SINAC
Encyclopedia
| National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) 300m Sur Ulacit, Edificio Padilla San José, Costa Rica Tel: (506) 2522-6500 Web: http://www.sinac.go.cr |
SINAC the National System of Conservation Areas, or in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
the , is the Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
n National Parks administrator, and is part of the Ministry of Environment and Energy or MINAE
MINAE
MINAE, the Ministry of Environment and Energy or in Spanish , is part of the government of Costa Rica.-Agencies:*SINAC - National System of Conservation Areas*DGGM - Geology and Mining General Directorate...
. Created in 1994 it combined previously three separate organisations that had previously managed law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
s relating to National Parks, Wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
and Forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
.
SINAC oversees over 160 protected areas, of which 26 are designated National Parks. Other areas are designated wildlife refuges, biological reserves, national monuments, forest reserves, national wetlands, and protected zones.
The entire country of 12,596,690 acres (50,977 km²) is under the jurisdiction of eleven large Conservation Areas which were created in 1998, overseen by divisions of SINAC. Over 25% of the national territory i.e. 3,221,636 acres (13,037 km²) is included in the national parks, refuges and protected zones within these eleven Conservation Areas.
Costa Rica's progressive policies on environmental protection and sustainable eco-tourism in the National Parks System have been lauded as a model for other countries. The rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
s, tropical forests, marine areas and wetlands of Costa Rica are the subject of many university and scientific organization studies. The enrichment of the world's knowledge of these important habitats
Habitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
is an invaluable contribution from the conservation efforts of the various organisations involved.
Conservation Areas
- Guanacaste Conservation AreaGuanacaste Conservation AreaGuanacaste Conservation Area is an administrative area which is managed by SINAC for the purposes of conservation in the northwestern part of Costa Rica. It contains three National Parks, as well as wildlife refuges and other nature reserves...
, including Santa RosaSanta Rosa National ParkSanta Rosa National Park, in Spanish the , is a national park, part of the Area de Conservación Guanacaste World Heritage site, in the northern western part of Costa Rica, originally created to protect the scene of the Battle of Santa Rosa, at its eastern edge lies the Interamerican Highway where...
, Rincón de la ViejaRincón de la Vieja Volcano National ParkRincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park, in Spanish , part of the Guanacaste Conservation Area and the Area de Conservación Guanacaste World Heritage Site, is a National Park in the northwestern part of Costa Rica which encompasses the Rincón de la Vieja and Santa María volcanoes, as well as the...
and GuanacasteGuanacaste National Park (Costa Rica)Guanacaste National Park, in Spanish , is part of the Area de Conservación Guanacaste World Heritage Site, is a National Park in the northern part of Costa Rica, from the slopes of the Orosí and Cacao volcanoes west to the Interamerican Highway where it is adjacent to the Santa Rosa National Park....
National Parks - Arenal Huetar Norte Conservation AreaArenal Huetar Norte Conservation AreaArenal Huetar Norte Conservation Area is an administrative area which is managed by SINAC for the purposes of conservation in the northern part of Costa Rica. It contains a National Park, and number of Wildlife refuges and Forest Reserves...
including the Juan Castro Blanco National ParkJuan Castro Blanco National ParkJuan Castro Blanco National Park is a National Park, part of the Arenal Huetar Norte Conservation Area, in the northern part of Costa Rica about 100 km north of San José, to the east of Ciudad Quesada in Alajuela Province. It contains the active Platanar Volcano as well as the dormant Porvenir... - Central Volcanic Conservation AreaCentral Volcanic Conservation AreaCentral Volcanic Conservation Area is an administrative area which is managed by SINAC for the purposes of conservation in the central part of Costa Rica, notably the volcanic areas of the Cordillera Central...
including the Braulio CarrilloBraulio Carrillo National ParkBraulio Carrillo National Park is a National Park of the Volcanic Cordillera Conservation Area in Costa Rica located on the eastern edge of the central volcanic corridor between San José and Puerto Limón. It is accessible from the Limon Highway, which bisects the park running roughly east-west,...
, Irazú VolcanoIrazú Volcano National ParkIrazú Volcano National Park, or in Spanish the ', is a National Park in the Central Volcanic Conservation Area of Costa Rica that encompasses the area around the Irazú Volcano in Cartago Province which incorporates what used to be the Ruben Torres Rojas Forest Reserve now called the Prusia Forest...
, Poás VolcanoPoás Volcano National ParkPoás Volcano National Park, in Spanish , is a National Park that covers an area of approximately ; the summit is . One of the attractive features about Poás is that you can get all the way to the edge of the crater...
and Turrialba VolcanoTurrialba Volcano National ParkTurrialba Volcano National Park, or in Spanish the ' is a National Park in the Central Volcanic Conservation Area of Costa Rica that encompasses the area around the Turrialba Volcano in Cartago Province...
National Parks as well as the Guayabo National MonumentGuayabo National MonumentGuayabo National Monument is a national monument in the Central Volcanic Conservation Area in the Cartago Province of Costa Rica that covers the largest archaeological site in the country... - Tortuguero Conservation AreaTortuguero Conservation AreaTortuguero Conservation Area is an administrative area which is managed by SINAC for the purposes of conservation in the northeastern part of Costa Rica...
including Tortuguero National ParkTortuguero National ParkTortuguero National Park is a National Park within the Tortuguero Conservation Area. The reserve is also included in the Humedal Caribe Noreste, a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. The park is located in the Limón Province of northeastern Costa Rica... - Tempisque Conservation AreaTempisque Conservation AreaTempisque Conservation Area is an administrative area which is managed by SINAC for the purposes of conservation in the western part of Costa Rica, including the Tempisque River valley and the Nicoya Peninsula...
including Barra HondaBarra Honda National ParkBarra Honda National Park is a national park in the western part of Costa Rica, which forms part of the Tempisque Conservation Area about 12 km from the Tempisque River. It was created in 1974 to protect its famous cave systems, under the Barra Honda Peak which was formed when islets from the...
