Lessons Canada Could Learn From Costa Rica Conservation: Policies of the 21st or 19th Century
Two nations heading in different directions.
One’s headed hell-bent back to the 19th century; one’s firmly in the 21st century.
The former is Canada. The latter is Costa Rica.
20 years ago, the roles were reversed. Canada was a vast country renowned for its wilderness and conservation ethos.
Costa Rica, on the other hand, was a tiny country bent on exploiting its forests to the point of near extermination. Just 20% of the country was still forested.
Fast forward to today.
My! What a difference a few years makes.
Canada’s Ruthless War on Its Wild Heritage
The Canadian politicians wants to expand tar sands drilling in Alberta to an area the size of North Caroline, cutting down gigantic areas of boreal forest and putting animals like the forest caribou at heavy risk.
The government’s plan? Shoot and poison l thousands of wolves that, for millenia, have contributed to the health of those very caribou by providing a balance of nature.
Researchers have voiced concerns that, unless controls are implemented, the ancient forests could be forever destroyed within a decade.
And what would take their place? Vast areas of toxic sludge housed in leaking dikes polluted with toxic chemicals like naphthenic acid and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH).
Life replaced with death.
Costa Rica Conservation: Making Peace with Nature
About 20 years ago, with its forests depleted just about 80%, Costa Rica set out on a different course: reject short-sighted exploitation and promote permanent sustainability.
Today, reforesting efforts receive enormous support from all levels of government and the general public, so much so that 46% of the country is now covered with forests once again. The reclamation of the forests has led to the return of animals not seen for many years by locals.
Just as significantly, Costa Ricans at the highest levels—-led by its former president, Oscar Arias—-have declared that it’s time to make peace with nature, warning:
“We cannot keep the peace if we are knocking down forests with tractors the size of tanks, promoting the extinction of many species before we even give them a name. Whether or not we come from countries at war, all of us are waging a war against our planet.”
Unlike its neighbour to the far north that appears hell-bent on returning to a vision fashionable in the 19th Century—-plunder today and let future generations fend for themselves—-Costa Rica refuses to allow oil drilling off its coasts, has pledged to being carbon neutral by 2020, replanting forests, and making peace with Nature.
A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt believed that the quintessential expression of patriotism was saving the wilderness for our descendants and refusing short term exploitation at the expense of future generations.
Apparently, Canada has not learned the lessons of history and the world is worse off for that shortsighted foolishness.
The author writes his fun and influential guide to vacations in Costa Rica from his home in tropical Costa Rica.One of the great pleasures of visiting a country dedicated to making peace with nature is the great Costa Rica ecotourism opportunities that will make your holiday really notable.
Author: Victor Krumm
This author has published 8 articles so far. More info about the author is coming soon.