Monitoreo participativo de aves silvestres en finca La Balsa para el análisis de su estado actual de conservación y su relación con la producción agropecuaria en la Región Huetar Norte

Agricultural activities have caused changes in land use resulting in fragmented landscapes with a reduction in
biodiversity and ecosystem services. In the case of birds, species perform key functions in ecosystems,
including pollination, seed dispersal, and regulation of organism populations. Therefore, birds contribute to the
natural regeneration of native vegetation and the control of potentially pest species in the agricultural sector.
In turn, certain species of birds have come into conflict with human interests due to the damage they cause to
some crops. However, it is necessary to better understand the role that agricultural-livestock areas play in the
conservation of bird species and identify both the positive and negative impacts that they cause to agricultural
production. On the other hand, due to the difficulties that the agricultural sector has been suffering, the
implementation of sustainable tourism in combination with production activities is considered as a highly
relevant economic alternative that favors the diversification of activities and the sustainable management of
natural resources. In this project, we proposed to evaluate the current state of the avifauna in the La Balsa
farm located nearby the San Carlos Local Technological Campus and its relationship with sustainable
agricultural production in the Huetar North Region. More specifically, we aim to: (a) quantify the bird
populations on the farm and analyze their conservation status, (b) identify the positive and negative impacts
of the avifauna on agricultural production, (c) promote local participation in the sustainable management of
natural resources and (d) analyze the potential of the farm for the development of sustainable tourism. It is
proposed to implement a participatory monitoring of bird species that allows generating information on the
composition and diversity of the avifauna in the study area. For this, monthly samplings will be carried out for
one year in the different habitats of the farm where the bird species will be identified and their abundance will
be determined. The methodological approach is participatory because each sampling will include people from
local communities interested in participating in the project. An analysis of the conservation status of bird
species will also be carried out and the damage to agricultural production caused by some of them will be
described, in order to propose adequate management strategies. Surveys will be carried out to find out the
perception of students and local producers about the relationship of birds with the agricultural sector. Finally,
the tourist potential of Finca La Balsa will be evaluated based on the various attractions it has based on the
methodology developed by Cárdenas (1991). This project will facilitate the communication between TEC
researchers, mainly from the School of Agronomy and the Sustainable Rural Tourism Management Program
of the San Carlos Local Technological Campus, and local communities, resulting in joint work aimed at
improving the relationship between the avifauna and the agricultural sector.

Evaluar el estado actual de la avifauna en finca La Balsa y su relación con la producción agropecuaria sostenible en la Región Huetar Norte

Manejo sostenible de los recursos naturales.