A ruling from the Constitutional Court requires the Executive Branch to design and execute a plan to protect Corcovado National Park and Golfo Forest Reserve from activities such as gold mining, hunting, logging and robbery.
This decision was a consequence of a claim raised by several environmentalists due to the constant irregular activities that have been taking place in these protected areas.
With the resolution, authorities at the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC), the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE), the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Public Security (MSP) will develop the plan within the next two months.
The writ of amparo was filed in September 2015. According to the claim raised at that time, there was a violation of the fundamental right to a healthy and ecologically-balanced environment. In addition, there was an absence of international, environmental instruments signed by Costa Rica (articles 7, 48, 50 and 89 of the Political Constitution), due to serious omission and negligence from the State to take effective measures.
Environmentalists, including the Ecological Federation of Costa Rica (FECON) reported that about 400 gold miners caused ‘severe’ damages in Corcovado. They even pointed out that they had used heavy equipment and even dynamite for these activities.