With the installation of “bunker style” shelters, the Poas Volcano National Park became the 8th active volcano in the world to have these types of structures in place for the protection of visitors, affirmed Guillermo Alvarado Induni, specialist at the Technical Assessment Committee of Volcanology and Seismology of the National Emergency Commission (CNE).

The other volcanoes in the world that have similar shelters are Sakurajima, Ontake and Aso in Japan; Etna and Stromboli in Italy, Popocatépetl in México and Merapi in Indonesia.

The shelters also make the Poas Volcano the first National Park in Central America to have a risk management system in place. In addition to the shelters, protective equipment and real-time gas monitors will provide protection to ensure the safety of people in the event of a possible emergency.

“The route that was followed has allowed us to re-open the park with a management model that will make us stand out internationally as an innovative country in the area of tourist safety”, commented President Alvarado during the reopening of the park last week.

The investment for this project amounts to ¢77 million (approx. $135 thousand USD), obtained from the Second US-Costa Rica Debt-for-Nature Swap, administered by the Asociación Costa Rica por Siempre and the Service Operation and Tourist Assistance Trust administered by Fundecor with the SINAC Central Conservation Area.
Zdenka Piskulich, Executive Director of Asociación Costa Rica por Siempre, commented that “part of the mission of the second Debt-for-Nature Swap is to strengthen protected areas through the involvement of the communities”.

“That is why are not just supporting the reopening of the national park, but are also working to ensure that the residents are leaders in its management, and can diversify the economic activities in the region. They have received various training courses and will continue to receive our technical and financial support”.

According to experts, this model should be replicated in other sites with similar levels of risk in order to reduce vulnerability and guaranteeing minimal security to the visitors and staff at the Parks.

5 shelters were built: 3 new modules and 2 renovations and/or retrofits of the park’s existing infrastructure, such as the control house in the crater and the central hall in the health services area close to the crater area:

A 2.5×2.0 m refuge for 18 people at the crater.
A 2.5 x 2 m refuge for 18 people at the crater.
A 2.0 x 2.5 m refuge for 10 people at the crater.
A 1.5 x 3.2 m refuge for 8 people at the crater.
Enlargement and remodeling of the control house for 20 people (crater).
30 m2 of earthenware for the central health services module for 50 people.
4 wooden structures with shade cloth to keep tourists off the paths.

In the first three days after the Poas National Park reopened doors, it received more than 1500 visitors.

Tickets to visit the Poas Volcano now must be purchased online at the SINAC webpage.