, Las BaulasLas Baulas National Marine ParkThe Las Baulas National Marine Park, also the Playa Grande Marine Turtle National Park or in Spanish is a Nature Reserve of Costa Rica, part of the Tempisque Conservation Area, and covers approximately 54,000 acres marine near the town of Tamarindo. It supports the largest nesting colony of...
and Palo VerdePalo Verde National ParkThe Palo Verde National Park, in Spanish is a National Park of Costa Rica, part of the Tempisque Conservation Area, that contains much of the area of the valley of the Tempisque River and covers an area of 45,492 acres in Guanacaste Province, 30 km west of Canas...
National Parks - Arenal Tilaran Conservation AreaArenal Tilaran Conservation AreaArenal Tilaran Conservation Area is an administrative area which is managed by SINAC for the purposes of conservation in the central part of Costa Rica, near the Arenal Volcano and covering the Cordillera de Tilarán...
including the Arenal
Volcano
Arenal Volcano National Park
Arenal Volcano National Park is a Costa Rican national park in the central part of the country, forming the Arenal Tilaran Conservation Area. The park encompasses the Arenal Volcano, the most active in the country, which had previously been believed to be dormant until a major eruption in 1968...
and Tenorio Volcano
Tenorio Volcano National Park
Tenorio Volcano National Park is a National Park in the northern part of Costa Rica, which forms part of the Arenal Tilaran Conservation Area. The jewel of the National Park is the volcano, from which it receives its name...
National Parks
- Central Pacific Conservation AreaCentral Pacific Conservation AreaCentral Pacific Conservation Area is an administrative area which is managed by SINAC for the purposes of conservation in the southwestern part of Costa Rica, on the Pacific coast...
including the Manuel AntonioManuel Antonio National ParkManuel Antonio National Park, in Spanish the Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, is a small National Park in the Central Pacific Conservation Area located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, just south of the city of Quepos, Puntarenas, and from the national capital of San José...
, CararaCarara National ParkCarara National Park is a National Park in the Central Pacific Conservation Area located near the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.Carara National Park was established on April 27, 1978 as a biological reserve, but its growing popularity after 1990 forced the government to upgrade its category to...
and La CangrejaLa Cangreja National ParkLa Cangreja National Park, until 2002 the Cerro de la Cangreja Protected Zone, is a National Park in the Central Pacific Conservation Area located near the Pacific coast of Costa Rica that protects tropical forest in the Puriscal Canton region of the Cordillera de Talamanca.Park-related websites...
National Parks - Pacific La Amistad Conservation AreaPacific La Amistad Conservation AreaPacific La Amistad Conservation Area is an administrative area which is managed by SINAC for the purposes of conservation in the southern part of Costa Rica, on the Pacific side of the Continental Divide...
including ChirripóChirripó National ParkChirripó National Park is located in the middle portion of the Talamanca Range of Costa Rica, approximately 30 km northeast from the city of San Isidro del General. It protects a number of important ecosystems on the Costa Rican Pacific slope and is notable for including the largest extension...
and TapantíTapantí National ParkTapantí National Park, sometimes called Orosí National Park, is a National Park in the Pacific La Amistad Conservation Area of Costa Rica located on the edge of the Talamanca Range, near Cartago. It protects forests to the north of Chirripó National Park, and also contains part of the Orosí River...
National Parks - Caribbean La Amistad Conservation AreaCaribbean La Amistad Conservation AreaCaribbean La Amistad Conservation Area is an administrative area which is managed by SINAC for the purposes of conservation in the eastern part of Costa Rica, on the Caribbean coast...
including the BarbillaBarbilla National ParkBarbilla National Park is a National Park in the Caribbean La Amistad Conservation Area of Costa Rica located on the eastern slopes of the Cordillera de Talamanca...
and CahuitaCahuita National ParkCahuita National Park is a national park in the Caribbean La Amistad Conservation Area of Costa Rica located on the southern Caribbean coast in Limón Province, connected to the town of Cahuita...
National Parks and La Amistad International ParkLa Amistad International ParkThe La Amistad International Park, or in Spanish , formerly the La Amistad National Park, is an Transboundary Protected Area in Latin America, management of which is shared between Costa Rica and Panama, following a recommendation by UNESCO after the park's inclusion in the World Heritage Site...
which is shared with PanamaPanamaPanama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
and Pacific La Amistad Conservation Area - Osa Conservation AreaOsa Conservation AreaOsa Conservation Area is an administrative area which is managed by SINAC for the purposes of conservation in Costa Rica, on the southern Pacific coast region...
including CorcovadoCorcovado National ParkCorcovado National Park is a National Park on the Osa Peninsula in the South West of Costa Rica , which is part of the Osa Conservation Area. It was established on 24 October 1975, and encompasses an area of 425 km² . It is widely considered the crown jewel in the extensive system of national...
and Piedras BlancasPiedras Blancas National ParkPiedras Blancas National Park is a national park part of the Osa Conservation Area. It is found in the Puntarenas Province of southern Costa Rica near the town of La Gamba. It protects rainforests and beaches near the Golfo Dulce on the Pacific Coast. It used to operate as part of the Corcovado...
National Parks - Cocos Island Marine Conservation Area which maintains just the Cocos Island National Park
External links
- Tortuguero Conservation Area dependency of SINAC
- Map showing conservation area at Costa Rica National Parks