Conservation
Illegal clear-cuts within the park has created access for poachers to the once isolated second largest Green sea turtle nesting beach in the world. Other threats are due to cutting of Manicaria spp. for use as roofing material, change of river course deforestation, siltation as a result of banana plantations and illegal hunting by outside agencies. The last named threat is most serious and the most affected species are: Agouti paca, Tayassu pecari, Tapirus bairdii, Odocoileus virginianus, Dasypus novemcinctus and marine turtles and their eggs. Some of the developmental activities reported to be directly affecting the park environment are; a hydroelectric project; the new international port of Barra del Parismina; and an interlinking project linking the canals to the Pacific and the Caribbean.
Conservation measures proposed in the core area of the larger Area de Conservación y Desarrollo Sostenible de Llanuras del Tortuguero (ACTo), encompasses the Tortuguero National Park, the Barra del Colorado Wildlife Reserve (40,315 ha) and a border reserve (11,092 ha). The Ministry for the Environment and Energy (MINAE) has the responsibility to manage the project. In 1990-1992, conservation projects were undertaken with the initiative of the Project the Ministry for the Environment and Energy (MINAE) and the European Union (EU), and were implemented by IUCN. The project envisaged "the organisation of land use and agro-forestry, conservation of aquatic resources, strengthening of social structures, facilitating research development, and protecting existing natural and cultural resources."
Read more about this topic: Tortuguero Protected Zone
Famous quotes containing the word conservation:
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“The putting into force of laws which shall secure the conservation of our resources, as far as they may be within the jurisdiction of the Federal Government, including the more important work of saving and restoring our forests and the great improvement of waterways, are all proper government functions which must involve large expenditure if properly performed.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)