Developing a Plan for the Protection of Neotropical

Migrants and Biodiversity within the

San Juan - La Selva Biological Corridor

Location: San Juan – La Selva Biological Corridor
Huetar Norte Region, Costa Rica

Latitude: 10 ° 20 ‘ N to 11 ° 5 ‘ N
Longitude: 83 ° 55 ‘W to 84 ° 20 ‘ W

Eco-region: Isthmian – Atlantic Moist Forest Eco-region (NT0129)

Andrew Rothman and Harmony Patricio

Rainforest Biodiversity Group, Inc (RBG)
501 c3 Non-Government Organization ID # 39-2016088
DUNS # 141917406

2984 Triverton Pike Dr
Madison, WI 53711 USA
Tel: 608-225-2850
Fax: 608-245-9787
amigosdelalapa@yahoo.com, andrewrothman@yahoo.com

Duration: May 2004 – May 2006

Bird Conservation Region: Not Applicable

The Rainforest Biodiversity Group is working to develop a management plan
within the San Juan – La Selva Biological Corridor (CBSS) in Costa Rica
to adequately supplement the income of the local population via nature tourism
to reduce loss of wildlife habitat. This plan will be a blueprint for sustaining
long-term habitat protection for migratory birds and biodiversity. This proposal
seeks funding to conduct a nature tourism study, develop recommendations for
nature tourism development, and create a sustainable nature tourism plan for the CBSS

Project Activity: C. Research

Total Funding Request $46,400
Total Matching Funds: $156,688

II. Qualifications

Andrew Rothman: Professional Conservation Biologist, Executive Director and President: RBG
Andrew is the President and Founder of the Rainforest Biodiversity Group Inc. He had been the Project Director in Costa Rica for three years and was responsible for the operation of the organizations programs in Costa Rica. He has five years of experience working with Costa Ricans and conservation projects in the country. Andrew has created a network of alliances within Costa Rica that will offer support and assist with the implementation of this project. Additionally, Andrew has experience conducting bird research projects (telemetry with the Great Green Macaw, Point Count Bird Surveys with Point Reyes Bird Observatory/ National Forest Service). Andrew has a Wildlife Management and Biology degree from the University of Wisconsin.

Harmony Patricio: Project Director Costa Rica Programs: RBG
Harmony has been the project director of programs for RBG in Costa Rica since May 2004. She is responsible for conducting project activities in Costa Rica, and for coordination with local landowners and cooperating organizations. She has worked for the City of Santa Cruz to develop a Habitat Conservation Plan under the Endangered Species Act. She also has experience facilitating and organizing large environmental conferences, and has served as a member of the Board of Directors for the California Watershed Council. Harmony has a degree in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

William Volkert: Professional Consultant and Wildlife Educator: WI- DNR, Board Member: RBG
Bill has over 20 years of experience in Wildlife Education as head Naturalist and Wildlife Educator with the Dept. of Natural Resources of Wisconsin. Bill has experience developing, conducting and evaluating a multitude of projects including one of the largest Bird Festivals in the Midwest (Horicon Bird Fest), cooperative projects with natural resources agencies in the US and the Republic of Buryatia, Russia for the protection of Lake Baikal, and the development of the National Bird Conservation Education Plan for Nicaragua.

III. Project Description:

The lowland tropical forests of northeastern Costa Rica provide habitat for over 500 species of birds. Of these 500 species, 60 are neotropical migrants on the Neararctic-Neotropical Bird List published under the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act. Seven species are listed on the 2002 Birds of Conservation Concern List (CBSS Committee, 2003, MBCA, 2004). In addition eleven species are endangered species that spend part of their life cycle in this region of Costa Rica (CBSS Committee, 2003; FGGM, unpublished data 2002, Stiles and Skutch, 1989; Mittermeier et al., 1999;). Of the endangered species, the population of the Great Green Macaw (Ara ambigua), our local flagship and focal species, is seriously threatened. The Great Green Macaw Research Project estimates that less than 200 individuals of this species remain in Costa Rica (Powell et al, 1999). The Rainforest Biodiversity Group mission is to protect biological diversity, including migratory bird species, through the protection of habitat for the Great Green Macaw and the creation of local conservation initiatives.

