ecotourism case study

• costa rice is in south America - borders Nicaragua and Panama - has 1300km of coastline and 51100km2 is the area of the whole the country
• ecotourism = sustainable development that aims to create locl employment and to conserve the natural enviroment
• positives of ecotourism: doesn't damage environment, small scale, plans to help local communities, donations help protect land
• rapid deforestation in Costa Rica from 1940s to 1970s - needed space for agriculture, cattle and farming land - had highets global deforestation rate - now has 28 national protected parks
• biodiversity stats = 420 species of orchid, 200 species of fern, 100 different mammals, 5% of worlds biodiversity, 400 species of bird, 2500 species of plamt
• case study = Samasati nature reserve: a protected area used for ecotourism and gains money to protet land
• nature reserve activities = yoga, bird watching, hiking, horseback riding, water sports
• nature reserve accommodation = houses blend into background, reuses rainwater for showers and toilet, natural light = no electricity - more sustainable and cheaper, no heavy machinery used, only biodegradable products allowed eg. biodegradable shampoo, only hires local employees, no trees destroyed = only use trees for afforestation projects
• positive sustainability: employs locals = invested in area, learns skills = better paid jobs, protects biodiversity, double the monthly agriculture wage = earn more = better quality of life, largest economy = money to protect land, pay and give back too country = money used to develop their country
• negative sustainability: reduces culture, fossil fuels and carbon emissions from flights = clime change, climate change, expensive = selective protection, tourists litter their waste/litter = noise pollution and habitat damage/loss, local lose land = less income + lower quality of life and profit making country