Corcovado National Park has a unique biodiversity that needs to be protected. Therefore, as revealed by Costa Rican media Delfino, Osa’s neighbors are against the decision of the Osa Conservancy (ACOSA) to double the daily access to Sirena Station in Corcovado National Park. expressed concern.
Maximum daily visitors to this area of the park increased from 120 to 240 people, spread out over two shifts at 7am and 10am. This measure was implemented by ACOSA as Corcovado is a nature reserve recognized in our country and around the world. Thanks to its biological strength, this place has become a special place that attracts tourists.
Local communities also denounced the neglect of the Los Patos and La Leona areas and the increased use of the areas as transit points for drug trafficking. Neighbors report tourists flocking to the park’s entrances, restricting access to water and bringing large numbers of visitors to an area that is home to vast and sensitive wildlife.
The national park is home to several endangered species. They also pointed out that the decision was made after a series of workshops with park officials, but did not include experts, public authorities or researchers.
Furthermore, local residents believe that there is no environmental-technical basis to justify increasing carrying capacity and that no studies have been conducted on protected areas to demonstrate its impact.
Carlos Eduardo Castro Rojas, a Puerto Limenez resident and legal representative of Mena Coria and CONAC’s Ecoturistico La Tarde, said this increase in visitors meant that visitors had to wait longer to enter. During his time there, he said he had fewer opportunities to explore other local projects on the Osa Peninsula. The Sirena sector affects the entire rural tourism sector of the Osa Peninsula. “
“Visitors do not need to stay overnight in Osa as they can visit Corcovado and leave the peninsula in one day without using any services other than those related to the visit to Corcovado National Park,” he said. I did.
But while some hotel owners are happy because this increase means more income, small businesses are suffering.
The biggest risk would be that Corcovado would become a mass tourism destination, threatening the flora and fauna of one of the world’s most biodiverse and fragile ecosystems.
