Eco-paradise of Costa Rica is Threatened
The development of the coast in northwest Costa Rica is so fast that it is staining the country’s fame as the eco-paradise of the world. Every year 1.4 million people visit Costa Rica, not anymore just for eco-tourism but for sand, surf and real estate.
With this many visitors every year, the developers sees a great opportunity to attract them with second homes in Costa Rica, resulting in rampant construction especially in formerly sleepy towns like Tamarindo, Quepos, Playas del Coco and Jaco.
Unfortunately poorly planned tourist developments could wreck the country’s reputation as an eco-paradise, as those places could transformed quickly into noisy sprawling resorts with golf courses and cruise ship ports, polluting the environment.
Half of COsta Rica’s monkey population has been lost since 12 years ago as the jungles have been touched by the developers.
Leatherback turtles are already having a hard time because of the light pollution in Tamarindo.
This is a very familiar issue in developing countries as their tourism industry grows and high-rise hotels are paved over greenery and virgin land.
by Elisheva Wiriaatmadja.
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