By Richard Margoluis | vice-president
The good news for tapirs is that the President of Costa Rica, Luis Guillermo Solis, signed a decree banning all mega hydroelectric dams to be built in the Savegre Watershed for 25 years! The Savegre is one of the few remaining intact habitats of the tapir, and the Rafiki Safari Lodge - home of ASANA's Tapir Reintroduction Project - is found in the lower Savegre Watershed. President Solis acknowledged the biological, social, and economic importance of the decree. He stressed the importance of finding solutions that respect both human populations and nature and acknowledged past mistakes Costa Rica has made in terms of major electricity infrastructure.
For years, ASANA has been trying to find a “sustainable development” solution – one that truly meets the needs of local residents while conserving the natural riches of the zone for generations to come. Major dam construction along the river has already severely affected the Savegre’s unique biodiversity, and has significantly disrupted the social fabric, pitting community against community and offering false hope of an economic boon – in the form of jobs – that has never materialized. This decree lets us put this mega-infrastructure project on pause for a while as Costa Rica analyzes all that the Savegre has to offer and gets its priorities straight.
This is good news indeed for tapir conservation and reintroduction in the Southern Pacific zone of Costa Rica. We thank you for supporting our efforts and we look forward to your continued support in the future!
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