Costa Rica
Quelques réussites dans la réduction de la déforestation: Des pays tropicaux où les politiques de protection de la forêt et de reboisement ont fonctionnéThis report highlights successes of developing countries and their strategies for reducing deforestation and as a result, their emissions of greenhouse gases. The authors note that decreases in deforestation are primarily a result of REDD+ programs, including payments for ecosystem services, better law enforcement, governance reforms, moratoria on deforestation practices, and incorporating the environment in development efforts. Other successes come from policy changes and programs that have had intended and unintended positive impacts on forests.
Full resource not available online |
Using Lightweight Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to Monitor Tropical Forest RecoveryBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Mapping Species Composition of Forests and Tree Plantations in Northeastern Costa Rica with an Integration of Hyperspectral and Multitemporal Landsat ImagerybackgroundThis article discusses the improvement in accuracy of remote sensing to monitor and evaluate reforestation projects by combining moderate-resolution and hyperspectral imagery with multi temporal, multispectral data. The combination of these technological monitoring methods allows researchers to accurately classify general forest types and tree plantations by species composition. Open access copy available |
Coffee Agroforests Remain Beneficial for Neotropical Bird Community Conservation across SeasonsBackgroundThis study compares bird community composition in coffee agroforestry systems with secondary forest fragments, while accounting for seasonal bird migration and differences in bird detectability between habitats. It was conducted in the San Luis Valley of northwest Costa Rica, a montane forest region that encompasses many microhabitats. Open access copy available |
Live Fences and Landscape Connectivity in a Neotropical Agricultural LandscapeBackgroundThis article describes the role and importance of live fences in the tropical regions of Central America. The study site covered an area of 4483ha and is located in a wet tropical forest zone in the Province of Heredia, Costa Rica. The landscape is dominated by cattle pasture and possesses a small, fragmented and homogenous structure with small patches of forests. Open access copy available |
The role of species mixtures in plantation forestryBackgroundForest plantations are increasingly being established around the world, yet many are often monocultures. While the paper recognizes that all plantations are beneficial in terms of restoration, it specifically seeks to explore the advantages of mixed-species plantations. Available with subscription or purchase |
Growth in pure and mixed plantations of tree species used in reforesting rural areas of the humid region of Costa Rica, Central AmericaBackgroundDespite government incentives in Costa Rica for establishing and maintaining native tree plantations since the 1990s, farmers and small landowners often lack adequate knowledge about plantation management. Yield and rotation periods for each of the ten most common species grown in monoculture have previously been published. This paper compares productivity in monoculture and mixtures at La Selva Biological Station in the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica. Open access copy available |
Lattice-Work Corridors for Climate Change: A Conceptual Framework for Biodiversity Conservation and Social-Ecological Resilience in a Tropical Elevational GradientbackgroundIn the region of Monteverde, communities rely on ecotourism, coffee farming, dairy cattle farming and sugarcane production to making their livings. The Pacific-slope forests are highly fragmented, and while a large biological corridor has already been proposed, it neglects certain key riparian corridors that would facilitate species migrations and range shifts, as well as protect the downstream water sources. Open access copy available |
Connecting sustainable agriculture and wildlife conservation: Does shade coffee provide habitat for mammals?BackgroundShade coffee systems are believed to support diverse wildlife. However, most research on wildlife in shade coffee has focused on bird and insect diversity, with few studies that have focused on mammals living within coffee-dominated landscapes. Available with subscription or purchase |
Trade-offs in nature tourism: contrasting parcel-level decisions withlandscape conservation planningBackgroundA landscape approach to conservation has increasingly taken prominence as scientists and policymakers consider the role of landscape patches and connectivities. However, understanding trade-offs in policy decisions and land management strategies in a landscape dominated by privately held patches presents a challenge. This study discusses trade-offs with the nature tourism industry in Monteverde, Costa Rica, considering effects across parcel-level decisions. Open access copy available |
