Costa Rican: population changes and deforestation

A detailed Summary of Costa Rican: population changes and deforestation

Costa Rica has two major forest types that currently cover almost half of the countries life zones, tropical moist and tropical wet. Originally Costa Rica was covered by a 99.8% natural forest and by 1977 was reduced to just 31%. Most of this deforestation had occurred since the 1950?s (Hartshorn, et al.1982). A study done by the Center on Sustainable Development (CIEDES,1998) indicates the rate of deforestation between 1986 and 97 had declined to an average of just 1% a year (Sanchez-Azofeifa, et al. 2000).

A tropical moist forest mainly consists of evergreens and canopy trees, 40 - 50 meters tall with mostly wide crowns. These trees are generally branch less for the first 25-35 meters. The sub canopy trees such as palms trees grow to about 30 meters and are abundant except in lower cooler areas. The under story trees range from 8-20 meters tall and often have long drip tip type leaves. The shrub layer mostly consists of dwarf palms and broad leafed herbs. The ground layer is mostly bare with scattered ferns with some woody lianas and epephyes ( Hartshorn et al. 1982).

The tropical wet forest contains the most forms of life species in Costa Rica. There are two major wet forests in Costa Rica on the northeast and one in the s

At the time of the Spanish Conquests, Arch Bishop Thiel estimated that there were about 27,000 Indians in the Costa Rica region, other estimates figured there where about 80,000 by 1563 (Seligson 1980). These indigenous populations were quickly decimated by smallpox measles and tragedies resulting from Spanish expansion (Bolanos 1981, Seligson 1980). Only two decades after Spain discovered Costa Rica the Indian population dropped to 7,000. ? One century later the Indian population had shrunk to 2,000, and in an additional 40 years, to a mere 1,000 Indians (Hartshorn et al. 1982)

The population of Costa Rica in 1950 was 800,875, this increase in population was do to an increase in health standards and an improved mortality rate. The 1970 brought a large decrease in the population rate due to improvements in education, and family planning. ? The average number of children per family decreased from 7.3 in 1960 to 3.5 in 1985 ( Hall et al, 1993). The population is still increasing from other factors such as Nicaraguans seeking better economic conditions in Costa Rica.

After the Spanish conquerors inhabited the lands of Costa Rica destroying Indian cities, enslaving them, and spread their disease, the Indian population was very low ( Acota & L

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