To fulfill our mission RBG has joined with 19 other organizations in an effort to create the San Juan – La Selva Biological Corridor (CBSS). These organizations together form the CBSS Executive Committee. The CBSS is a key section of the multinational Mesoamerican Biological Corridor (MBC) project. The CBSS is the last viable location to connect forest habitat in Nicaragua with forest habitat in Costa Rica. The San Juan – La Selva section of the MBC will link the protected areas of the lower San Juan River watershed with Braulio Carrillo National Park and the Central Volcanic Range in Costa Rica, connecting nearly 262,000 hectares (587,000 acres) of habitat already under protection in island reserves and parks. Another 30,000 to 50,000 hectares (67,000 to112,000 acres) are proposed to become the new Maquenque National Park. However, between these protected refuges, 86% of the biological corridor remains unprotected. This remaining area will be divided into Corridor Nuclei and Corridor Matrix. The nuclei of the Corridor will be privately owned blocks of contiguous forest that will serve as buffer zones for existing protected areas, or will protect strategic locations creating important biological stepping-stones that provide ecological connectivity (CBSS Committee, 2003; Powell et al., 1999). Within the Corridor Matrix, the most extensive area of land within the corridor, management will focus on economic development that is compatible with conservation and ecological connectivity. Priority land uses include environmental service protection, sustainable native species timber production, and sustainable nature tourism. Nature tourism can provide more sustainable economic opportunities for local inhabitants then currently exist in this region of Costa Rica. Here only a small percentage of the region’s population is permanently employed; an estimated two-thirds of adults depend upon sporadic seasonal work for their livelihood (CBSS Committee, 2003; Chassot and Monge, 2002). Currently the principal economic activities in this region of Costa Rica are non-sustainable and threaten the regions biodiversity. In the CBSS, deforestation, and land conversion to cattle ranching and agriculture, mainly subsistence farming, small-scale pineapple and tuber production, are the largest threats to migratory bird habitat (CBSS Committee, 2003; Chassot and Monge, 2002). At this time there are few opportunities provided to landowners that allow for the protection of habitat and offer economic support (Vanderemeer and Perfecto, 1995). In contrast, the direct and in-direct income from eco-tourism has proven to be considerable and favors conservation of the environment (Budowski, 2001; Haysmith and Harvey 1995). By developing low-impact nature tourism within the matrix and nuclei zones of the CBSS, wildlife habitat can be conserved while supporting local economics. Reducing pressure on natural resources will allow for the protection of wintering grounds for neotropical migratory birds (CBSS Committee, 2003).

The largest contributor to Costa Ricas’ GNP is tourism (Janzen, 1995). A majority of tourists that come to Costa Rica come to observe wildlife (ICT, 2003). Specifically, over 50 % of the tourists that come to the northern zone of Costa Rica come just to observe birds (W. Rojas, Tourism Board of Sarapiqui, pers. comm, 2003). However, these tourists only visit a few locations within the CBSS region to watch birds. Bird watching is the fastest growing recreational activity in US (10% annual growth) and based on current trends we believe that visitors will continue to come to Costa Rica to view wildlife and birds (Fermata, 2002, ICT, 2000). The trade association for the outdoor tour industry strongly favours a continued growth in nature-based tourism (Fermata, 2002). The largest group of visitors to Costa Rica are between the age of 30 and 60; this is the same age range that has shown a 10% annual increase in nature tourism activities in Costa Rica (Fermata, 2002; ICT, 2000). Sixty two percent of the visitors to Costa Rica in 2000 participated in wildlife observation while 49.9% participated in bird watching (Fermata, 2002; ICT, 2000). Properly developed nature tourism based on the multimillion-dollar bird watching and wildlife observation industry can provide an economic alternative for landowners and community members by supplementing the current economic means of local people (Fermata, 2004). We believe there is a strong outlook for nature tourism in Costa Rica and that many opportunities to expand and diversify nature tourism and low-impact rural tourism in this region of Costa Rica exist. However, there are many issues that need to be addressed before a tourism plan for the CBSS that: can ensure conservation will happen, positively impact local economics and support increased tourism, can be created and implemented. The Rainforest Biodiversity Group is seeking funding to address these issues.

