A Study in Sustainable Development
Environment and Development in Central America
The arrival of the Quakers in 1951 had a profound effect on agricultural practices in the Monteverde region. The Quakers' understanding of the importance of watersheds catalyzed a change from swidden techniques to more sustainable methods. These methods can be found today in the coffee and dairy industries of Monteverde.
Coffee
The Costa Rican government encouraged coffee production by exempting farmers from the 10% land tax. In Santa Elena, a co-op was established to help unify local small-scale farmers. The co-op helps promote sustainable methods of production through three principal strategies:
- Premium Prices:
Growers receive double what non-members are paid
- Community Relations:
Feeling a part of, and responsible to, a larger community, small farmers see how their agricultural methods affect others
- Opportunities for Small Farmers:
The co-op recently purchased and divided a coffee plantation among fourteen families, giving them land of their own and a means of income
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The co-op's success has led to additional sustainable agricultural practices:
- Natural Fertilizers/Pesticides:
Produced at the local beneficio by using the waste products from the coffee making process. Fertilizer is made from the fruit pulp that is removed. California red worms are used to decompose the pulp into a nutrient rich topsoil. The worm excrement is separated and used as a pesticide. The complete use of the coffee fruit limits the waste discharged into the nearby San Luis River.
- Biodiversity:
Use of shade-tolerant plants and the growing of other crops helps to maintain biological diversity. With inputs of organic matter from the trees soil fertility is maintained and erosion is reduced.
Dairy
The cool climate of Monteverde facilitated the emergence of dairy farming as the principal economic activity in the 1950s. The Productores Monteverde, S.A. purchases all of the milk produced in the Monteverde region. The following sustainable methods are widely practiced:
- Rotational grazing:
Prevents soil erosion and allows time for soil recovery
- Manure management:
Maintains soil fertility
- Planting legumes:
Helps maintain soil nitrogen levels through nitrogen fixation
- Living and/or concrete fenceposts:
Both last longer and save wood
- Electric fencing:
Replaces barbed wire, reducing need for imported materials
- Windbreaks:
Reduce soil erosion and helps maintain watershed quality. Improve health of dairy herds. Provide biological corridors for birds and small mammals.
- Hog Farm:
Reduces impact on local watershed by diverting cheese factory waste (whey) to a local hog farm. Waste from the pig farm is pumped into two lagoons where it decomposes.
Over the last several years the profitability of diary farming
has declined. The high initial investment of the above methods
has made sustainable dairy farming difficult to achieve. The
opportunity costs of both land and labor are relatively high
making dairy farming less attractive. Most people in Monteverde
agree that dairy farming [including sustainable dairy farming]
is not the economic strength it once was.
Outlook
It is evident that sustainable agriculture can be practiced successfully in Monteverde. The use of waste as a natural fertilizer is biologically sustainable and promotes efficiency. Windbreaks establish corridors that promote biodiversity during migrational periods and are effective in maintaining water, soil quality, and animal health. However, the influx of eco-tourism has created economic opportunities in areas outside of agriculture making farming less appealing. As a result, the future of sustainable agriculture is in jeopardy. If the youth of Monteverde do not embrace the tradition of agriculture, a very important sector of the community will be lost.
The preservation of the Monteverde watershed began in the 1950s when the Quakers legally set aside one third of their land to ensure a reliable water supply. The Quakers understood that intact forests provide a number of crucial ecological services including water capture and protection against soil erosion.
Problems with Watershed Management
Monteverde's protected watershed provides a reliable source of clean water for the community. However, widespread development has increased the demand for water, leading to a number of problems with water supply and quality. Within the agricultural and community sectors, people are working on innovative solutions to address this issue:
- Coffee bean processing requires large amounts of water and wastewater historically drained into the San Luis River. The waste is now filtered and deposited in retention ponds that are lined with plastic and clay to prevent infiltration into the watershed.
- Prior to the 1990's the cheese factory dumped their wastes into the nearby river, creating a major source of water pollution for the Monteverde region. A more economically and ecologically viable solution has been implemented with the creation of a pig farm. The pigs eat the whey and their wastes are dispersed into two settling ponds on the site, leaving the water 96% pure.
- The dumping of gray water is a major problem in the community causing degradation of the water downstream. In some instances squatter laws have allowed for building on government owned riparian zones and this has caused direct contamination of the waterways. Program initiatives for gray water treatment include using artificial wetlands as a purification process.
- In response to the demand for more water the people in La Cruz purchased 10 hectares of cloud forest for watershed protection.
- In an effort to understand the local contamination of the watershed and seasonal fluctuations in water flow, the Monteverde Institute has constructed a gauging station to collect data.
Outlook
Without intact cloud forests the region would not be able to sustain biodiversity or human development because water capture would be diminished. The importance of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve is apparent when looking at the problems occurring outside of the protected areas. The Pacific slope has experienced mass deforestation and therefore must rely on the Monteverde watershed. In order to sustain future generations, the community must continue watershed protection and innovative solutions for wastewater management.
