Conserving Costa Rica: - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Conserving Costa Rica:Geography

Debora TolliverSlide2

Geography

Area: Total area: 51,100 sq. km [51,060

sq. km (land

), 40

sq. km (water

), includes Isla del Coco, slightly smaller than West Virginia]

Total coastline: 1,290 km

Total land boundaries: 639 km

Border Countries: Nicaragua (land boundary: 309 km) and Panama (land boundary: 330 km)

Terrain

:

coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes

Highest elevation: 3,810 m (Cerro Chirripo Mountain)

Land use: arable land 4.4%, permanent crops 5.87%, other 89.73% (2005)

Natural hazards: active volcanoes, occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast, frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslidesSlide3

Volcanoes

11 official volcanoes of Costa Rica

Turrialba Volcano

Tenorio

Volcano

Ricon de La ViejoPoas VolcanoPlatanar VolcanoOrosi VolcanoMiravalles VolcanoIrazu VolcanoBarva VolcanoArenal VolcanoCerro El Porvenir

Costa Rica Vacation

Rentals (2002-2011)

7 active

volcanoes

61

dormant or extinct

volcanoesSlide4

Volcanoes

Rinc

ón

de la

Vieja

located in the Guanacaste region of Costa Ricahas 9 craters (highest is Santa Maria Volcano at approximately 6,385 feet above sea level)Von Seebach crater is currently active, venting steam and the occasional hiccup on a regular basisvisitors can see natural hot springs around the volcano but they can not bath in themTenorio Volcano and Miravalles Protected Zonelocated in the Guanacaste region of Costa Ricaapproximately 6,286 feet above sea levelarea surrounding volcano is characterized by an enchanting blend of forest, hot springs, and geysersIraz

ú Volcanolocated in the Central Highlands of Costa Rica

last known eruption in 1965 and lasted for 2 yearsthe

highest active volcano in Costa Rica at approximately

11,260

feet above sea levelHas several active craters (largest is 900 ft. deep & smallest (Diego de la Haya) dips 300 ft. beneath the surface)from the summit, visitors can see both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts

ITA

(1995-2010)Slide5

Volcanoes

Po

ás volcano

located in the Central Highlands of Costa Rica

approximately 8,885 feet above sea level

one of Costa Rica’s largest and most active volcanoesmore than 40 eruptions since 1828 (erupted in 2008 but the last major eruption was in1910)3 craters (one is known as the largest active crater in the world)visitors can see geysers, sulfuric pool bubbles, smoke and from the summit, you can see both the Atlantic and the Pacific coastsTurrialba Volcanolocated in the Central Highlands of Costa Rica along the southeast corner of the Central Volcanic Corridorapproximately 10,919 feet above sea levellast major eruption occurred in 1866 but fumarolic activity (smoke and gas) remains constant from the highest peakhas 3 craters and tourists can go down one of themvisitors can see the Atlantic coast and the Varva, Poás and Irazú Volcanoes on a clear day

Arenal Volcano

located between La Fortuna and Lake Arenal (province of Alejuela)

approximately 5,479 feet above sea level

erupted in

2010 but last major eruption was in 2003dormant for nearly 400 years prior to 1968 major eruption

the youngest and most active all of Costa Rica’s volcanoes

Cosmic E.I.R

. (

n.d.)Slide6

Mountains and Volcano's

Geology.com (2005-2011)

Costa Rica Study (n.d.)Slide7

National Parks & Nature Reserves

Costa

Rica has been a world leader in conservation policies with protected areas that encompass over 25% of its total landmass- the highest percentage in the

world.

Costa Rica’s National Park System is a network of protected rainforests, tropical dry forests, cloud forests, marine areas, and wetlands.

