Dinámica de la cobertura forestal y humedales de Costa Rica: bases de datos 1960/45 para la comprensión de los procesos de restauración y deterioro de los servicios ecosistémicos

The analysis of trends in forest cover change is informed by deforestation and recovery processes. Costa Rica went through different stages, until the late 1990s when deforestation predominated, then a stage of forest cover recovery followed as a result of changes in policy, economy, and laws. Understanding these dynamics of forest cover change allows us to assess the impact of conservation and development strategies in the country and allows decision-makers to access scientific information that allows them to make better decisions.

Payment programs for environmental services, the network of conservation areas and biological corridors, and resource use planning require a proper classification of land use and forest cover to achieve better planning and evaluation of their programs. That is why, since 1986, it has been possible to collect information from layers with very acceptable resolution levels (3 ha mapping units). Between 1972 and 1985, some layers of land cover and use were generated, but with an unacceptable level of resolution (+60 ha mapping units). These differences are due to the different resolutions of the images generated by the different satellites available since 1972. Before 1970, forest cover estimates were truly inaccurate since they were made with unverifiable sources of information

To achieve a complete database, a baseline is required with which the changes can be compared by delimiting the country's original forest cover. This baseline can be constructed by digitizing the cartographic sheets from the 1960s and 1945s, which provide a description of the forest cover by interpreting photographs from those years. This database has never been available in digital format and is a waste of information that we propose to correct in this proposal. This database will be a great contribution to the scientific analysis of the changes of different ecosystems, forests, and wetlands over time, since it constitutes the best basis for comparison. This database will allow, for example, to indicate the actual loss of the mangrove extension and the wetlands; it will allow to evaluate the fragmentation of the original forests and their level of recovery or loss, as well as to carry out an analysis of trends and the factors that have promoted both deforestation and restoration

Creación y sistematización de una base de datos de la línea base de la cobertura
forestal y de humedales lacustres/litorales para el país para los años 60´s con una unidad de mapeo mínima de 3 has.

- Hidrología: uno de los factores más relevantes en el manejo o desarrollo de una hidrología
ecosistémica, es el mantenimiento de las coberturas forestales, que conservan los recursos hídricos,
- Producción agropecuaria sostenible: en este caso se podría visualizar el comportamiento que han
tenido el establecimiento de cultivos anuales o permanentes dentro de zonas de conservación o
protección, estos son factores de alteración de los servicios ecosistémicos de cobertura forestal. Por
tanto, es importante conocer el impacto de los cambios en el paisaje rural, empleando una matriz de
relación entre las coberturas de bosques y cultivos.
- Manejo y conservación de ecosistemas: principalmente muchos de los logros en protección y
conservación de los servicios ecosistémicos de las coberturas forestales, han sido el resultado de
políticas y leyes nacionales. La evaluación de las tendencias de los cambios es requerida para dar
seguimiento a estos procesos, tanto a nivel legal, político, socio-económico, entre otros.