La natura tra parentesi: parte seconda: Turismo e sviluppo sostenibile nel parco nationale del Corcovado (Costa Rica)

This is the application of the theoretical analysis carried out by the two authors in the previous article concerning ecotourism, with reference to the National Natural Park of Corcovado in Costa Rica.
The relationship between tourism and parks is an effective metaphor of the contradictions between development and protection in this era of transition from the modern to the post-modern. From a concept that gave exclusive precedence to the aspect of protection there is a tendency now to pass to one that attempts to reconcile the conditions of efficiency with those of the environment.
Although since 1940 more than 50% of the forests have disappeared, Costa Rica today is a democratic central American country with a good level of development which also gives serious attention to environmental problems. In fact 27% of the national territory is protected and the country is one of the preferred destinations of those who practice ecotourism.
The National Park of Corcovado, together with the others in the Peninsula of Osa, constitutes the last residue of virgin rainforests on the Pacific coast of Central America. The Peninsula of Osa constituted an immense laboratory of biological and pharmaceutical studies, but precisely for this, is very vulnerable from the point of view of tourism, also considering the low standard of life of the local populations.
The article presents the way the Park of Corcovado is run, with data concerning the number of visitors estimated and the problems that derive from the need to reconcile development, economy and local culture. This is a relatively small park with small tourist flow. It is relevant, however, from the qualitative point of view because it shows how, frequently, when working with simplified models it is not possible to predict or plan for those variables that are not included in the models used.