Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
In general, support for land preservation remains high in Costa Rica because it provides
income and jobs to so many people, plus important opportunities for scientific investiga-
tion.
Pineapple plantation, Sarapiquí Valley
JOHN COLETTI / GETTY IMAGES ©
For maps and descriptions of the national parks, go to
www.costarica-nationalparks.com
.
Environmental Issues
No other tropical country has made such a concerted effort to protect its environment and
in 2012 a study published by Yale and Columbia Universities ranked Costa Rica in the top
five nations for its overall environmental performance. At the same time, as the global
leader in the burgeoning ecotourism economy, Costa Rica is proving to be a case study in
the pitfalls and benefits of this kind of tourism. The pressures of overpopulation, global
