Costa Rica Eco Tourism, Teddy Roosevelt And The Matterhorn: The Beginnings
Like so many of the planet’s greatest accomplishments, it began with an observation, so simple one wonders why nobody saw it earlier and so powerful it is still changing the world. It started with a unique man on a desolate but beautiful mountain called the Matterhorn. The world’s first eco tourist was Theodore Roosevelt and what we call “eco tourism” today leads thousands of people a year to a small sapphire named by Christopher Columbus five centuries ago: Costa Rica, the “rich coast.”
About 20 years before he was destined to become known as one of America’s finest presidents, Roosevelt traveled to Switzerland. He was already one of the earth’s most famous outdoorsmen who loved nature. So it was that the great man chose to conquer the famed Mount Matterhorn. When he did so, however, he ended up being chagrined by what he found on the mountain or, more accurately, what he didn’t.
The mountain was almost silent. Where once there had been many, there were no bears, wolves, goats, mountain sheep, or other wilderness creatures. Only ghosts of the past richness. But only memories.
Though “ecotourism” was still nearly 100 years before entering the public consciousness, Theodore Roosevelt was the world’s first eco tourist and the founder of modern eco tourism.
So what do Roosevelt and the Matterhorn have to do with Costa Rica ecotourism? More than one might imagine. The Matterhorn caused him to understand the need to be able to reserve large tracts of land to maintain our natural heritage so, when he became President, he took on the robber barons and vested interests to set aside 230 million acres for wilderness and parks: an astonishing achievement for America and singular achievement for the world.
Teddy Roosevelt’s singular accomplishment led to the birth of ecotourism. Americans quickly made it clear that they would gladly pay money to preserve wilderness and see wildlife—at least in the United States.
But, America’s experience was one thing. It was wealthy and developed. Costa Rica was, seemingly, very different. Here was a place that in 1519 its Spanish Governor described “the poorest and most miserable Spanish colony in all Americas.” Four and a half centuries later, though independent and free, most of its forests had been lost to make pastures and farmland. Big American business dominated its primary product, bananas, and the country was almost completely dependent upon the export of bananas, coffee, and other agricultural products for its economic life. United Fruit Company controlled the banana market and its relations with Costa Rica were often stormy, sometimes icy. Then, in the early 1970s, prices for coffee collapsed during a glut of the product on the world market. The country’s future appeared bleak.
However, nothing on earth is predestined and from the economic turmoil arose Costa Rica eco tourism. Set back always carries within it opportunity and, from a seemingly improbable alliance, conservationists and commercial interests contended that sustainable development needed to be given an opportunity rather than simply continuing to take advantage of the country’s rapidly declining resources. The government joined forces with conservationists and commercial and embarked on an ambitious experiment, eventually setting aside nearly 25% of the land for parks and preserves over the following decades.
In the span of just 30 years, the results have been stunning. While most countries were burning and cutting their forests, Costa Rica was reforesting. Today, there are 20% more forests than just 25 years ago. Birds and mammals are returning to places where they haven’t been seen for a generation or more. Costa Rica has enthusiastically embraced sustained development, rejecting the siren’s call of Big Oil by refusing off shore drilling for oil. Amazingly almost 100% of its electricity now comes from renewable, non-polluting hydro-electric power and it is embarking on wind turbines for additional generation. Researchers from Columbia and Yale researchers now rate it in the top 5 of all environmentally sensitive countries in the world.
It has resulted in a striking reversal in fortune. The country has vaulted into the #1 position on the Happiest Place in the World Index and Costa Rica eco tourism has soared. Sustainable tourism has lifted the economy even while conserving its wonders. As it turns out, Columbus had been exactly right when he named this place “the rich coast” or “Costa Rica.” The Spanish governor was dead wrong when he labeled Costa Rica as “the poorest and most miserable Spanish colony in Americas.” Maybe that is why no one remembers the his name.
To close, we would be wise to finish with the Swiss Matterhorn, the inspiration behind Roosevelt’s vision that parks and preserves were essential to conserving God’s gifts to earth and Costa Rica’s courageous extension of that concept resulting in today’s incredibly flourishing Costa Rica eco tourism. Consider the irony here. Costa Rica is frequently labeled the “Switzerland” of the tropics but it learned from Swiss failures. Ironically, Switzerland has much to learn from Costa Rica. Costa Rica’s mountains are today replete with plants and animal life and eco tourism helps sustain its economy. One of every twenty species of plants and wildlife on earth are found there. Theodore Roosevelt, the world’s first ecotourist, would definitely smile in delight if he were still with us. Unfortunately, the magnificent Matterhorn remains silent because its life was exploited and destroyed, not cherished and preserved.
Victor Krumm lives in Costa Rica. His popular website about Costa Rica Vacations. Ever imagined tropical surfing? Check out www.costarica-discCosta Rica Surfing for world-famous beaches and incredible waves
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