About the Osa Peninsula
The Osa Peninsula presents a unique and dynamic study site. Its broken terrain and relative isolation from Costa Rica's densely populated central valley have helped to maintain forest cover in what many consider to be the country's “last frontier”. The Peninsula has the last remaining Pacific coast lowland tropical rain forest in Central America. It is also considered one of the most important areas of the neo-tropical region for biodiversity. All together there are 12 distinct ecosystems. In some areas, a single hectare may contain over 200 tree species; in total more than 750 have been identified (more tree species are found on the Osa Peninsula than can be found in the entire United States). Animal life is as diverse as the plant life, and includes many rare and endangered species including jaguar, puma, ocelots, and the giant anteater. There are more than 375 species of birds (18 of which are endemic and several are rare); 40 species of freshwater fish; 120 species of reptiles and amphibians; and over 8,000 species of insects. The Costa Rican government has established an extensive system of conservation management areas in the region. Chief among them is Corcovado National Park, which covers nearly a third of the peninsula and has the largest population of the endangered scarlet macaw in the country and protects threatened species such as Baird's Tapir, Giant Anteater, and five of the six cat species. A forest reserve was created in 1978 in order to promote sustainable forest management on the 61,350 hectares of steep slopes and thin soils surrounding the national park. All together, 80% of the peninsula (160,000 hectares) is legally protected in some form and only 20%, or 40,000 hectares, is not subject to land-use restrictions. Human settlement on the Osa Peninsula has historically been limited and remains sparse today. Most inhabitants live in the commercial port town of Puerto Jimenez (pop. 3500) and the agricultural community of La Palma. Thousands more used to live in the smaller villages scattered throughout the forest reserves, though many of these people have since migrated to larger towns and cities. Despite its geographic isolation and relatively few inhabitants, the Osa's forested hills, marine waters, and eclectic inhabitants have attracted national and international media attention during the past thirty years. Since 1992 alone, the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior on two occasions has anchored off the main dock of Puerto Jimenez. It first came in response to an invitation by local and national community groups to help fight the construction of a large woodchip mill on the shores of the Sweet Gulf. According to local activists, the mill would have damaged the marine ecology along with the economic and social development of the region. The Costa Rican government eventually took away the chip mill company's permits and the mill was never built. The ship returned in 1998 to support community groups that were fighting the indiscriminate logging of the peninsula's old-growth forest by outside logging interest. When the campaign began, a study determined that over 180 logging permits had been issued. Following a lengthy and spirited two year battle, most of the logging permits were suspended, many then cancelled and very few new ones issued since. The challenges to protect the regions natural wealth and promote sustainable development alternatives continue to this very day. Lands surrounding and linking the Osa Peninsula's national parks are critical to the eventual creation of a Mesoamerican biological corridor. Numerous local, national, and international groups are coordinating their efforts to secure funding, resources, and support to implement conservation and sustainable development programs. |
Apply now and receive "early admission discounts!" ALL EDUCATORS attending any E.E. Just Institute are eligible to receive graduate credit! KUA is a 2006 recipient for the National Association of Independent School's “Leading Edge Award” for Environmental Sustainability! Read more! Read today's top environmental stories! |
