Environmental Issues and Policies in Costa Rica

Despite its widely publicized efforts in environmental conservation, Costa Rica continues to experience severe deforestation due to entrenched deforestation interests in the country. These interests are created by existing legislation which unintentionally favors deforestation, and by the longstanding nonapplication of positive legislation. Costa Rica's newest strategy involves the mobilization of a broad‐bayed conservation constituency through environmental education and the development of a “conservation area” strategy which helps distribute responsibilities and benefits of conservation among populations adjacent to protected areas.