Protected Areas Information
The northern part of Costa Rica is home to what is known as Water and Peace Biosphere Reserve, which was established as such in 2007 by UNESCO. The Reserve is bounded by the border with Nicaragua in the north, the south Central Volcanic Cordillera; Tilarán and Guanacaste Mountain Ranges to the west and the Sarapiqui River to the east. This area is comprised of the counties of San Carlos, Guatuso, Upala, Los Chiles, Sarapiqui and part of the counties of Zarcero, Grecia, Tilarán and Monteverde. This vast area is characterized by its biological diversity, rich water sources, and as one of the main areas of production of agriculture and livestock in Costa Rica. In addition, it is one of the primary tourism destinations of the country.
There are different categories of protected areas within the Water and Peace Biosphere Reserve, where a large variety of flora and fauna are protected, as well as numerous water sources and amazing tropical landscapes which are eternally green. The following protected areas form part of this Reserve and are available for you to visit through the packages that EcoTerra offers and other special packages.
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Arenal Volcano National Park
The Arenal Volcano National Park is located in the northern region of country in the Tilaran Mountains. It is located primarily in the San Carlos and San Ramon counties, and was created by the Executive Decree No. 20791-MIRENEM, on September 30, 1991. Its extension is 12.106 hectares.
It is an important aquifer recharge area, whose waters supply much of Lake Arenal to be used in the production of hydroelectric power and irrigation of agricultural fields in the province of Guanacaste.
The Park protects important species of flora and fauna of 4 different life zones, such as the tapir, the chestnut, the agouti, the puma, the red monkey, the howler monkey and the white-tailed deer.
In this important National Park it is possible to observe volcanic activity of the giant which shares its name with the park, the Arenal Volcano, which is currently the most active Volcano in Costa Rica and one of the most active in the world. The Arenal Volcano has remained in constant activity since 1968 and is visited by thousands of tourists looking to see this giant up close, each year.
The main area of visitation of the Park is the western sector, where you will find the entrance booth, Volcano observatory, restrooms, and trails which allow you to encounter the 1998 lava flows and enjoy the spectacular activity of the Arenal Volcano. We recommend that you visit the Arenal Volcano in the company of a certified guide.
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Juan Castro Blanco National Park
Located in the Alajuela province, east of Ciudad Quesada along the Central Volcanic Mountain Range, is the Juan Castro Blanco National Park. Has an area of 14,258 hectares. It was created by Law No. 7297, of April 22, 1992.
This national park is one the latest to be established in Costa Rica. It has an impressive major water resource for the northern area, both for human consumption, as well as for hydroelectric power generation. Many of the rivers that are tributaries of the San Carlos, which is the largest in the north and the fourth most important river in Costa Rica, are born here. The Park protects areas of primeval forest and recovery forest. In the forest that the park protects, it is possible to observe species like the quetzal, the black turkey, the howler monkey, puma, and a large variety of species of hummingbirds.
This national park is home to three areas of life; montane rain forest, wet montane and lower montane rain forest.
The only area that is conditioned to be visited by tourists is located in the area of San Jose de la Montana, near the town of Sucre. In this area we can find trails, a resort, lodging and a restaurant.
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Tenorio Volcano National Park
The Tenorio Volcano National Park was created on April 27, 1995 by the executive decree No. 24240-mirenem. The park has an area of 14,000 hectares and is located in the Guanacaste Volcanic Mountain Range. This park is comprised primarily of the volcanic complex which includes the Tenorio and Montezuma Volcanoes and land extensions in the provinces of Alajuela and Guanacaste.
In the Tenorio National Park there are 8 life zones present, which are home to an incredible amount of biodiversity including species of flora such as Parmentiera valerii, which is endemic to the Guanacaste Mountains and is characterized by flowers and fruits attached to its trunk and in turn represents a major part of the tapir’s diets. It is also possible to find species like the Yos, Pylon and May among others, as well as wildlife species such as the tapir, the agouti, crested hawk, white hawk, ocelots and howler monkeys.
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Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge
The Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge has an area of 9,940 hectares. It is located in the counties of Los Chiles and Guatuso in the province of Alajuela.
Caño Negro is considered one of the most important wetlands in Costa Rica and one of the most important bird migration sites in Mesoamerica. This Refuge is almost 80% flooded during the rainy season and during the dry season isolated lagoons remain where you can find species like alligators, Gaspar fish (considered a living fossil), guapote bass, tarpon and many other aquatic species.
The Rio Frio is the cause of these seasonal flooding, starting its journey in the mountains of the Tenorio National Park and flowing into Lake Nicaragua, at the point where the San Juan River begins its journey toward the Caribbean.
In Caño Negro it is also possible to observe a variety of species of tropical birds including Jaribu, storks, herons, ducks, boat-billed heron, green heron, and reptiles like the basilisk, green iguana, turtles, and mammals such sloth, monkey-faced monkeys, red monkeys and howler monkeys.
The sector of Los Chiles in the northern area of the Refuge is the area established for tourist visitation. From here you can take a boat tour through the refuge mainly along the Rio Frio. The other sector dedicated to tourism is in the northwestern section of the town of Caño Negro. Here the ranger station is located and accommodations are available.
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La Selva Station and Reserve
This reserve is located southeast of the town of Puerto Viejo, Sarapiqui, between Puerto Viejo and Sarapiqui Rivers in the lowlands of northern Costa Rica. La Selva has an area 1,600 hectares (3,900 acres) of rainforest and regeneration forest. This reserve is connected to the Braulio Carrillo National Park in the Central Mountain Range by a biological corridor.
La Selva was established in 1954 by Dr. Leslie Holdridge, who dedicated his farmlands to experimentation with mixed plantations for the improvement of natural resource management. In 1968, the property was purchased by the Organization for Tropical Studies and declared a private biological reserve and station. This station is one of the largest generators of information on tropical rain forest, thanks to the various investigations carried out each year.
The Organization for Tropical Studies (OET) offers visitors lodging and dining rooms, with food service, along with a wide network of well-maintained trails to discover the tropical forest. The most common tree species include the yellow almond, hawk, ojoche, and caobilla. It is quite common to observe peccary, agouti, green parrots and a variety of other bird species characteristic of this type of forest.
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