Protecting nature — and the services it provides — for the benefit of local communities

 
 
 

For Conservation International-Costa Rica, conservation is about having a balance of protection and sustainable use of nature. This is our path to ensure livelihoods are improved, communities are more resilient, and our ocean, forests and biodiversity are healthier.

Ana Gloria Guzmán Mora
Executive Director, CI Costa Rica

 
 

For over 35 years, Conservation International-Costa Rica has leveraged the power of science, innovative policy and community partnerships to conserve nature for the benefit of all Costa Ricans.

We are scaling-up ocean conservation by working with partners, government agencies and local communities to strengthen marine conservation and ensure the sustainable management of coastal and marine resources. Our efforts support the conservation of key marine and coastal ecosystems at both national and regional levels.

Conservation International-Costa Rica supports the conservation of migratory marine megafauna and the effective management of marine protected areas within the Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape. We also promote participatory and science-based marine spatial planning processes to balance conservation and sustainable development.

We work with small-scale fisheries to improve their practices and reduce overfishing by implementing a social, environmental and economic approach to sustainability, balancing ocean protection with improved livelihoods. Additionally, we have developed an aquaculture improvement model in partnership with coastal communities to promote best practices and long-term sustainability.

We advocate for the restoration, sustainable use and protection of mangrove ecosystems — saltwater forests that shield against storm surges and help mitigate climate change. Our efforts have revitalized mangrove forests of Chira Island and across the Puntarenas Estuary and Níspero Wetlands, marking the largest mangrove restoration project in the country.

And through our "surf ecosystems" model, we are helping coastal communities implement sustainable tourism programs that uplift livelihoods and encourage protection of high-carbon, high-biodiversity natural areas.

 

Highlight project

© Conservation International/Daniela Calvo Barillas

Improving livelihoods and protecting marine ecosystems

Conservation International-Costa Rica is a leading member of the IKI: TRANSFORMA-INNOVA program, which aims to support Costa Rica’s decarbonization by 2050 through contributions to the agricultural sector, the creation of sustainable blue value chains, and the conservation of coastal and marine ecosystems.

With a participatory, science-driven approach, we are developing marine spatial planning tools that will strengthen conservation efforts and the governance of key marine ecosystems. We are also driving the transition to blue value chains in small-scale fisheries and aquaculture, fostering local economic growth while safeguarding marine biodiversity. Additionally, we support the restoration, effective management and conservation of mangrove ecosystems, which are crucial for climate change mitigation and help support resilient coastal communities.

The TRANSFORMA-INNOVA program is implemented in partnership with GIZ, CATIE, UNDP, CRUSA Foundation and FUNBAM, and in direct coordination with the Ministry of Environment and Energy, National Conservation Areas System, Ministry of Agriculture and Cattle, and the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Institute.

 

Where we work in Costa Rica

 

News from Costa Rica

In historic move, Costa Rica makes big splash for conservation

© Conservation International/photo by Sterling Zumbrunn

Costa Rica announced Friday that it will expand its protected ocean area from 2.7 percent to more than 30 percent of its territorial waters — a major leap that puts the Central American country nine years ahead of a global deadline to protect nearly a third of the world’s land and sea.

The expanded Cocos Island National Park and its surrounding marine protected area (MPA), off the country’s Pacific coast, will now cover over 5 million hectares (12.3 million acres) — a staggering 26 times larger than its previous size. In addition, the nearby Bicentennial Marine Management Area will expand to 11 times its previous size, now encompassing more than 100,000 square km (38,600 square miles) — roughly equivalent to the size of Iceland.

Conservation International worked closely with the Costa Rican government, local partners and communities to complete environmental surveys, consultation processes and technical and policy work that helped make this designation a reality.

Map_medios

Map of Costa Rica

“At a time when it is critical to protect nature to avoid a biodiversity crisis, we are excited that over the past four years this collaboration has led to an expanded MPA that will benefit livelihoods and nature beyond our country,” said Ana Gloria Guzmán, executive director of Conservation International’s Costa Rica office.

“The environmental impact of this expansion will be profound,” she added. “Extending the reach of the surrounding Bicentennial Marine Management Area will help ensure safe passage for critical migratory marine species, many of which are endangered.”

Balancing sustainable production and protection, the Bicentennial Marine Management Area will allow regulated commercial fishing in some areas to support local economies, while a “no-take zone” will restrict human activities across underwater mountains that provide habitat for some of the largest populations of sharks on the planet.

The expansion of these protected areas contributes significantly to the global goal of protecting 30 percent of the world’s oceans by 2030 — which scientists say is necessary to limit the impacts of climate change and prevent widespread extinctions of marine species.

“Costa Rica has done what it does best: set an example that other nations should follow — while every ocean conservation effort is unique, the collaborative effort to work across government agencies, local fishing stakeholders and third-party NGOs can be a model used to secure other MPAs and move the global community closer to achieving the 30x30 goal,” Guzmán said.

The Cocos Island National Park expansion is part of the larger Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor, which connects protected ocean areas from Costa Rica and three other nations — Panama, Ecuador and Colombia — to form a “safe swimway” for species such as turtles and whales.

“Costa Rica has long been a conservation leader, a legacy which continues today,” Guzmán said.

“The efforts to support biodiversity and protect these species cannot stop here, but the Cocos expansion is a strong foundation on which to build.”


Further reading:


Kiley Price is the staff writer and news editor at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? Sign up for email updates. Also, please consider supporting our critical work.

Cover image: A school of fish, Cocos Island, Costa Rica (© Sterling Zumbrunn)

 

Learn more

Hear directly from Conservation International employees on the ground in Costa Rica, in Spanish.

 

References

  1. Bermúdez-Rojas, T. & Obando, V. (2021). Biodiversidad en cifras: avances en el conocimiento de especies en Costa Rica. Biocenosis, 32(1), 51-58. DOI: 10.22458/rb.v32i2.3899
  2. Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación (SINAC). (2023). Áreas Silvestres Protegidas [Mapa]. https://www.sinac.go.cr/ES/asp/Paginas/default.aspx
  3. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. (2024). Table 8a: Total, threatened, and EX & EW endemic species in each country [Fact sheet]. https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources/summary-statistics#Summary%20Tables