The Costa Rican media Teletica published a report on various environmental irregularities occurring in Playa Hermosa. Neighbors and environmentalists claim that enormous damage is being registered in a wetland located there.
The Salvemos Hermosa movement arose in response to the community’s claims that uncontrolled real estate developments are destroying the mangroves and endangering the species that inhabit the area.
Environmental lawyer Walter Brenes told Teletica journalists that environmental viability and construction permits are being issued, knowing that this is detrimental to the wetlands in the area. He even pointed out that there is a map that the authorities have not made official, in which it can be seen that the coverage of the wetlands is much greater than what is presented in the maps commonly used by the authorities.
“Since 2016, SINAC determined the existence of the wetland in the area. For reasons unknown to me, the Municipality of Garabito and SINAC have not been able to reach an agreement to defend the wetlands. We have an unprecedented landfill, which I call open-pit,” said the lawyer.
The lawyer also mentioned that when he started his research, he saw that there were different maps that clearly established which wetlands were wetlands. Now, these areas are fully developed. Brenes consulted with the state wetlands managers, and the answers were evasive.
In addition, the neighbors pointed out that, on many occasions, permits are given for the construction of houses with certain sizes and requirements, but that, at the time of construction, they are not fulfilled.
Brenes also pointed out that the course of the river that fed the Pochotal Lagoon was modified by various real estate projects that received the approval of the authorities.
Another important point is that environmental damage is destroying an important source of income for the community: surfing. Locals claim that the environmental damage is changing the surf as it alters the natural processes of the rivers and the sea, as well as the geography of the coast.
One of the urban developments that had environmental friction, according to the newspaper article, was Mistico. After consulting with the company, they responded that they were granted all the corresponding permits and denied having built in a mangrove swamp. However, they emphasized that the Municipality does have abrupt and inconsistent changes in criteria.
Meanwhile, the Municipality opted for silence and did not comment at all on the allegations.
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