Ecotourism is a major strategy for achieving sustainable development in Monteverde. The tourism industry has prompted economic growth, improved the standard of living, and increased environmental protection. The region has prospered economically as a direct result of tourism. Lodging alone has grown from 1 pension in the 1950s to 35 hotels and pensions today. Local residents own a majority of these hotels. Most of the guides and employees of tourist-oriented businesses are locals. As a result, a large portion of revenue earned from tourism stays in the community and has greatly improved the living standard for residents.
An excellent example of sustainable ecotourism is Comite' de Artesanias Santa Elena-Monteverde (CASEM). The CASEM cooperative enables women to become active participants in Monteverde's economic development through the marketing of their artwork. Without CASEM women would not have achieved the social status they have today.
From Agriculture to Tourism
The structural transformation from agriculture to tourism has not only generated more income, but also has helped to preserve the environment. However, the abandonment of agriculture for tourism has led to unanticipated issues concerning sanitation and waste removal. Several sources indicate presently that untreated sewage is being discharged into local streams. Several projects are working to reduce the discharge of wastewater into the ecosystem.
Another negative aspect of increased tourism is improper waste
management. The community of Monteverde is simply not capable
of assimilating the waste generated by 20,000 local residents
and 50,000 tourists each year. This is a serious threat to local
conservation efforts. Refuse that is not burned is collected
and hauled once a week to a disposal site near Puntarenas.
Infrastructure
Presently, the only access to Monteverde is a two-hour trip by unimproved road from the Pan-American Highway. The community is divided on the issue of paving this road. A paved road would bring more visitors and development, placing even greater stress on an already overburdened infrastructure. Many people are also concerned about the potential negative influence of large numbers of casual visitors. On the other hand, many locals favor paving the road not only for economic reasons but for health concerns as well. During the dry season the heavy traffic on the road stirs up considerable dust which causes respiratory problems for many of the residents.
Outlook
Biodiversity is the foundation of ecotourism industry in Monteverde and the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve is the centerpiece of sustainable ecotourism in the region. A system of corridors is actively being pursued to protect the altitudinal range of bellbird, quetzal, and black guan. These species attract many international visitors to the community. These large numbers of tourists themselves pose a potential threat. However, with careful stewardship, ecotourism can continue to contribute to sustainable development in Monteverde.
Sustainability requires an active and informed community. This section addresses several factors that play an important role in community development in Monteverde:
The Changing Status of Women
Sustainable development requires the participation of all people in the community. Traditionally, women have had little economic security or influence because of a lack of education and limited economic opportunities outside of the home.
CASEM, established in 1980, has worked to empower the women of Monteverde. The organization is managed and operated almost exclusively by women. Women learn to paint, draw, and produce crafts depicting the plants and animals of Monteverde for the tourist market. In so doing, they not only increase household income but they also educate themselves on biological diversity of the region. CASEM is helping women in Monteverde increase their self-esteem and status within the community.
Public Participation in Community Life
Public participation in the decision-making process is ingrained in the Monteverde community. One current issue that has generated intense debate is the possible paving of the main road providing access to the community. In the dry season the road is dusty and contributed to a high incidence of respiratory ailments. In the rainy season often impassable. However, many in the community are concerned about the potential social impacts of increased contact with people from outside the community.
According to Victor Valverde, local hotel owner and long time Monteverde resident, there has been a push by some locals to separate from the Puntarenas Provincial government. Many feel that because of Monteverde's isolation and low population the provincial government ignores their needs. Wilberth Parajeles, for example, argues that the community needs to establish a local government to provide and fund important services such as water supply, waste management, health care, and education.
The residents of Monteverde enjoy a surprisingly rich cultural life. These social events lay the foundation for participation in other aspects of community development. The Monteverde Institute (MVI) has played a major role in bringing the community together through a wide range of activities including music festivals.
Social Impacts of Economic Change
Until the 1970's, the Monteverde community was almost entirely agricultural. Young people generally carried on the farming traditions of their parents. However, the recent boom in ecotourism has caused many to shift their interests away from farming.
In response to this shift, for example, the Santa Elena High School now offers a core curriculum in ecotourism. As a part of this ecotourism curriculum the school has established the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, which is used as an interactive classroom for students. This program provides non-traditional skills in business administration, natural sciences, and technology.
In the past, farming families were relatively poor, with few needs that were not satisfied by the farm. Today, ecotourism has brought an increase in consumerism. This is creating a growing income disparity within the community. This income disparity will make it more difficult to achieve sustainability.
Outlook
Developing a cohesive community structure is essential for achieving broad-based sustainable development. Monteverde has maintained a vibrant and participatory community, ready to meet the formidable challenges ahead.
