The Ministry of Environment and Energy (Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía, SITRAMINAE) Workers Union and former Environment deputy minister, Mario Boza, announced that a new law aimed to restructure the management of national parks and wildlife refuges is being drafted.

Boza points out that several current issues regarding national parks, such as the absence of administrative or management policies, mismanagement and misuse of funds and decisions taken by budget authorities that obstruct processes, will be taken into consideration.

In addition, it also aims to redesign the ineffectively-structured hierarchical organization, the absence of community outreach projects, poor infrastructure, the inadequate execution of park funds and precarious working conditions endured by park rangers.

Boza explained that many developed countries use centralized national park management systems. Therefore, they are proposing that 70% of funds generated by national parks will be invested in the restoration of park services.

They have also suggested obtaining national and international credits in order to save parks from the poor conditions they currently face, especially in areas like infrastructure, staff working conditions and the threat to natural resources, among other issues.

MINAE’s workers claim that retired national park staff members are not replaced, adding even more work to an already small group of people.

Roberto Molina, SITRAMINAE’s general secretary, explained that funds allocated for national parks are insufficient and, in many cases, there is no budget for fuel or repair parts when a vehicle breaks down due to use, thereby affecting their ability to guard protected areas.

Source: Voice of Nosara by Oriana Ortiz