Saving The
Leatherbacks…
And Costa Rica’s
Parks
By Jacob Scherr
Last night I
spoke with
Randall Aruaz,
the winner of a
2010 Goldman
Environmental
Prize, about the
challenges of
conservation
work. Randall is
from Costa Rica,
a country which
in many ways has
done a lot to
preserve its
natural
treasures and
has created an
extensive system
of protected
areas.
But even in what
is considered by
many to be a
green paradise,
there are still
growing
pressures
including
mining,
excessive
coastal
development and
expanding
pineapple
cultivation.
That is why last
year NRDC
designated the
entire country
as a BioGem. In
recent months,
my colleague
Carolina Herrera
has taken the
lead for NRDC in
focusing on the
dangers to one
of Costa Rica’s
marine species,
the critically
endangered
leather back
turtle.
The
leatherbacks, or
baulas as they
are known in
Costa Rica, are
the world’s
largest marine
turtles weighing
up to 1,100
pounds. Every
year they swim
across the vast
Pacific Ocean
and between the
months of
October and
February, the
females lumber
onto the beaches
of Costa Rica’s
Las Baulas
National Marine
Park to lay
their eggs.
These
extraordinary
creatures have
been swimming in
the ocean for
more than100
million years.
Development near
nesting beaches
can be deadly
for marine
turtles. When
young turtles
hatch they must
dash to the
safety of the
water guided by
only instinct
and the
reflection of
the moon. Nearby
lights and
sounds are
disturbing and
can lead them
astray, making
them easy prey
for predators.
Adult turtles
trying to
navigate to the
nesting beaches
are also at risk
of becoming
disoriented.
Last summer we
learned of a
looming threat
to Costa Rica’s
leatherbacks.
The Environment
Commission of
the Legislative
Assembly was
considering
legislation to
downgrade the
Baulas Park. The
proposed bill
would allow
development on
the sensitive
lands near the
nesting beaches
--- endangering
the future of
the leatherbacks
whose numbers in
the eastern
Pacific Ocean
have plummeted
by 90%.
In response to
the proposed
bill NRDC’s
BioGem Defenders
sent the
Environment
Commission more
than 16,000
messages in
opposition to
the plan to
downgrade the
Baulas. Many
other
environmental
groups and
concerned
citizens also
wrote to voice
their deep
concern. Late
last year it
appeared that
support for the
bill was waning.
Yet the current
Administration,
which is leaving
office in two
weeks, recently
listed the bill
as a priority
for a special
session of the
legislature.
Alarmingly, some
legislators have
come out in
support of the
bill.
So NRDC is once
more asking our
BioGems
Defenders to
call on the
Environment
Commission to
reject once and
for all the
downgrading of
the park.
Down grading the
park is contrary
to the advice of
Costa Rican
public
institutions,
scientists, and
community
associations.
International
and Costa Rican
environmental
NGOs, including
Randall’s group
Pretoma, the
Salvemos Baulas
campaign, and
many others have
spoken out
against this
bill. Thousands
of concerned
citizens in
Costa Rica have
also voiced
their concern,
including former
Costa Rican
President Abel
Pacheco who
today will be at
the next session
of the
Environment
Commission to
oppose this bill
Downgrading the
Last Baulas
National Marine
Park would have
dire
consequences for
the
leatherbacks. It
would also be
the first time
Costa Rica
lowered the
status of any of
its national
parks. This
could open the
door to further
weakening of the
park system and
place even
greater pressure
on Costa Rica’s
prized
biodiversity.
This action
would damage
Costa Rica’s
reputation as
one of the
world’s
environmental
leaders.
Instead of
reducing
protections for
the
leatherbacks,
the current and
future Costa
Rican government
must work with
local
stakeholders to
strengthen the
park lands.
Conserving
biodiversity is
no easy job, but
Costa Rica has
shown in the
past that with
enough political
will and
perseverance it
can be done. Now
is the time for
Costa Rica to
once more
demonstrate it
is a true
environmental
leader and act
to save the
leatherbacks.
Jacob Scherr
is NRDC
Director,
International
Program,
Washington, DC
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