Section San Juan – La Selva

The Costa Rican Bird Route Section San Juan – La Selva will be a low impact eco-tourism route that will connect bird watchers with bird habitat within the San Juan – La Selva Biological Corridor (CBSS).  The project will protect a minimum of 600 hectares of wildlife habitat for migratory birds, endangered species and biodiversity by creating six new private reserves of 100 hectares each, in the northeastern lowlands of Costa Rica. Each of these reserves will be linked to seven other existing reserves creating a circuit of bird watching sites ensuring the protection of over 1200 hectares of forest.  An informational guide and map to the sites of the Bird Route will be developed to promote each site and its unique features, and direct visitors to these sites.

Each landowner will enter into a contract with the CBSS-Executive Committee and the Rainforest Biodiversity Group (RBG), committing to abide by a Code of Ethics and a Property Management Plan developed by RBG with the landowner. In return the property owner will have his land enrolled into the Private Reserve Network of Costa Rica, and will be included in the Costa Rican Bird Route.  Inclusion in the bird route will provide marketing and promotion for all sites, which will attract visitors to the sites.  Visitors will pay for use of the reserve, creating an economic incentive for the protection of wildlife habitat.  As adjacent communities will provide visitors with access to food, lodging, transportation, guides, local culture, arts and crafts, they too will benefit from the creation of the Costa Rican Bird Route.

To create the San Juan – La Selva Biological Corridor actions are needed to protect and connect habitat, while developing environmentally friendly economic returns for the local population. The proposed Costa Rican Bird Route has great potential to achieve both these goals through an integrated approach to conservation and development.

For more information, contact

Andrew Rothman
(608) 698-3448
andrewrothman@yahoo.com