The National Parks and Wildlife Refuges of Costa Rica are managed by MINAE, the Ministerio de Ambiental y Energia.Besides Costa Rica's National Parks there are dozens of private nature reserves that have been established to protect. Preserve, and rehabilitate Costa Rica’s natural habitat, tropical ecosystems, and their biodiversity.Reserves differ from National Parks in that community and conservationist groups manage their land. Slide8

National Parks & Nature Reserves

Amount Category

Area (ha)

% National Territory (5.099.873

ha)

25 National Parks623.77112,23%8 Biological Parks21.6740,42%32 Protected Zones155.8173,06%11 Forest Reserves227.8344,47%58 Wildlife Refuges180.0353,53%15 Wetlands/Mangroves

77.8691,53%12 Other Categories

17.3060,34% TOTALS

1.304.306

25,58%

There are eleven Conservation Areas that were established in 1998 to oversee and manage the public lands of Costa Rica. These 161 conservation areas are known as the Sistema Nacional de Areas de Conservacion, or SINAC

.CCSA (2005)Slide9

National Parks & Nature Reserves

Anywhere Costa Rica SA (2007-2011)Slide10

Forests: Plant Biodiversity

Costa Rica has the greatest diversity of plants in the world (9500 described species of vascular plants and 1100+ species of ferns & lycophytes)

Trees: about 1900 species

N

ational tree is Guanacaste (Enterolobium cyclocarpum)

Orchids & Flowers: about 1500 species of orchidsNational flower is the la Guaria Morada (Guarianthe skinneri)Plants serve as an important source of food, housing for animals, and oxygenAquatic Plants: six different associations with water:Wetland plants: plants that you see living in flooded areasEmergent plants: plants that start their life in water but after they have grown enough to flower, they are above the waterAmphibious plants: plants that can live in both earth and waterFloating plants that are rooted in the ground: plants have the stem or leaves above the water surface but their roots go down to the groundFloating plants: plants that truly float free on the water surface

Submerged plants: plants that are often rooted in the ground and live submerged in the water

Costa Rica Information (n.d.)Slide11

Forests: Animal Biodiversity

Fish: Costa Rica has one of the fish richest waters in the world

Birds: There are 850+ species that are relatively well studied and of those, 600 species remain in Costa Rica permanently.

Some permanent birds: macaws, parrots, toucan, three-wattle bell-birds, ducks, ibises, herons, storks, other aquatic birds, Hummingbirds (around

50

species), raptors (birds of prey), quetzals, and trogons)Some migrant birds: warblers, vireos, thrushes, tanagers, flycatchers, oriolesMammals: There are about 240 species (about 6% of the worlds mammals) which include shrew, spiny pocket mouse, deer mouse, four pocket gophers, woolly olingo, coatis, deer, sloths, opossums, monkeys (4 species), agoutis, raccoons (2 species), peccaries (2 species), bats (109 species), wild cats (6 species including jaguars), whales, and dolphinsReptiles: There are 14 species of turtles, 70 species of lizards, 200+ species of snakes, and 2 species of crocodilesAmphibians: There are about 130 species of frog, 37 species of salamander, and 4 species of caecilianInsects & other Arthropods: Costa Rica has the most diverse groups of insects in the world and it is impossible to describe them all. The Biodiversity National Institute keeps record of them and some of those include beetles, flies, wasps, bees, ants, butterflies, and true bugs.Destination 360 (2011)Slide12

6Forests: Ecosystem

Ecosystem is made up of twelve major life zones that are named according to the latitudinal belt, humidity, and the elevation belt. They are also defined by the variation of temperature and precipitation in a given area.

Dry forest: have less than 2 meters of rainfall per year with 6 months of dry season

Forest of the lowlands (0-500 meters): most abundant forests in Costa Rica, with some of the highest rainfall in the country (up to 8 meters)

Highland ecosystems (1500->3500 meters): there are several life zones that are separated by the amount of rainfall received, creating different habitats for a variety of species; the highland forests are evergreen

Middle-elevation forests (500-1500 meters): typically consists of evergreen or semideciduos trees; tree heights vary between 25-40 metersCoral reefs & wetlandsAlthough Costa Rica’s territory is only 0.03% of the earth’s surface, it is considered to be a country with more diversity than many other areas in the world. The country is home to about 4% of the species on Earth.

Costa Rica Information (n.d.)Slide13

Forests: Deforestation

More than two-thirds of Costa Rica’s original forests have been destroyed during the last 45 years

The rate of destruction has significantly dropped because of public and private efforts, and Costa Rica’s laws restricting cutting.

