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Costa Rica : Ecotourism and Sustainability: The Caribbean Coast Experience (CLOSED)
July 21, 2007
- July 31, 2007
Costa Rica is a study in contrasts. Stunning scenery, abundant natural resources and diverse wildlife has made Costa Rica an immensely popular tourism destination in the past decade. With its extensive network of national parks, Costa Rica's name is in the forefront of the international conservation movement and has become synonymous with "ecotourism": socially responsible travel that theoretically conserves the environment while improving the welfare of the local people. With this reputation, it is not surprising that tourism has become Costa Rica's most important source of revenue.
Unfortunately, the country's heavy reliance on tourism has produced serious social and environmental problems. The extensive development of natural areas for tourism has caused the destruction of ecosystems and the displacement of local people whose livelihood depended on those natural resources. The government's insistence on attracting foreign investors has promoted the unrestrained development of beach resorts and real estate projects. This, in turn, has produced conflicts over land and water resources with peasants and local communities. The sexual exploitation of local women and children constitutes yet another distressing repercussion of Costa Rica's unregulated tourist industry.
Its natural wealth, ironically, has also led to other environmental destructive ventures. Oil exploration threatens to destroy fragile coastal ecosystems. Multinational fruit companies and US corporate backed cattle industries are responsible for a deforestation rate in Costa Rica second to none. The government's open door policy to foreign investors has promoted bioprospecting and the spread of genetically modified crops, activities that not only place the country's biodiversity in danger but also affect the local communities' health.
Join Global Exchange on a Reality Tour to Costa Rica as we travel across this naturally rich and strikingly beautiful country, examine the social and environmental problems Costa Ricans are facing, witness their resistance to the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and meet the important players who are creating sustainable solutions. The local solutions to these challenges will inspire our action and involvement with these issues.
Note: The activities of this trip could be physically straining. If you have any health concerns, please contact the program coordinator.
Read about our local trip facilitator in Costa Rica.
Program Highlights:
- Learn about turtles' arrival, egg laying and hatching in Parque Nacional Tortuguero in the Caribbean area.
- Visit the Bambuzal peasants' farm and find out about their fight against the banana transnational Standard Fruit.
- Meet with local leaders committed to preserving their coastal resources against oil exploration activities in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.
- Meet with ADELA members (Actions Against Oil Development); learn about their strategies against Harken in face of an eventual ratification of CAFTA.
- Discuss the anti-CAFTA resistance movement in Costa Rica with an expert on the field.
- Hike through the Kekoldi Indigenous Reserve and the Gandoca-Mazanillo Wildlife Refuge.
- Enjoy a short expedition into the secrets of Native Costa Ricans medicinal plants and realize about the threat against their seeds in the context of CAFTA.
- Learn about the culture of the Bribri people, their customs and cosmology and about the struggles the community faces to maintain their ancient culture.
- Learn about the medicinal and edible uses of many of the trees, fruit, and plants in Costa Rica.
- Stay at a rustic lodge run by a peasant's cooperative and enjoy the incomparable emotion of being surrounded by the sounds of the jungle.
- Note: Additional eco-tour activities are available upon request. Related costs and participation are not part of the GX program.
- Read a sample itinerary -- Note: this is a tentative itinerary and is subject to change. The strong focus on the repercussion of the implementation of CAFTA is not included in this sample itinerary
Cost:
$1500
Price Includes:
- Double-room accommodations. Single rooms are available for an additional $200.
- Two meals per day
- Transportation to and from all programmed activities
- Bilingual trip leader
- Entrance fees, program activities and honoraria to NGOs
- Preparatory reading materials.
- Price does not include: international airfare, lunches, tips and personal expenses.
- When booking your flight to San Jose, Costa Rica, PLEASE make sure to arrive before or at 12 pm on July 21st. Activities will start right after this pick up time.
How to Register:
To secure your space on this trip, please submit your registration form and a deposit of $200 two months before departure. A late fee of $50 will be applied for late registration. Deposits are non-refundable but transferable for up to one year toward the cost of another tour. Payments by check, Mastercard or Visa are welcome.
This trip will be as diverse as possible in terms of race, age and life experiences. We strongly urge people of color to apply. A limited number of partial scholarships are available for low-income applicants.
Make your reservation online now!
Contact Cristina with any questions about this trip,
or call toll-free 1-800-497-1994 ext. 221.
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