Table of Contents
Executive Summary……………………………………………………………ii
Abbreviations……………………………………………………………………iv
List of Tables…………………………………………………………………….v
List of Maps……………………………………………………………………..vi
Introduction…………………………………………………………………..…1
Project Overview
Evaluation Criteria
Project Context ……..………………………………………………………….6
Introduction
Biodiversity Conservation in Costa Rica
National system of Conservation Areas (SINAC)
La Amistad-Pacific Region Conservation Area
Osa Conservation Area
Project Evaluation……………………………………………………………15
Introduction
Institutional Development Component
Scientific Investigation Component
Sustainable Development Component
Finance Component
Comments
Lessons Learned………………………………………………………………36
Project Design
Project Management and Administration
Financing
Participation
Integrated Regional Development Planning
Recommendations……………………………………………………………43
For Costa Rica
For GEF-UNDP
Literature Consulted…………………………………………………………48
Contacts List………………………………………………………………..…51
Terms of Reference……………………………………………………………52
Executive Summary
COS/92/G31/GEF/99
From June 1993 until July 1998 the Government of Costa Rica executed
the project, Conservation of Biodiversity and Sustainable Development in
the ‘La Amistad-Pacific Region’ and ‘Osa’ Conservation Areas. This
project—originally funded with US$7,993,381 from GEF-UNDP1, was to
“Contribute to the protection of important species and habitats of
biodiversity through support to the National System of Conservation Areas
(SINAC)” in four subject areas: 1) Strengthening of the operational
capacity of the National Park Service (57.89% of the budget); 2)
Organizing research programs on biodiversity and its economic potential
(21% of the budget); 3) Support for sustainable development activities in
the communities of the La Amistad-Pacific Region and Osa Conservation
Areas (13.5 % of the budget; and, 4) Developing self-financing
mechanisms built around ecotourism and research on biodiversity
(0.44% of the budget). The vast majority of these funds were to go to the
institutional strengthening of the National Park Service. However, in May
of 1995, SINAC was restructured and absorbed the functions and
budgets of the three primary institutions within the Ministry of
Environment and Energy (MINAE) concerned with the management of
renewable natural resources: the National Park Service, the General
Directorate of Forestry, and the Directorate of Wildlife. At this point the
Project became one of support to the institutional development of SINAC
rather than to support for the institutional strengthening of the National
Park Service.
Fewer than half the buildings for housing, administration, control,
operations, and research activities envisioned by the Project were
constructed (11 of 23) but these will substantially improve the living and
working conditions of SINAC field staff. Likewise, vehicles and other
equipment funded by the Project are in place although additional funds
for both vehicle and building maintenance will be required.
Several roads that provide access to the National Parks were improved
through cooperative efforts between the Project, government agencies,
municipalities and local communities.
Boundaries and trails for
Corcovado, Chirripó and La Amistad National Parks were surveyed,
cleared, and marked in the more accessible regions. However, the
buildings and trails were sited and built without the support of well
thought-out management plans for the National Parks. It is urgent that
such management plans be developed for these protected wild-lands and,
since planning is a continuous effort, National Park staff must be trained
to do this.
1
The final cost of the Project will be close to US$8,700,000.
ii
A new cartographic base for the two Conservation Areas was developed
with aerial photos taken under Project auspices and similar studies are
now anticipated for the remainder of the country using funding from
elsewhere. Although both Conservation Areas now have access to two
electronic information systems for improved administration of both
research and tourism, considerable work remains in training,
organization, and in raising the level of interest for field staff to make
these systems useful for their work. Information on the biodiversity
found in the National Parks of both Conservation Areas was significantly
increased as a result of thousands of specimens collected by
parataxonomists trained through the Project. Such data will be useful in
the long term, but equivalent effort on research and training aimed at
resolving specific management problems and for developing management
plans in the protected areas is equally urgent.
Trust funds were established that encourage a more neighborly form of
development in the privately occupied landscapes surrounding the
protected areas. Although somewhat deficient in terms of technical
support and orientation, local committees now evaluate and approve
proposals to use these Trusts for sustainable development projects in the
two Conservation Areas. The Trust Funds and the fact that SINAC
personal now live permanently in the local communities should begin to
improve relations with populations living outside of the protected areas.
On the other hand, relationships with the larger local and outside
resource users will probably continue to deteriorate and ways must be
found to also include them in the strategies and management plans for
the protected and buffer areas of both ACOSA and ACLAP.
The Project was completed two years behind schedule largely due to
setbacks caused by Hurricane Cezar but also because of early problems
in the execution of building design contracts, changes in national
government, reorganization of project administration, and a shift in the
make up of the institution that was to be strengthened through
execution of the Project. The difficulties in project design and
management found in this evaluation gave rise to a series of
recommendations concerning the conduct of future GEF projects in
Costa Rica and elsewhere. The more important of these
recommendations affect project design, reporting standards, monitoring,
and the validity of using the model of national execution for other GEF
projects of this size.
iii
Abbreviations
ACLAP
ACOSA
ASDI
IDB
COACODES
CR
DGF
DVS
FPN
FUCE
FUDEU
FUNDAFAC
FUNDEVI
GEF
GCR
INBio
MAB
MIDEPLAN
MINAE
MIRENEM
PILA
PIR
PN
ProAmbi
UNDP
Ramsar
SAPI
SAPT
SETENA
SINAC
SINACODES
SPN
UIAMbi
UCR
UNDP
UNESCO
La Amistad-Pacific Region Conservation Area
Osa Conservation Area
Swedish International Development Agency
Inter-American Development Bank
Conservation and Development Area Commission
Costa Rica
Forestry Directorate
Wildlife Directorate
National Parks Foundation
State Cooperation Foundation
Urban Development Foundation
Foundation for Development of the Engineering
School at the University of Costa Rica
Foundation for Development of Research at the
University of Costa Rica
Global Environment Fund
Government of Costa Rica
National Biodiversity Institute
Man and the Biosphere Program of UNESCO
Ministry for National and Economic Policy
Ministry of Environment and Energy
Ministry of Natural resources Energy and Mines
La Amistad International Park
Project Implementation Review
National Park
Foundation for the Biology School at UCR
United Nations Development Program
International Wetlands Convention
Research Support System
Tourism Support System
National Environmental Technical Secretariat
National System of Conservation Areas
National Conservation and Development Areas
System
National Parks Service
Environmental Impact Unit of the ProAmbi
Foundation
University of Costa Rica
United Nations Development Programme
United Nations Organization for Education, Science
and Culture
iv
List of Tables
Table 1: Protected areas of the La Amistad-Pacific Region
Conservation Area………………………………………………………..……..10
Table 2: Protected Areas of the Osa
Conservation Area………………………………………………………………13
Table 3: Construction Sites and Activities…………………………………20
Table 4: Actions taken with respect to the
Scientific Investigation Component..…………………………………………27
Box 1: Project
Achievements………………………………………………………………..………36
v
List of Maps
Map 1: Sistema Nacional de Areas de Conservación………………………7
Map 2: Area de Conservación La Amistad Pacifico……………...……….…11
Map 3: Area de Conservación Osa…………………………………...………..14
vi