For my internship this spring, I went to Costa Rica to research the level of community participation in forest management surrounding protected areas, which included two national parks, two research properties, and one indigenous territory belonging to the Ngobe people. Across the globe, there are numerous examples of community management schemes leading to both improved ecological and socioeconomic conditions. Additionally, indigenous peoples’ traditional knowledge and systems of resource use have been documented and incorporated into sustainable management plans. My methodology followed a format of both face-to-face surveys, mediated by a translator, and in-depth interviews with key informants, such as national park staff. I asked questions about the presence and function of community-led conservation groups, people’s perceptions of the impacts of Costa Rica’s conservation policies, interactions with government agencies, and other topics. Hopefully, this research will help identify areas where more community involvement is needed and lead to forest conservation on a wider scale.