The objectives of this proposal are:

1. Publish a Nature Tourism Study within the CBSS within 18 months of funding.
2. Present nature tourism recommendations for CBSS to the CBSS Executive Committee within 18 months of funding.
3. Publish CBSS Nature Tourism and Financial Plan within 24 months of funding.

By completing the following objectives a strategy will be in place for the CBSS Executive Committee, its member organizations, and local residents to implement a sustainable, long-term program to protect migratory bird habitat and biodiversity within the CBSS. Currently, there is little to no comprehensive data on nature tourist numbers, or nature tourism trends within the CBSS specifically. Without this basic data, it is impossible to determine if nature tourism, and what types of nature tourism are viable options for habitat protection and economic improvement within the CBSS. The Rainforest Biodiversity Group will conduct a Study of Nature Tourism within the CBSS. The study will include literature research, and interviews with the visiting tourists, managers of nature tourism businesses, and local residents. The goals of the study will be to:

• Identify and map all current nature tourism options and businesses within the CBSS
• Estimate current number of visitors to region / CBSS annually
• Estimate annual revenue from tourism from region
• Conduct survey of 500 - 1000 tourists, managers of identified nature tourism businesses and local residents to gather data on nature tourism trends, need ands opportunities within the CBSS.
• Identify opportunities for tourism expansion and diversification within the CBSS
• Identify limitations facing tourism expansion and possible solutions
• Produce recommendations for viable nature tourism with the CBSS

Evaluating the nature tourism needs and opportunities within the CBSS will produce a profile of recommendations for tourism development. The nature tourism recommendations be the basis for developing a Nature Tourism Plan (NTP) for the CBSS. To ensure the NTP is economically viable a budgetary financial plan must be developed as well. The financial plan will define costs and incomes by sector, the break-even points of services, analyze financing and cost benefits as well as determine an evaluation plan. The Rainforest Biodiversity Group has already developed a preliminary proposal for a NTP for the CBSS (the Costa Rican Bird Route: Section San Juan – La Selva)(available upon request). However, the tourism study and accompanying recommendations are needed to determine if such a tourism project can be viable and if it the best option for tourism in the CBSS. Based on the RBG preliminary Bird Route Proposal development we have already identified various needs a Tourism Plan must address. The CBSS NTP proposal will include the following programs:

• Code of Ethics and Certification Program
• Community Outreach and Education Program
• Naturalist Guide Training Program
• Site Selection Program
• Site Development Program
• Site Protection Program
• Promotion Program
• Financial Plan

All programs need to be further developed before implementation is possible. A code of ethics and certification program is needed to enforce and regulate tourism development and promote the sustainable use of natural resources. The code of ethics will stipulate environmental responsibilities of development such as defining tourism carrying capacity, waste management, and usable building materials as well as define business responsibilities such as building limitations, management options and social equality in hiring. The certification program is necessary to establish precedent, and to ensure to all parties, conservationists, landowners, and tourists that each nature tourism project is ecologically sustaining. The CBSS Nature Tourism Sub-committee will be responsible for the enforcement of these programs and regulations.

A community outreach and education program is necessary to properly inform the local population of the results and recommendations of the tourism study, financial plan and the proposed tourism plan for the CBSS. The local landowners and population must be well informed and support proposed activities within their region for the projects to be successful. A series of community forums will be conducted to properly inform these local interest groups.

Nature tour or naturalist training opportunities will be extended to community members to meet the needs of expanded tourism projects within the CBSS. Trained naturalist guides from the local naturalist association ANASA and RBG will instruct the programs. After completion of the training course program graduates will be able to interpret and guide bird tours in English, record observational data on birds and wildlife in scientific fashion, and understand basic ecological systems.

