LearningService Learning

Sustainable AgricultureSustainable Agriculture

Sustainable ManufacturingSustainable Manufacturing

BiodiversityBiodiversity

Education and CultureEducation and Culture

Economic IndicatorsEconomic Indicators

United States Costa Rica Population 280 million 3.8 million

Growth Rate 0.80% 1.60%

GDP (per capita) $36,300 $3,850

Gini Index 0.41 0.46

Oil (per capita) 26 bbl/year 3.7 bbl/year

Auto (per capita) 44% 34%

Imported Oil 55% 100%

Electricty (per capita) 13,000 kWh 1,500 kWh

Costa RicaCosta Rica

Guanacaste - CoastGuanacaste - Coast

Guanacaste - LowlandsGuanacaste - Lowlands

Guanacaste - MountainsGuanacaste - Mountains

Dry Tropical ForestDry Tropical Forest

500 years ago, 200,000 square miles from Central Mexico to Panama.

Profoundly threatened! Less than 2% remains. Less than 0.1% of the original has conservation status. More rare than tropical rain forest. Pressure from logging, farming, ranching.

CharacteristicsCharacteristics Pacific coastal lowlands Tropical with prolonged dry

season (5-8 months). 40 – 80 inches rain. In rain shadow of central

mountain chain

Deciduous ForestDeciduous Forest During the dry season 80%

of the trees lose their leaves.

23,000 species. 65% of species in CR Fewer plant and bird

species than in rainforest Variety of insects and

mammals about the same

VegetationVegetation

Low stature (30 m) Semi-deciduous Leguminosae family Upper story - deciduous Lower story – evergreens Understory – thorny trees

Endangered SpeciesEndangered Species Many rare and endangered

species live in the dry tropical forest, including an endangered species of spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi)

Many endemic species

DeforestationDeforestation

Unlike rainforest land, tropical dry forest is good agricultural land and is useful for ranching and farming (sugar cane, corn, and beans.)

Guanacaste ProjectGuanacaste Project Using the remaining

islands of dry tropical forest as seed sources, restore a large section of dry tropical forest

Involve local Ticos in the project so that they support it and profit from it.

Guanacaste Conservation Area

Guanacaste Conservation Area

Starting in the mid 80s, Daniel Janzen, University of Penn., led an effort to establish a large park in Guanacaste.

Dry Tropical Forest would be restored in this park.

120,000 terrestrial hectares (300,000 acres – ½ size of RI)

Why is such a Large Protected Area is Needed?

Why is such a Large Protected Area is Needed?

Reason #1Reason #1

Dry season magnifies the differences between habitats and a large park provides a heterogeneous environment

Reason #2Reason #2

Tapirs, jaguars, and mountain lions – need large area to maintain healthy breeding populations

Reason #3Reason #3Agricultural effects penetrate for 2 km into a natural area. Large area is needed to minimize these edge effects.

Reason #4Reason #4

Many animals migrate to moist areas during dry season. A large preserve is needed to protect migration routes

Reason #5Reason #5

Duplicate habitats are needed for ecotourism, scientific study, and conservation.

Reason #6Reason #6

GCA is watershed providing drinking water and irrigation for communities.(Rio Sapoa’ & Rio Tempisque)

Restoration PlanRestoration Plan

Control of Fires Natural recolonization

(low cost) Managed restoration Sustaining the forest

Fire Fire Used to clear

land of trees Set by ranchers Provides

habitat for exotic grasses

Jaragua grass Jaragua grass Hyparrhenia rufa Exotic grass Cattle graze on it. Suppression of fire

allows trees to dominate over exotic grasses.

Texas Grassland RestorationTexas Grassland Restoration In Texas, fire is

used to maintain native grasses against the encroachment of cedar and exotic grasses

Natural RecolonizationNatural Recolonization Natural, wind dispersal of

seeds can move a forest several hundred meters in 10 years. 25% of the 215 tree species in Santa Rosa NP are wind-dispersed and would be pioneers.

Natural RecolonizationNatural Recolonization Animal dispersers drop

seeds in dung Produces nuclear trees

which produces habitat for seed dispersing animals.

Some seeds must pass through animals to germinate.

Managed RestorationManaged Restoration GCA plants 4000 – 9000

trees each year. Usually native trees, but

some experiments with non-natives as pioneers.

Sustaining the ForestSustaining the Forest Low cost $3,000,000 endowment Local farmers as

caretakers, guides, and fire fighters.

All employees are Costa Ricans.

With InBio, bioprospecting.

Success?Success? Restoring the distribution of

plants and the diversity of animals to a degraded landscape will take 100 or more years.

Success will depend upon the value of this project to the people of Costa Rica.

Questions? Comments?Questions? Comments?

BiologyBiology

Since trees that disperse seeds by wind will be the pioneers – entering cleared land, doesn’t this mean that the composition of the restored forest will be different from the original forest?

BiologyBiology

Can exotic plants (e.g. jaragua grass) ever be eliminated from the dry tropical forest? If it can’t be eliminated, can the forest really be regenerated?

FireFire

Why does fire play such a different role in maintaining prairies in the US and destroying forest in Central America?

Is fire a part of the natural environment in both situations?

Social issuesSocial issues

Wouldn’t it be better to make the GCA a protected area and keep locals and tourists out of it? Isn’t that what we do in Yellowstone and other US National Parks?

Social issuesSocial issues

What is the proper role of foreigners in the conservation of Costa Rica’s natural resources?

Is it appropriate that Daniel Janzen played such a large role?

EcotourismEcotourism

What is ecotourism? What role should ecotourism play in

sustaining GCA?

BioprospectingBioprospecting

GCA cooperates with InBio to do bioprospecting in the park. In turn, InBio will make deals with pharmaceutical firms to produce commercial products. Is this appropriate?