The 11 Conservation Areas in Costa Rica
If there's one thing that Costa Ricans take very seriously, it's their environment. Back in 1988, the national government divided the country into 11 different conservation areas. Collectively, they are known as the SINAC – Sistema Nacional de Areas de Conservacion.
"SINAC promotes participation of all groups, public and private, national and international, who share the common objective of preservation, restoration and protection of ecological equilibrium and biodiversity. SINAC now functions as a technical organization decentralized from the central government and with a legal mandate which permits a great amount of flexibility in carrying out its mission.” (RAMSAR, Managing Beyond Borders)
The 11 conservations areas of SINAC are responsible for the management of public lands and for protecting the biodiversity of each area. San Jose Costa Rica rent a car travelers are encouraged to explore these unique ares during their upcoming visit to the tropical paradise.
Information on the 11
The following is a brief breakdown of some of the parks, wildlife refugees, and wetlands that are protected by each of the 11 conservation areas. San Jose Costa Rica rent a car travelers can learn more about each by browsing the Avanti Car Rental travel guide.
The Arenal-Huetar North Conservation Area - Arenal Volcano Emergency Forest Reserve - Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge - Juan Castro Blanco National Park
The Arenal Tilaran Conservation Area - Arenal Volcano National Park - Curi Cancha Wildlife Refuge - Tenorio Volcano National Park
The Central Volcanic Area - Braulio Carrillo National Park - Cerro Dantas Wildlife Refuge - Irazu National Park
The Guanacaste Conservation Area - Santa Rosa National Park - Iguanita Wildlife Refuge - Horizontes Experimental Forest
Caribbean La Amistad Conservation Area - Aviarios del Caribe Wildlife Refuge - Barbilla National Park - La Amistad International Park
The Pacific La Amistad Conservation Area - Chirripo National Park - San Vito Wetlands - Rio Macho Forest Reserve
The Cocos Island Marine Conservation Area - Cocos Island National Park
The Central Pacific Area - Cacyra Wildlife Refuge - Playa Hermosa Wildlife Refuge - La Cangreja National Park
The Osa Conservation Area - Ballena National Marine Park - Golfito Wildlife Refuge - Piedras Blancas National Park
The Tempisque Conservation Area - Barra Honda National Park - Curu Wildlife Refuge - Guavabo Island Biological Reserve
The Tortuguero Conservation Area - Tortuguero National Park - Corredor Fronterizo Wildlife Refuge - Cariari National Wetlands
A new approach to environmentalism
San Jose Costa Rica rent a car travelers can learn a lot from the country's unique conservation efforts. In the past, local communities were never consulted about changes to environmental law that would greatly effect their lives. This often resulted in hostility towards conservation efforts. Today, SINAC implements a decentralized management approach that allows each of the 11 areas to control the management of their respective wild lands. Active participation from the surrounding communities is integral to the success of the conservation efforts. Even if you're just visiting on a San Jose Costa Rica rent a car vacation, you too can help out with the conservation efforts. Always remember to properly dispose of any garbage that you may have when out exploring one of the natural parks. It is also important that you try to keep to the trails as best as possible to avoid disturbing the natural undergrowth of the forests.
San Jose Costa Rica rent a car travelers can learn more about the 11 conservation areas of Costa Rica by contacting the Ministerio de Ambiental y Energia. Most of the resorts and hotels in the area also feature information on their local conservation area; San Jose Costa Rica rent a car travelers are encouraged to ask at the reception desk for more details.