Here Alvaro Ugalde, the father of Costa Rican Conservation tells us more concerning the rapid resort development affecting endangered species, including Jaguars.

Alvaro is asking us to send letters to the Costa Rican President asking him to protect the Osa Biological Corridor. While The Nature Conservancy and other groups have been working to create a biological corridor between the Piedras Blancas and Corcovado Parks, speculators and developers have been moving in to buy up crucial lands needed for this effort.

Here’s Don Ugalde on what’s currently taking place:

Project #1 The Laguna Sierpe Development Project
The project is called Finca Lago Manatí Osa
Current Owners: Renaciendo en el Cerro Paraguas Muriseca, S.A.
This Project is within the Reserva Forestal and also within the Sierpe-Térraba Ramsar Wetlands, a precious, unique and sensitive area.

Friends visited the site via a boat in the lagoon in early September and took photos. Recently they hired a private plane and took aerial photos. I’m horrified that this project was happening as it will have devastating impacts on this lagoon which is so important to the Sierpe River, the wetlands and the local inhabitants. It is one of the primary nursery areas for fish and crocs, is abundant with wetlands and the birds that inhabit them.

The project has put in 2 bridges to access the point where they have been creating their project, rerouting the water flows of the wetlands, and have built roads directly above the edge of the wetlands and lagoon. They are constructing a building and have several building sites levelled, all with views of the lagoon, some within 10-20 meters of the water edge.

Project #2 Development Project in Los Mogos
Owner: Yacamar S.A.

This Project is entirely within the Reserva Forestal Golfo Dulce, and the Osa Biological Corridor.