Davis, Jason. “The Creation and Management of Protected Areas in Monteverde, Costa Rica.” Global Environment 3 (2009): 96–119.
Many scholars look at Monteverde’s protected-area experience, particularly the development of nature-based tourism, as evidence of the area’s success in conserving its natural resources and improving standards of living. However, it is problematic to use Monteverde as a direct model for successful conservation and development. The protected-area network grew out of a half-century of conservation initiatives driven by various local and international constituencies. Monteverde residents themselves have painted a balanced picture of the area’s challenges, including successful conservation and a rise in living standards as well as rapid and unplanned tourism development, socioeconomic imbalances, and threats to the ecological integrity of the region. The Monteverde experience underscores the possibilities and challenges inherent in achieving multiple conservation and development goals through protected areas. (Text part of the author’s abstract.)
All rights reserved. Made available on the Environment & Society Portal for nonprofit educational purposes only, courtesy of Gabriella Corona, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche / National Research Council of Italy (CNR), and XL edizioni s.a.s.