Within the CBSS, if nature tourism is to be expanded and diversified it will be necessary to identify the projects and sites most suitable for nature tourism. Each potential site will need to be assessed to determine its benefit to tourism, and value to conservation and local economics. The Applied Site Assessment Protocol (ASAP) of Fermata, Inc. will be used to evaluate potential sites. The assessment will consider a variety of criteria including intrinsic values such as; scale, integrity, aesthetics, diversity, uniqueness, ability to view wildlife, appeal and significance. It will also take into account other limiting factors impacting the ability of a site to host tourism and conservation such as fragility of ecology and potential impact of tourism on wildlife, safety for tourists, economic support, as well as regulatory and political influences. The Rainforest Biodiversity Group and other sub-committee organization members trained to assess sites using the ASAP format will conduct these assessments. Each site must provide a unique and memorable nature experience. There is much competition within Costa Rica for tourism dollars. New nature tourism ventures must provide something to the visitor that is unique and different to compete for tourism dollars. The CBSS has unique opportunities for the nature tourist. The CBSS is the only place you can see the Great Green Macaw in Costa Rica, and probably the easiest place to see them in the world. There are accessible habitats, which provide the opportunity to view species of birds unique to the Atlantic Slope of Costa Rica. In the CBSS there is also an opportunity for more intimate cultural exchanges than offered in other areas of Costa Rica.

One of the largest, if not the largest problem facing the development of Costa Rican owned nature tourism operations is the lack of capital for development (Ray, 1995). Many landowners have experience and interest in nature tourism but they do not have the ability to develop their properties to properly serve the need of visitors (Ray, 1995). After viable sites have been selected via the ASAP format, these sites will need financial assistance to develop infrastructure. Development will need to be assessed financially to determine what options are most cost effective for each site. The Code of Ethics and the Certification Program will regulate development. It is imperative that cost effective development assistance be provided to new nature tourism operations such as private reserves. Creating a method for local landowners to support the protection of their forests on their own can greatly reduce the need for outright purchase of properties and habitat for protection. The current market value for land in NE Costa Rica is between $800 and $2000 per hectare ($350 - $900/ acre)(CBSS, 2003; Herrero Pers. Com. 2003; Quesada, pers com 2004). If one were interested in buying and protecting 700 hectares (1568 acres) of forested land it would cost between $560,000 and $1,400,000. The NTP developed by RBG will show investing in local landowner nature tourism projects would be a more cost effective method of protecting 700 hectares or more of wildlife habitat.

The goal of this project is conservation; viable nature tourism is the means to conservation. Although sites may be developed for nature tourism, this does not mean conservation will happen. If we build nature tourism, yes tourists may come, but will it lead to conservation? As much as it is imperative that each site be economically beneficial it is equally important to ensure the protection of various ecosystems and habit types within the CBSS. The CBSS not only hosts lowland wet and rainforest but also hosts a multitude of wetlands and riparian environments. Thus to ensure conservation through nature tourism occurs the following four requirements are mandated. Failure to abide by the following requirements will result in removal from the Private Reserve Network, Bird Route and all associated promotional activities that may benefit the non-abiding site. The requirements are:

• Enrolling property into ecological conservation easements.
• Monitoring sites to ensure they adhere to conservation easements.
• Monitoring site development to ensure Bird Route Code of Ethics and Certification guidelines are enforced
• Providing landowners with an opportunity for supplemental income.

The ecological conservation easement is a legal document included in the deed that transfers hands with the sale of a property that can ensure protection of the forest habitat for perpetuity. The easement can regulate size and location of development on a piece of land, make it indivisible, and or limit use of the property. These easements will be developed for each site by CEDARENA, a Costa Rican environmental law firm and a founding member of the CBSS Executive committee, that has much experience in developing and enforcing ecological conservation easements. The enforcement of these easements will be overseen by the inscribing agency, CEDERENA. The ecological conservation easement is a tool needed to ensure local landowners protect their wildlife habitat. The Rainforest Biodiversity Group and other CBSS Sub-committee members will also visit each site biannually to re-evaluate each site and assist landowners with any management issues. Any new reserve created within the CBSS NTP will be required to register part of their property into ecological conservation easements.

Finally, if no program developed within the CBBS cannot provide or supplement a living wage for the entrepreneur or landowner, it is unlikely conservation will happen. These same people will be required to sustain their lives and lives of their families through other means, some of which may destroy migratory bird habitat. Therefore a plan must be developed to ensure financial stability for locals and thus habitat conservation success within the CBSS. Costs need to be identified, and incomes estimated. It should be determined how many visitors spending x amount of dollars it will take for the project to meet its financial goals. The financial plan must also identify how many years it will take for the Nature Tourism project to break even on its initial development investment. The financial plan will assist in determining what nature tourism project is worth undertaking and investing in and which are not. If nature tourism cannot sustain financial success, it will not succeed in protecting habitat for biodiversity and migratory bird species.

