It began with Teddy Roosevelt and started at the Matterhorn. Today we call it eco tourism and what started as the germ of an idea on a cold, forlorn Swiss mountain now leads thousands of people each year to a tiny gem that Christopher Columbus named "Costa Rica" over 500 years ago.
About 20 years before he became one of America's greatest presidents, Roosevelt, always the outdoors man, went to Europe to climb the famous Matterhorn Mountain in Switzerland. He was chagrined by what he encountered on the mountain or, more accurately, what he did not see.
The mountain was nearly lifeless. Where once there had been many, there were no longer bears, wolves, goats, mountain sheep, or other wilderness creatures. Ghosts of creatures. But only memories.
Though "eco tourism" was still about a century away from being coined, Theodore Roosevelt was the world's first eco tourist and the founder of modern eco tourism.
How do Roosevelt and the Matterhorn relate to Costa Rica eco tourism? Perhaps more than you might think. From his observations at the Matterhorn, Roosevelt realized that unless vast tracts of land were set aside, relentless exploitation would ultimately lead to disaster. So, when he became President and, despite the powerful robber barons and vested interests who fought him, he was the first to set aside wilderness and parks---an incredible 230,000,000 acres---an extraordinary achievement for America and singular accomplishment for the world.
President Roosevelt's wonderful vision led to an extraordinary discovery. The American public gladly pay to preserve wilderness and wildlife. Sustainability can bring more long-term value to more people than exploitation---in the U.S.
But, in Costa Rica? This was a place that in 1519 its Spanish Governor called "the poorest and most miserable Spanish colony in all Americas." Almost 450 years later, its forests had been largely devastated for farm land and it was primarily dependent upon the export of bananas, coffee, and other agricultural products for its economic well-being. It appeared destined for economic obscurity, particularly when the world coffee market crashed in the early 1970s.
Of course, nothing in the world is predestined and from the economic crisis arose Costa Rica eco tourism. Challenge always breeds opportunity and, in a seemingly unlikely alliance, conservationists and business interests argued that sustainable development needed to be given a chance rather than simply continuing to exploit the country's rapidly declining resources. The government joined forces with conservationists and businesses and embarked on an ambitious experiment, ultimately setting aside nearly 25% of the country for parks and preserves over the following years.
Three decades later, the results have been stunning. At a time when many countries were deforesting their land, Costa Rica began reforesting. There are 20% more forests than just 25 years ago and wildlife is returning to places where it hasn't been seen for a generation or more. Costa Rica embraces sustained development, refusing to allow off shore drilling for oil and emphasizing renewable resources. Indeed 99% of its electrical power now comes from hydro-electric plants. Columbia and Yale researchers now rate it in the top 5 of all environmentally sensitive countries in the world.
It has been a spectacular reversal in fortune. The country has vaulted into the #1 position on the Happiest Place in the World Index even as Costa Rica eco tourism has soared. Sustainable tourism has lifted the economy while preserving its wonders. As it turns out, Columbus was exactly right when he named this place "the rich coast" or "Costa Rica." The Spanish governor was dead wrong when he derided Costa Rica as "the poorest and most miserable Spanish colony in Americas." And, Theodore Roosevelt, the world's first eco tourist, would smile in delight if he were here today.
To close, we need to revisit the Swiss Matterhorn, the impetus behind Roosevelt's vision that parks and preserves were essential to saving wildlife and Costa Rica's courageous extension of that idea leading to today's incredibly successful Costa Rica eco tourism. Consider the irony here. Costa Rica is often called the "Switzerland" of the tropics but it learned from Swiss failures. Ironically, Switzerland has learned nothing. Costa Rica's mountains are today filled with life and eco tourism helps fuel its economy. One of every five species of plants and animals on earth are found there. Meanwhile, the magnificent Matterhorn remains silent because its life was exploited and destroyed, not cherished and preserved.
About the Author:
About the author: Vic Krumm lives in tropical, gorgeous Costa Rica. Visit his acclaimed website about Costa Rica Vacationsand if you like whale-watching look at Costa Rica Humpback Whales This and other unique content '' articles are available with free reprint rights.
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