Costa Rica is sometimes called "The Switzerland of Central America," certainly because of the magnificent mountains and scenery each possesses. Undoubtedly, the comparison is meant to be flattering to the little Central America country but Switzerland and all of Mother Earth would be better off if it were called "The Costa Rica of Europe," at least in terms of ecology and emphasis on preserving animal life.
There was a time, long, long ago, when both nations had abundant wildlife. Switzerland had bears, wolves, lynx, chamois, and deer but the predators were killed off hundreds of years ago. About a century ago, the last unfortunate bear, perhaps one that wandered into the country, was killed. Apparently, there simply was not room enough in this bucolic country for all of God's creatures and Man.
About 20 years before becoming one of America's greatest presidents, Theodore Roosevelt, always seeking adventure, trekked the Swiss Alps. Surely the scenery was breathtaking but Roosevelt was shocked by the paucity of life. The experience changed him and, as it developed, America forever because when he was elected President, he created the National Park System. Switzerland's lack of vision brought his into sharp focus.
Costa Rica Vacations could have gone the way of Switzerland but took a radically different approach. You see, while Switzerland has few remaining animals, little Costa Rica is bursting at the seams. Just the size of West Virginia, so small it can be driven from the Nicaragua border to Panama in a few hours, Costa Rica has nearly twenty percent of all the species of plants and animals on the globe.
Think about it. One of every five kinds of plant on earth calls Costa Rica home. One of every five species of animal on earth is found in Costa Rica. There are nearly as many species of birds in Costa Rica as in the entire 48 continental states. Gigantic Africa has a lot of different kinds of butterflies but Costa Rica has more: more than South Africa, more than Namibia, Mozambique,Tanzania, more than all of the countries combined in Africa. All in all, somewhere between 500,000 and a million species of plant and animal, including more than 2,000 different kinds of orchids exist in the Land of Pura Vida!
Of course, there was a time when several Central American countries were like Costa Rica Vacations. Impenetrable forests stretching from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Jungles and coasts filled with life. Wild, remote, extraordinary diversity of life, Tropical Eden. Easy pickings.
So, one by one, countries to the north and countries to the south chose exploitation. Quick gain, quick riches. The great forests were cut and burned, north to south, east to west, coast to coast, under the mistaken belief that unfettered development would bring prosperity. Unfortunately, it perpetuated grinding poverty to most except huge landowners, many of which were foreign companies.
Wildlife was terribly exploited. Great caravans of pack animals carried off hundreds of millions of turtle eggs each year from Mexican (and other Central and South American) beaches, leaving nothing behind. So great was the robbery that within two decades some beaches went from more than 100,000 nests to two. Sea turtles were mercilessly slaughtered so that a portion of their shell could be sent to Japan and Europe to make expensive shoes or knick knacks in American tourist shops. Manificent tropical birds were decimated for the American and European pet trades.
While its neighbors were burning their forests and destroying their natural heritage, Costa Rica elected to restore its jungles. Sustainability replaced exploitation. Within the last three decades, and despite a per capita income just a fraction of Switzerland or other First World countries it has:
a. Planted so many trees that its forests have grown more than 20%, resulting in the return of wildlife not seen in decades; b. Set aside more than a quarter of the country as parks, reserves, and refuges. No other country has even come close; c. Announced that by 2021 it will be the world's first carbon neutral country (and in the upcoming Copenhagen climate change world conference will announce how it plans to do so); d. Created the world's largest green sea turtle preserve on its Caribbean Coast and the world's largest olive ridley sea turtle preserve on its Pacific Coast. e. Risen to the very top of the world's "Happy Index", a measure of a country's health, satisfaction with life, and devotion to preservation and development of sustainable resources. f. Embraced ecotourism in Costa Rica Vacations, the result of which has been to replace exploitation with sustainability. It has recognized that, quite literally, plants and animals are worth far more alive to the country's tourist industry than exploited for the benefit of a few.
In 1519, the Spanish Governor of Costa Rica wrote that it was the "the poorest and most miserable Spanish colony in all Americas." My, how things have changed! One day, perhaps Switzerland will be called "The Costa Rica of Europe" if it takes to heart the lessons the little Latin American country has to offer about ecotourism. I'm optimistic because, after all, it invented the Swiss Army Knife. Victor C. Krumm writes from stunning Costa Rica in his popular Costa Rica Vacations site. Wondering what to do if you travel to Costa Rica? Start here for Things to Do In Costa Rica
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