Biodiversity: the Loss or Gain is your Choice

Can it even be saved?

When it comes to climate change and its horrible effects, three types of people emerge; those who believe economic gain trumps the environment, those who chain themselves to trees and a very large apathetic group who seems to represent too many people in our world today. Now although the first two types are gross stereotypical assumptions the last is only too true and the affects of these masses can be felt by the biodiversity everywhere as we sit back and allow for such atrocities to occur. Biodiversity loss, as defined by the diversity of species and ecosystems is rapidly becoming an issue as man continues to plough through forests for economic gain. This not just kills thousands of plant species but also displaces thousands of ecosystem specific animals who eventually are driven to extinction. We may not be the ones who actually mark hectares of trees to be cut down all over the world but we condone it when we use atrocious amounts of paper and do not recycle.

"The economic gain trumps the environment person"

"The apathetic person"

"The Tree Hugger person"

Ignoring the study guide questions at the the top of the website check out the amazing images that the website below uses to illustrate some of the devastating effects of habitat loss on biodiversity. http://morriscourse.com/elements_of_ecology/chapter_28.htm

In some regard these apathetic people seem justified with the apathetic attitude they maintain. This is so because, when we look at the devastation that is our world right now with all of the problems that need to be fixed, all we see is disaster with no solution. There is so much destruction and so little time to fix it. However, this is the exact attitude that will eventually kill biodiversity. We have the power to kill and destroy to our earth, our climate, our forests and our biodiversity, therefore we must equally have the power to triumph over our past evils, rise up and save our biodiversity.

And it can be done. Over the last decade more and more countries have taken the initiative to begin the process of maintaining biodiversity. One of the most active countries in the world is Costa Rica. By exemplifying this case study I am arguing biodiversity is too precious to give to up. We have the choice to save it and Costa Rica is a prime example of a country that is working hard and beginning to save the biodiversity.

Costa Rica itself is only 51.100 km2, about 0.03% of the planet’s surface and in that small amount of space Costa Rica has 500,000 different species totaling 4% of the species list. Because of the mass destruction of its rainforests this biodiversity hotspot lost so much diversity that apparent need for an environmental action plan became widely known. Today 25% of Costa Rica is protected land of some sort.

See the table below and check out http://www.costarica-nationalparks.com/ for more details.

Category	Amount	Area (ha)	% of National Territory
National Parks	25	623.771	12.23%
Biological Reserves	8	21.674	0.42%
Protected Zones	32	155.817	3.06%
Forest Reserves	11	227.834	4.47%
Wildlife Refuges	58	180.035	3.53%
Wetlands/Mangroves	15	77.869	1.53%
Other Categories	12	17.306	0.34%
Totals:	161	1.304.306	25.58%

Costa Rica is divided into three main categories, the general Costa Rica, 11 main conservations established by SINAC and finally buffer zones which some scientists claim are the largest contributor to maintaining biodiversity. The buffer zones are important because they provide a larger space for the animal species to travel than just the national parks, encouraging biodiversity.

Check out this link that discusses buffer zones http://philip.greenspun.com/cr/moon/conservation and check out the map below for the breakdown of the 11 conservations and the 25 National Parks.

View Costa Rica Conservations and National Parks in a larger map

Costa Rica is becoming a success story with regards to environmental issues and therefore I argue that biodiversity can be saved and we have the means to do it. The video below is one that I made expressing my belief that we need to continue to preserving biodiversity or the unfortunate will happen. Many of the pictures are from Costa Rica capturing the beauty of the 11 conservations and the major issue still left to deal with. Overall the biodiversity of the world needs the masses to step forward and help conserve. Saving it is a possibility but it must be done through teamwork.