Another program that can give a financial incentive to landowners to protect their habit is the Environment Service Payment program or in Costa Rica Pago Servicios Ambientales (PSA). This program funded through the Costa Rican government via international assistance offers a payment contract to landowners for maintaining parts of their property in forest conservation, forest management or in reforestation. For conservation the landowner receives $40 annually per hectare or ($17.88/ acre). From personal communication with local landowners this is not viewed as a lot of money, however it does provide value to nature conservation and some landowners have enrolled their properties into the PSA program. Nature tourism could potentially provide an additional financial incentive to the landowners to maintain their properties environmental value for biodiversity. Alternatively it could compete with PSA program and offer new opportunities to landowners not enrolled in the PSA program. The NTP will further investigate and define the roll of PSA’s in realation to nature tourism development within the CBSS.

A Nature Tourism Promotion Plan must also be developed to ensure that visitors will be drawn to the CBSS and the unique experiences it offers. Information will be gathered on costs, benefits and effectiveness of given marketing strategies. In the past, promotion has been a limiting factor in the success of small private reserves, but the comprehensive promotion of the many small nature tourism projects together will help investments in nature tourism be successful. The promotion plan will be developed with the assistance of Russell Bensman Marketing of the US.

A comprehensive NTP will be completed and presented to the CBSS Executive Committee within 24 months of funding. The information contained within the CBSS NTP will map out how within the CBSS nature tourism can facilitate habitat conservation. After this project is complete, the CBSS Executive Committee will lead the implementation and financing process of the NTP.

IV. Local Participation

Local populations will participate directly in the development of the NTP by providing feedback via interviews, and subsequent community forums. The nature tourism study will be conducted in part to identify needs of the local population. The following recommendations and NTP will be developed to address these needs, the needs of the visitor and conservation needs.

V. Agency Consultation:

The Rainforest Biodiversity Group’s Amigos de la Lapa Verde is a founding member of the CBSS Executive Committee. We recently established the CBSS Tourism Sub-committee. We have received support for this project from the CBSS executive committee as well as from the Minister of the Environment and Energy (MINAE) of Costa Rica, Carlos Manuel Rodriquez (letters of support available upon request). We will work in association with: MINAE to properly develop project in accordance with wildlife management and natural resource laws and jurisdiction; CEDARENA, to develop ecological conservation easements; Fermata, Inc. and The Great American Trails Co. as nature tourism project consultants; ABAS (Associacion por el Bienestar Ambiental de Sarapiqui) and ASCOMAFOR to enhance local communication and outreach; La Tirimbina Rainforest Center, VIDA (Association of Volunteers in Research and Environmental Development), and ANASA (Association of Naturalist Guides of Sarapiqui) for education, training and outreach; site development and volunteer coordination; Russell Bensman Marketing to develop promotion and marketing plan. Other organizations that will be involved in developing this project are: Centro Cientifico Tropical (CCT), RARE, Costa Rican Eco-tourism Board, Red de Reservas Privadas de Costa Rica, APREFLOFAS, FUNDECOR, The Costa Rica Tourism Institute (ICT), Centro de Aprendizaje de Sarapiqui, INA- Puerto Viejo, the Ornithological Society of Costa Rica, local community leaders and landowners, women’s groups, municipalities and local tourism boards.

VI. Historic and Cultural Resources

The local cultural resources will be identified during the site assessment process. These resources may improve the assessment value of site, or lower the value of a site if deemed increased tourism would negatively affect these resources. Every measure will be taken to preserve the ecological integrity and cultural significance of each site through the enforcement of the Code of Ethics. This project will not affect a World Heritage List Site or National Historic Place.

VII. Sustainability

Completing this project will produce a product. That product will be a plan for sustaining long-term protection for neotropical migratory birds, wildlife habitat and biodiversity within the CBSS via sustainable nature tourism.