Forest destruction produces as much as 15% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.

1986 National Bamboo Project of Costa Rica: reduce deforestation by replacing timber with bamboo as a primary building material and providing low cost housing for Costa Rica’s rural poor

Organization working to save the forests and Rain Forests of Costa RicaIan Giddy (2004)Pax Natura: www.paxnatura.orgJane Goodall Institute: www.janegoodall.org

Instituto Nacitional de Biodiversidid (INBio): www.inbio.ac.cr/en/

The Fondo Nacioal de Financiamiento Forestal (FONAFINO): www.fonafifo.com/english.htmlFundeCoR:

www.fundecor.org

Rainforest Alliance:

www.rainforest-alliance.orgThe Nature Conservancy: www.nature.org

Nature Conservancy (2011)Slide14

Urban & Rural Areas

Cities

Capital

is San

Jose (population:

920,000)greater metropolitan area as defined by the Ministry of Planning and Economic Policy (population 2.1 million)includes the cities of Alajuela, Cartago, and HerediaOther major cities outside the San Jose capital areainclude Puntarenas, Limon, and LiberiaPopulation density: 72.53 people per sq. kmRural areasPopulation density: 730.96 people per km of arable landThe Foundation for Rural Housing Costa Rica - Canada (created in 1983)Main objective: support development in rural areas of Costa Rica, through programs based on financing housing construction, social infrastructure and other complementary works, in order to reduce migration to urban areasAims to promote and execute programs and projects for economical and social development of the most needed families located in rural areas

Financed about 13,500 houses during 1983 to 1995

Today the Foundation works with approximately 188 rural organizations: 47% cooperatives, 28% development associations, 8% agricultural centres, 5% regional unions, 4% mutual associations, and 8% other types of rural organizationsSlide15

Climate

Temperature: closely

related to the

elevation and only varies 2 degrees Celsius from summer to winter

Low

lying Pacific coast: generally very hot and dry; however, during the rainy season, it is common to have rain in the afternoon and occasionally a cloudy, humid dayCaribbean climate zone (includes Tortuguero, Arenal, Puerto Viejo and Sarapiqui): warm and humid nearly year-round and has less rigid rainy and dry seasonsCentral Highland area (borders Costa Rica's Central Valley): characterized by cooler temperatures and a variety of elevations (from about 3,000-5,000 ft. above sea level)Weather: most important factors are the fairly even amounts of solar radiation received throughout the year, topography and the prevailing northeasterly winds (Papagayo Winds)Seasons: differentiated by rainfall rather than temperature change

Rainy Season: May until November, however September and October are the rainiest monthsDry season: November to April are the driest months but there is still occasional rainfall especially in the South Pacific and Caribbean coastal regions

Summer: December through MarchWinter: June through August

Costa Rica Information (n.d.)Slide16

Standards Addressed

Connecticut Social Studies Curriculum Framework

1.4.10: Examine geographic factors that help explain historical events or contemporary issues.

2.5.8: Create maps of areas, regions or nations and provide relevant information.

Common Core State Standards

CCSS.RH.6-8.7: Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.CCSS.RST.6-8.3: Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks.CCSS.RST.6-8.9: Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations, video, or multimedia sources with that gained from reading a text on the same topic.Slide17

Pictures Referenced

Anywhere Costa Rica SA. (2007-2011).

Costa Rica

national parks

,

rivers, and reserves map. Retrieved on 8/2/11 from http://www.anywherecostarica.com/maps/parks-reserves-riversCosmic E.I.R. Ltda. john. (n.d.). Poas volcano, Doka Coffe Estate and Sarchi arts and graft. Retrieved on 8/2/11 from

http://www.tourscostarica.org/packages/view/san-jose/tours/poas-volcanodoka-coffe-estate-and-sarchi-arts-and-graft.html

Costa Rica Information. (n.d.).

Climate.

Retrieved on 8/3/11 from

http://costarica-information.com/nature/geology/climate

Costa

Rica Information. (n.d.). Costa Rica nature. Retrieved on 8/3/11 from

http://

costarica-information.com/nature/plants/plants

Costa Rica Information. (n.d.).

