Costa Rica’s Newest Member of UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves Hosts Many of the Country’s Natural Highlights.
The lush greenery of the tropical rainforest covers the whole path from the restful hillsides to the wonders of the Pacific coast. Along the way, thousands of species find their footing in such a rich environment, from the colorful flora that garnishes the immense trees to exotic birds that overfly the blue skies. This description applies to many stretches of Costa Rica’s Central and Southern Pacific Zone, widely regarded as the country’s haven for biodiversity due to its expansive protected areas and ideal tropical climate.
Just a couple of years ago, the Pacific zone’s standing as the world’s most biologically diverse area was upheld with a new recognition by UNESCO. In 2017, UNESCO’s International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Programme added a new Costa Rican reserve to the organization's World Network of Biosphere Reserves: Savegre Reserve.
The territory now known as the Savegre Biosphere Reserve spans 312,914 hectares in Costa Rica’s Central Pacific zone. According to the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC), Savegre hosts 20% of the country’s flora, 54% of its mammals, and 59% of its birds, making it an incredibly lively ecosystem only second to the Osa Peninsula in terms of density of biodiversity.
With the addition of Savegre, Costa Rica now hosts four UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, due to the previously established La Amistad National Park, the Central Volcanic Range, and the Agua y Paz Reserve in the Northern Zone, but this breathtaking stretch of the Pacific has the distinction of being the only Biosphere that includes a coastal environment. After all, Savegre Biosphere Reserve includes seven protected areas in Manuel Antonio National Park, Cerro Nara Protected Area, Portalón Wildlife Refuge, Hacienda Barú Wildlife Refuge, Los Santos Forest Reserve, Quetzales National Park, and Cerro Vueltas Biological Reserve.
Home to around 50,000 people and mainly known for its agriculture, livestock, and fishing, the Savegre area has begun to draw the attention of international visitors thanks to its innate interest as an ecotourism destination, an aspect that has only gained momentum since UNESCO’s designation.
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