Towards the consolidation of Urban Natural Parks in Costa Rica
Towards the consolidation of Urban Natural Parks in Costa Rica
Costa Rica's Protected Wildlife Areas (ASP) system is a successful conservation model that has earned the country crucial international recognition for its efforts to protect and restore nature (UNDP, 2021). The data is significant: 27% of the continental territory is under some management category, and more than 50% has forest or tree cover (MINAE - SINAC - CONAGEBIO - FONAFIFO, 2018 cites SINAC, 2014).
Yet, in the urban landscape, Costa Rica grapples with significant gaps in planning and developing green and sustainable cities and human settlements. The uncontrolled and poorly planned growth of cities poses one of the most pressing threats to global biodiversity, a reality that Costa Rica cannot ignore. Simultaneously, the burgeoning urban population is increasingly reliant on the ecosystem services offered by natural spaces (water, climate comfort, carbon sequestration, scenic beauty, sports, recreation, food, etc.) (Acuña, Lobo and Vargas, 2022).
In the former context, the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE), with the support of GEF and UNDP, created in 2021 a management category of protected wildlife area (ASP) conceptualized for the protection, management, rehabilitation, recovery, use, and enjoyment of spaces relevant to biodiversity in the city, called Parque Natural Urbano (PANU).
Urban Natural Parks in Costa Rica
Costa Rica has established a new management category for urban areas
In Costa Rica, a staggering 60% of the population lives in a large metropolitan area in the country's centre, which only makes up 4% of the national continental territory. The country's rapid transition from a rural to an unplanned urban model is a cause for concern. This shift presents a significant challenge for environmental conservation strategies, as they must adapt to this new demographic and territorial reality.
Since 2022, the Transition to an Urban Green Economy Project (TEVU Project) executed by the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), with funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), has been a shining example of collaboration. It supports MINAE and SINAC in the consolidation of the first Urban Natural Parks in the country, in three iconic sites of the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM): The Former Simon Bolivar Zoo, the Santa Ana Lorne Ross Conservation Center and the Santo Domingo Ecological Park (Former Inbio Parque).
With the closure of the State Zoos and the recovery by MINAE of the land where they were located, Costa Rica is one step away from achieving a significant milestone: transforming spaces that were once “animal prisons” into models for the conservation of biodiversity in situ, in the heart of the city.
Let's take a closer look at the three future Urban Natural Parks of Costa Rica:
Simón Bolívar Urban Natural Park
The former Zoo is in the heart of San José, the capital city, between the historic neighbourhoods of Amón and Otoya and the Torres River. Spaces for contact with native nature and environmental education will replace the cages that once housed exotic and local fauna.
SINAC approved the technical studies supporting the protected area and recommended the creation of the Urban Natural Park in August 2024.
In October 2024, the authorities of MINAE, the Ministry of Culture and Youth (MCJ), and the Municipality of San José came together in a spirit of collaboration. They signed a letter of intent, a testament to their shared commitment to the development of a management and governance model for Simón Bolívar Park.
Hierarchs of the Ministry of Culture and Youth, the Ministry of Environment and Energy, and the Municipality of San José sign a letter of intent to jointly manage the future Simón Bolívar Urban Natural Park.
The TEVU-OET-UNDP Project will support MINAE-SINAC, the Municipality of San José, the Ministry of Culture, and other relevant stakeholders in the participatory preparation of the General Management Plan for the Simón Bolívar Urban Natural Park. This plan, which includes a management and governance model, a master plan or site plan, and the identification of Services and Non-Essential Activities (SANE), according to the management category, will bring about financial sustainability, security, and responsible visitation to the future Simón Bolívar Urban Natural Park. These benefits will create a sense of optimism and hope for the stakeholders.
Lorne Ross Urban Nature Park (Santa Ana)
The site of the Santa Ana Conservation Center, formerly a state zoo, will be transformed into a space for the urgent conservation of important forest ecosystems, lake and marsh wetland systems, and heritage infrastructure unique to the city.
This land was donated to the state by its former owner to ensure its conservation for future generations. It is crossed by a busy national highway that connects the centre with the west of the city and is a vital green lung, a significant oasis of nature in an area of high urban growth.
The technical studies, which include the delimitation and characterization of the wetlands present on the property, are being prepared by SINAC with support from the TEVU Project and will be completed by the end of 2024.
Santo Domingo Urban Natural Park
This site, located in Heredia, is more than just a piece of land. It was once a thriving recreational park, serving as a hub for environmental education and awareness in the urban community. SINAC, recognizing its ecological significance, acquired the land and established its headquarters here. The site now stands as a testament to urban ecology, preserving the relict of the premontane rainforest and the urban wetland and continuing its mission of environmental education.
The technical studies for officially establishing this site will be ready and in the process of being approved by SINAC.
Green and biodiverse cities are not just a dream, but a potential reality that we can work towards.
The premontane rainforest (BHP) was once the most abundant ecosystem in Costa Rica, where Costa Rica's largest urban area now stands. The city's growth has transformed it into the second most altered and reduced forest type in the country. Today, a mere 1.75% (9,000 hectares) of its original coverage remains, serving as a stark and urgent call for conservation.
Creating Natural Urban Parks that conserve relics of this valuable ecosystem is a sign that green and biodiverse cities are possible. These parks not only stimulate the generation of green jobs but also significantly improve citizens' mental and physical health, providing safe, close, and accessible places for everyone. This underscores the personal benefits of living in a healthy and ecologically balanced environment. Green is not a luxury, it is health.
Credits:
General coordination: Miriam Miranda Quirós, Transition to an Urban Green Economy Project (TEVU-OET-GEF-UNDP).
Text: Ana María Lobo Calderón, lawyer specializing in environmental law, Transition to an Urban Green Economy Project (TEVU-OET-GEF-UNDP).
Graphic design: Marvin Rojas Díaz, graphic designer, and visual communicator, Transition to an Urban Green Economy Project (TEVU-OET-GEF-UNDP).
Maps: Marlon Alfaro Cordero, surveying engineer.
Technical review: Jossy Calvo Villalobos, biologist, expert in urban ecology, and Fabricio Ballestero Jiménez, forestry engineer, certified urban arborist.
Technical information: Technical Report of Proposed Wildlife Protected Area Proposal and assignment of management category Santo Domingo Ecological Park (SINAC, 2023), Technical Report of Proposed Wildlife Protected Area Proposal and assignment of management category Simon Bolivar Park (SINAC, 2023), Technical Report on the Proposed Protected Wildlife Area and Assignment of Management Category for the Santa Ana Conservation Center (SINAC, 2024 -draft-), prepared by the Central Conservation Area of the National System of Conservation Areas (ACC, SINAC) with support and funding from the Technical Unit of the Transition to an Urban Green Economy Project (TEVU-OET-GEF-UNDP).