Costa Rica is renowned worldwide for its biological diversity. By some estimates, it contains 6% of Earth’s total biodiversity despite covering only 0.03% of the planet.
Much of this richness can be attributed to Costa Rica’s position between the North and South American continents, and an array of diverse ecosystems and microclimates stretching from volcanic mountains through tropical forests to both Pacific and Atlantic coasts.
Conservation in this country of 5.2 million rests on an extensive protected area system of 167 units, which covers 27% of its land and 29% of its oceans. Connectivity between these protected areas has been recognized as a major priority for the country’s conservation program. Costa Rica has one of the most developed connectivity conservation programs in the world. Its “Biological Corridors” are a national strategy for connecting protected areas, safeguarding water sources, and supporting ecological processes and biodiversity.
The National Biological Corridors Program (Programa Nacional de Corredores Biológicos) was established in 2006 and is housed in the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC; Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación) under the Ministry of Environment and Energy (Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía). The program’s function as a national biodiversity conservation strategy was further clarified in 2017. Biological corridors are considered a key pillar of Costa Rica’s objectives for in-situ conservation, according to the country’s latest National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (Estrategia Nacional de Biodiversidad 2016-2025).
The overall objective of the corridor program is the “promotion of biodiversity conservation and sustainable use from the perspective of structural and functional ecosystem connectivity.” Specific objectives include:
- strengthening of protected areas and their connectivity
- climate change adaptation and mitigation
- maintenance of ecosystem services
- synergies with other sectors
- strengthening models of stakeholder engagement and governance for the benefit of society
The Corridors program is managed by SINAC, but governance of corridors is devolved through Regional Biological Corridor Programs (Programas Regionales de Corredores Biológicos) and then to Local Biological Corridor Committees (Comités Locales de Corredores Biológicos).
Currently, there are 44 defined corridors which cover 1.6 million hectares of habitat. SINAC has developed a tool to measure the management effectiveness of corridors. This tool employs indicators of ecological, management and governance, and socio-economic and cultural trends. From an ecological standpoint, recent research shows that the effectiveness of corridors is variable, and perhaps not yet reaching its full potential. Meanwhile, corridors, along with protected areas, are significantly influencing the development of local land use plans – in many ways similar to the planning process in Ecuador.
Costa Rica is a global leader in conservation, and its dedication to nature extends to a national-level emphasis on connectivity. Its Biological Corridor program is one of the most extensive of any country both in terms of geographic coverage and commitment in policy. As other countries seek to achieve commitments under the Global Biodiversity Framework, they may find a model for connectivity conservation from exploring Costa Rica’s experience.
Please note: This digest is intended to provide up-to-date information on policy development from a neutral, unaffiliated position as it relates to connectivity and corridor science and management.
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