Costa Rica Government Threatens to Undermine Leatherback Preserve

Back in 1989, the World Turtle Trust, then called the Honu Project, journeyed to Costa Rica to make a video documentary about a potential new national park designed to protect the leatherback sea turtle, which is highly endangered. In part due to the influence of our documentary For All Time, Las Baulas de Guanacaste National Park was formed to protect Playa Grande, an important nesting beach for the leatherbacks on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.
 
In early October of 2008, we heard from Judy Zabriskie, the education director for the Las Baula Leatherback Sea Turtle Project at Playa Grande, asking for our assistance in putting pressure on the Costa Rica government. Following is her report and request:
 
While developers with deep pockets jockey for prime building spots to construct the next generation of "eco" lodges along Playa Grande in Las Baulas Marine National Park, it's up to the public to convince the Costa Rican Congress to stop them.
 
Please urge the Congressional Environment Commission to make the right decision, by issuing a negative review and tabling proposals 16.915 and 16.916, both of which seek to amend the Law that created the Park in 1995. Such amendments would allow beachfront developments, inevitably and permanently altering the Eastern Pacific leatherback's last known nesting site.

 
Judy urges readers to send a letter via FAX or email. Following is a sample letter:
Costa Rica created Las Baulas National Park by Law in 1995, acknowledging its sole responsibility as the depositary of the last leatherback nesting beach in the Eastern Pacific. Unfortunately, I'm aware that this Honorable Commission is studying two proposals (16.915 and 16.916) to amend the Law and reduce the Park's boundaries, allowing developments that would alter critical leatherback nesting habitat. I'm also aware of the State Attorney's and the Constitutional Court's rulings, both of which mandate the Government of Costa Rica to immediately proceed with the expropriation of lands within the Park's boundaries for their permanent protection. I therefore urge this Commission to stand by the aforementioned Court rulings, issue a negative review of the proposals and proceed to table them.

 
Send personal letters by FAX or email to:

Maureen Ballesteros
President of the Congressional Environment Commissions
Costa Rica
FAX (506) 2243-2433
Email: hduran@asamblea.go.cr
with a CC to: info@pretoma.org


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