Thursday, June 9, 2011

The Changing Face of Costa Rica


     Even though it is just our first full day in Costa Rica, we have already heard all about the biodiversity of the rainforest and its changing patterns.  The rainforest just outside our eco lodge is a secondary rainforest, meaning it has been in the process of regrowth for the past 40 years. However, humans have ruined so much of the rainforest; for example, they bulldozed down hundreds of trees to expand their pastureland and they also planted the eucalyptus tree, which they use for paper. Unfortunately, these trees are poisonous to many plants and animals and have been reproducing so rapidly that they have taken over parts of the rainforest. 
    Ana Lorena has lived in this part of Coast Rica with her family for the past 34 years and has watched the forest and environment change before her eyes.  She said that she saw animals much more often many years ago and that the rivers were a lot wider.  She also said that there were fewer cars driving around and because there isn’t as much forest, the heat has drastically increased.  She thinks the heat is the biggest problem that could be solved by planting more trees along the river and fields.  This would also help the fertility of the land, which she has noticed decline severely in the past 34 years. She thinks the majority of the people living around this beautiful forest are genuinely concerned about the environment and forest; however, the wealthy urban citizens and business owners are not as troubled with this issue so there has not been as much improvement or motivation to increase awareness and fix this major concern.
    Talking with Ana Lorena and getting the chance to listen to a first hand account of the changing environment really did open our eyes to the extreme problems that the forest and Costa Rican citizens are experiencing.

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