Ecosystems of Costa Rica.

Retrieved on 8/3/11 from

http://

costarica-

information.com/nature/ecosystems-of-costa-rica

Costa

Rica Study. (n.d.).

Costa

Rican

geography

. Retrieved on 8/2/11 from

http

://

www.costaricastudy.com/general/geography/geography.htm

Costa Rica Vacation Rentals. (2002-2011). Costa Rica

volcano's.

Retrieved on 8/2/11 from

http://

www.costarica-vacation-

getaway.com/vacation_rentals/169/costa_rica_volcano_s

Destination 360. (2011). Costa Rican frog. Retrieved on 8/3/11 from

http://

www.destination360.com/central-america/costa-rica/costa-

rican-frog

Geology.com. (2005-2011). Arenal

volcano

: Introduction. Retrieved on

8/2/11 from

http://geology.com/volcanoes/arenal

/

Ian Giddy. (2004). Cloudbridge Nature Reserve – Nature notes no. 2: Deforestation. Retrieved on 8/3/11 from

http://cloudbridge.org/deforestation.htm

ITA

. (1995-2010). Volcano

photos

.

Retrieved on 8/2/11 from

http://

www.geographic.org/photos/volcanoes/volcano_photos_252.html

The Nature Conservancy. (2011). Climate change = What we do: Creating incentives to stop deforestation.

Retrieved on 8/3/11 from

http

://

www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/urgentissues/climatechange/howwework/creating-incentives-to-stop-deforestation.xmlSlide18

References

Anywhere Costa Rica S.A. (2007-2011). Geography and weather table of contents. Retrieved on

8/3/11 from

http

://www.anywherecostarica.com/faq/topic/geography-weatherAnywhere Costa Rica SA. (2007-2011). National parks of Costa Rica. Retrieved on 8/2/11 from http://www.anywherecostarica.com/attractions/national-park?gclid=COGjzpWZsqoCFYnd4AodYXtQ-Q

Anywhere Costa Rica SA. (2007-2011).

Nature reserves of Costa Rica. Retrieved on 8/2/11 from

http

://

www.anywherecostarica.com/attractions/reserve

Arenal.net. (2002-2011). arenalnet. Retrieved on 7/30/11 from

http://www.arenal.net

/

Blog Oh Blog. (n.d.). Top 10 Costa Rica: Costa Rica information, activities and news – Volcanoes. Retrieved on 7/30/11 from

http://www.top10costarica.com/costa-rica-volcanoes/

CCSA. (2005). Costa Rica

national parks

: National

system

of

conservation areas

.

Retrieved on 8/2/11

from

http

://www.costarica-nationalparks.com

/

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). (2011). The world factbook: Central America and Caribbean-Costa Rica geography.

Retrieved on

8/3/11

from

https

://

www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cs.html

Common

Core State Standards Initiative. (2010). Common core state standards for

English

language arts & literacy in history/social

studies

, science, and technical

subjects

. Retrieved on 7/28/11 from

http

://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf

Connecticut State Department of Educaiton. (2009). Connecticut social

studies curriculum

framework grades PK-12. Retrieved on

7/28/11 from

http

://

www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/curriculum/socialstudies/ssfrmwk_10-6-09.pdf

Costa Rica Information. (n.d.). Costa Rica nature. Retrieved on

8/3/11 from

http://

costarica-information.com/nature

Ian Giddy. (2004). Cloudbridge Nature Reserve – Nature notes no. 2: Deforestation. Retrieved on

8/3/11 from

http

://

cloudbridge.org/deforestation.htmSlide19

References

Most

Clearing House: Best Practices. (n.d.). Housing program for rural areas (Foundation Costa Rica – Canada): Costa Rica.

Retrieved

on 8/3/11 from

http://www.unesco.org/most/centram5.htmNationMaster.com. (2003-2011). Central America and the Caribbean: Costa Rica-Geography. Retrieved on 8/3/11 from http://www.nationmaster.com/country/cs-costa-rica/geo-geographyU.S. State Department, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. (2011). Background note: Costa Rica. Retrieved on 8/3/11 from http://

www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2019.htm