– About 3/4 of the forested land in Costa Rica is owned by the government.
– After WWII there was a push to produce large amounts of beef for the world market, including the USA, to raise revenue. The United States even loaned millions of dollars to cattle ranchers to stimulate growth. The result was devastating, widespread deforestation across the entire country.
– Since the 1980’s there has been a strong push to protect the countries forests, both by the Costa Rican government and outside sources.
– Attempts to reforest and protect the country have largely been met with success, increasing the amount of forested land from its low of 21% in 1987 to more than 50% in 2015. Costa Rica is a participating member of REDD+.