An exchange of experiences on biological corridor management was recently held in Costa Rica with a delegation from the Dominican Republic within the framework of the Triangular Cooperation project “Capacity building for the sustainable territorial management of the Biological Corridors of the Dominican Republic”.
This Triangular Cooperation project is financed by the Regional Fund for Triangular Cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean and implemented by the German Development Cooperation, GIZ, on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
The exchange of experiences took place within the framework of the 8th edition of the Festival de la Danta, between September 16 and 21. The Dominican delegation learned first-hand about the festival held in the Tenorio-Miravalles Biological Corridor (CBTM) and inspired by the positive changes that have occurred in this corridor with respect to the coexistence between local communities and local wildlife.
Importance of protecting the tapir
The Tapir Festival raises awareness and informs local communities and visitors to the area about the importance of protecting the tapir (Tapirusbairdii), the largest terrestrial mammal in Central America and flagship species of the CBTM. Since its creation, this festival has contributed to the promotion and recognition of community efforts to conserve the tapir’s habitat, as well as to promote the socio-cultural and economic development of the area around this large mammal.
SvenjaPaulino, director of the GIZ Biodiversity and Business Program for Central America and the Dominican Republic, emphasized the relevance of these initiatives for biodiversity protection at the regional level. “Biological corridors are essential to connect habitats and allow the free transit of species, which strengthens the resilience of ecosystems in the face of biodiversity loss in the region. The cooperation between Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic in this area is a key step in fostering collaboration between countries by sharing experiences such as the Tapir Festival, which inspires local communities to become active players in protecting species and their habitats,” says Paulino.
This exchange brought together in Costa Rica Dominican representatives from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development, the Azua Municipal Council, the Association of Organic Banana Producers of Azua, AZUABANA and GrupoAmbientalHábitat. This delegation visited the CBTM to learn about the collaborative work being done by the Costa Rican Conservation Areas System (SINAC), non-governmental organizations working locally in conservation research, local communities and farm owners to manage natural resources and protect species such as the tapir.
Local committees as platforms for integration
During the week of exchange, participants witnessed the dynamics of local committees as platforms for the integration of stakeholders for territorial planning and management of biological corridors. In addition, they participated in educational and field activities to learn about the focal elements of CBTM management, such as forests and the protection of its flagship species, the tapir.
“For MINAE, it is an honor to be able to share experiences and lessons learned on the subject of biological corridors and other aspects of environmental conservation,” said Costa Rica’s Vice Minister of the Environment, Jorge Mario Rodríguez.
The exchange included a tour of the Tapir Sanctuary Reserve in Costa Rica, where representatives of this project learned about the community governance model for water resource management and its importance for the sustainability of the corridor. This model, led by the AsociacionesAdministradoras de Sistemas de Acueductos y AlcantarilladosComunales (ASADAS), safeguards vital water sources for local communities and biodiversity conservation.
In the Dominican Republic, this project will be adapted to the local context to implement the country’s first Biological Corridor in the province of Azua. The Costa Rican experience, especially in the integration of community stakeholders and the application of monitoring and planning tools, will be fundamental for the development of this pilot initiative that seeks to replicate the success achieved by the CBTM.
“The realization of cultural festivals to highlight the biodiversity of our towns is a clear example of how the involvement of local communities can transform the perception and protection of natural resources. We are very excited to bring these lessons learned to the Dominican Republic to promote the creation of our first biological corridor,” said Clara María Aquino Smester, Director General of Bilateral Cooperation, Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development (MEPYD).
This collaboration between Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Germany demonstrates how the exchange of experiences, success stories and lessons learned in the context of international cooperation can be catalysts for biodiversity conservation in the region. Looking to the future, it is hoped that these good practices will be replicated by other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to continue working together to protect natural resources and their ecosystem services.
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