This document discusses protecting the rainforests in Costa Rica. It notes that Costa Rica has high biodiversity but its rainforests are being cleared rapidly for logging, agriculture, and other land uses. About 20,000 acres are deforested annually. The Nature Conservancy is working to protect threatened areas in Costa Rica by involving local communities. The document encourages individuals to support rainforest protection groups and avoid purchasing products that contribute to deforestation.

1. Protecting Rainforests in Costa
Rica
Will Fitting

2. Did You Know
• Costa Rica holds 210 species of
mammals, about 878 species of
birds, 218 of reptiles, and over
35,000 species of insects
• 50 % of the worlds plants and
animals can be found in the
rainforest.
• They provide life’s essentials
such medicines, food, water and
most importantly, and readily
forgotten our AIR.
• Temperate and tropical
rainforests play a key role in
climate change helping to
regulate the Earth's
temperature and weather
patterns.
• These habitats need to be
protected so life as we know it
can sustain itself.

3. What’s Happening?
• Land is being cleared for
logging and agriculture at a
higher rate than anywhere
else in Costa Rica.
• Illegal logging, and poaching
and increased transportation
threaten the Osa Penninsula.
• About 20,000 acres of land are
deforested annually
• The production of grazing
land, is another major cause of
deforestation.
• Banana plantations also
contribute to the shrinking of
the Costa Rican wilderness

4. The Nature Conservancy
• Is working in places like
Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula
to protect these threatened
paradises by engaging
indigenous communities in
creative solutions that
balance the needs of people
with nature.

5. What can YOU do to help?
• Say NO to palm oil (found in
foods and beauty products
• Say NO to Costa Rican beef
• Avoid buying Mahogany,
Rosewood, and Ebony woods.
• Adopt a rainforest foundation
project (The Rainforest
Foundation, Skyrail, Rainforest
fund ect. )
• Spend time in the rainforest with
programs like Global Vision
International to understand how
important the rainforest is to our
earth.

6. Works Cited
• www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/urgentissues/r
ainforests/
• http://www.vivacostarica.com/costa-rica-information/
costa-rica-deforestation.html