Undergraduate Research: An Archive - 2021 Program

Olivia Meyers ’21
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
Certificate in Environmental Studies
THESIS TITLE
Protected-Area
Downgrading,
Downsizing and
Degazettement
ADVISER
Lars Hedin, George M.
Moffett Professor of
Biology, Professor of
Ecology and
Evolutionary Biology
and the High Meadows
Environmental Institute
Protected areas are the cornerstone of
biodiversity conservation. Despite the
assumption that protected areas (PAs) are
permanent, previous studies have documented
widespread legal changes known as
protected area downgrading, downsizing and
degazettement (PADDD) events that undermine
PA durability. Costa Rica hosts 6% of the world's
biodiversity and is recognized for its pioneering
conservation policies and large PA estate. Costa
Rica's environmental consciousness — coupled
with a strong economic incentive to protect
its Pas — may position the country to be less
vulnerable to PADDD events. I investigated
PADDD events in Costa Rica from 1955-2021 and
found that during this time the government
of Costa Rica enacted 22 PADDD events and
proposed an additional nine PADDD events.
Collectively, enacted PADDD events affected
2.1% (302 km 2 ) of the terrestrial PA estate, while
proposed events risked downgrading an absolute
total area of 13,242 km 2 , representing 93% of the
PA estate. Most PADDD events were associated
with infrastructure development, specifically
geothermal plants. Despite relying on the
efficacy of its protected areas, Costa Rica is still
vulnerable to PADDD; however, the ecological
impacts remain unknown. Policy responses and
government transparency are needed to address
PADDD and support effective protected areas.
BIODIVERSITY AND
CONSERVATION
18