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Assessment, Conservation and Sustainable Use of Forest Biodiversity

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Keynote Addresses<br />

The four environmental services<br />

recognized by the <strong>Forest</strong> Law No. 7575<br />

1. mitigation <strong>of</strong> greenhouse gases<br />

2. protection <strong>of</strong> watersources for urban, rural <strong>and</strong> hydroelectric uses<br />

3. protection <strong>of</strong> biodiversity for its conservation <strong>and</strong> sustainable uses, including<br />

scientific, pharmaceutical <strong>and</strong> genetic improvement<br />

4. protection <strong>of</strong> ecosystems, forms <strong>of</strong> life <strong>and</strong> natural scenic beauty for tourist <strong>and</strong><br />

scientific uses.<br />

Different forestry l<strong>and</strong> use types are entitled to receive payment for environmental services in the Costa Rican<br />

PES Program, however, the payment <strong>and</strong> the commitment period varies according to the l<strong>and</strong> use type as is<br />

shown in Table 1.<br />

Since 1996 Costa Rica is working to establish an institutional structure with credibility <strong>and</strong> operative capacity<br />

to manage this Program, including the National Fund for <strong>Forest</strong>ry Finance (FONAFIFO), responsible for<br />

managing <strong>and</strong> financing projects, the Costa Rican Office for Joint Implementation (OCIC), responsible for<br />

marketing the environmental services in the international market, <strong>and</strong> the National System <strong>of</strong> <strong>Conservation</strong><br />

Areas (SINAC), state agency that manages all protected areas <strong>and</strong> facilitates the development <strong>of</strong> the private<br />

sector.<br />

An important debate has taken place around the amount <strong>of</strong> money that should be paid <strong>and</strong> how they should<br />

vary according to the forest type. For example, the Tropical Science Centre estimated an average payment <strong>of</strong><br />

US$50 ha -1 yr -1 as a starting point (Watson et al 1998). However, earlier in 1992 a private initiative between the<br />

Neotropica Foundation <strong>and</strong> forest owners agreed on a payment <strong>of</strong> only US$24 ha -1 yr -1 for the conservation<br />

<strong>and</strong> sustainable management <strong>of</strong> the biodiversity rich forests <strong>of</strong> the Osa Peninsula. The amount paid should<br />

bear in mind the opportunity cost <strong>of</strong> the l<strong>and</strong> for the owner (either private or public). There are several efforts<br />

towards estimating the value <strong>of</strong> the ES. However, in our opinion there is a need to develop proposals <strong>of</strong><br />

mechanisms for forest owners, either private or public, to capture the benefits <strong>of</strong> SFM.<br />

Table 1:<br />

Amount paid for environmental services <strong>and</strong> commitment period for each forestry l<strong>and</strong> use type in the<br />

Payment <strong>of</strong> Environmental Services in Costa Rica (October 2001. 1US$=329 colones).<br />

L<strong>and</strong> use type Total amount Annual payments as percentage Commitment period 2<br />

paid 1 over a five year <strong>of</strong> total for years 1-5 (years)<br />

period (US$ ha -1 ) 1 2 3 4 5<br />

Reforestation 565 50 20 15 10 5 15<br />

Natural <strong>Forest</strong> 344 50 20 10 10 10 5<br />

Management<br />

Natural <strong>Forest</strong> 221 20 20 20 20 20 10<br />

Preservation or<br />

Regeneration<br />

1<br />

The payment is modified every year according to inflation (approx. 10%) but affect only new contracts.<br />

2<br />

Period when the forest owner transfers to the Costa Rican Government the rights to market the environmental services from the forest<br />

or tree plantation receiving the PES.<br />

7

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