VIII. Other Information

The Rainforest Biodiversity Group, Inc was formerly known as Friends of the Great Green Macaw, Inc. Over the past three years RBG has conducted Christmas Bird Counts, point count bird surveys and created bird lists on various properties within the CBSS. The data collected has confirmed our belief that we will protect habitat for neotropical migrants through Great Green Macaw conservation efforts (data unpublished). The Rainforest Biodiversity Group was going to submit a the proposal for NMBCA funds for developing new private reserves for nature tourism, however, we felt if we did not have supporting data, had not identified the true needs and opportunities for nature tourism within the CBSS, and did not have a viable financial plan we could not assure ourselves or donors that nature tourism would lead to the conservation of wildlife habitat.

IX. Evaluation

This project will continually monitoring the level of success by gathering and evaluating both qualitative and quantitative results. Within this proposal there are many parts to be evaluated. The most basic is were the objectives mentioned in the Project Description completed. Secondly, a main part of this project is the evaluation of the Tourism Plan to create recommendations for the CBSS. From the interview data collected (tourists, tourism professionals and local residents) we can evaluate needs and opportunities based on % of given responses. For instance we can determine if there is a desire by the tourist for more rural experiences based on % of respondents who showed interest in the subject. The idea is to transform the data into information to make recommendations. The CBSS Executive Committee will evaluate the recommendations. They will determine to support or not support the implementation of a given recommendation and why. Supported recommendations will be used to develop the NTP. The NTP will be evaluated by its ability to get financed and implemented by donor agencies and the CBSS Executive Committee, respectively. Evaluation of the results of the implementation of the NTP, such as determining effect of increased tourism on land owners income, and ability of conservation easement to limit deforestation, is not included within this proposal and should be considered as a separate “evaluation” project to be funded.
We will also determine the impact of our forums and presentations to local communities based on responses to questionnaires that will be given at the end of each session. We will determine, for example, how well information was presented, distributed, and understood.
Other significant parts to evaluate are: % of known nature tourism sites visited, success of staff to achieve objectives in timely fashion, ability for training courses to produce quality guides. A complete evaluation plan will be determined with the assistance of William Volkert and the NFWS. We are eager to develop an evaluation plan with the assistance and feed back of NFWS, to ensure our time investment and your financial investment produce results.

TOTAL
Matching Funds $ 156,688.00

NMBCA Funds $ 46,400.00

TOTAL BUDGET $ 203,088.00

! = Andrew Rothman: 2003 Donated work value as RBG Project Director, Professional Biologist @ 129 days @ $175/day ; 2004 work @ 90 days @ $175/day. Both values based on US State Dept Per Diem for Costa Rica 2003; 2005 work @ 90 days @ $105/day based on US per diem US State Dept. for work in Madison, WI 2003)
* = Harmony Patricio: 2004 Donated work value as Professional Biologist and Project Director @ $20 hr x 1280 hrs value+ $500 /month x 2 actual pay ; 2005 work to be donated 144 days @ $175/day based on US State Dept Per Diem Costa Rica 2003)
!! = Director One,,** = Director Two:$500 month x 24 months $500 month x 24 months
& = Blair Bumgarner: 2004 Donated work value as Assistant Project Director @ $13/hr x 448 hrs; 2005 to be donated as Assistant Project Director half time, 144 days at $87.50/day based on 1/2 US State Dept Per Diem for Costa Rica 2003)
# = Maria Victoria Chiriboga: Donated work value as Student Intern Project Director @ 480 hrs x $8 hr
% = Ana Hjarne: Donated work value as Intern Project Director @ 180 hrs x $8 hr
$ = Karine Pignorel: Donated work value as Project Assistant @ 240 hrs x $8 hr
( = Amanda Ferrer: Donated work value as Project Assistant @ 40 hrs x $8 hr
^ = William Volkert: Donated work value as Biological Consultant and Vice President@ 50 hrs x $25 hr
) = Housing: 2003 = 12 months @$50, 2004 = 10 months @ $50 + 2 months @ $ 120, 2005 = 12 months @ $120
x = Food: 2003 = 12 months @ $100, 2004 = 10 months @$100, 2005 Food budget from Salaries
“ = Travel Cost: Avg. Ticket Price to Costa Rica = $600 (2003 = x 3, 2004 = x 4, 2005 = x 4)
$$ = Fuel: $8/day for 450 days
< = Estimated price of work to be donated by Russell Bensman Marketing, Inc

XI. MAP

The following Map is the area proposed as the San Juan – La Selva Biological Corridor.