Bijagual River Watershed, Costa Rica: Improving Watershed Health and Engaging Local Communities in Monitoring and Outreach
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Bijagual River Watershed, Costa Rica: Improving Watershed Health and Engaging Local Communities in Monitoring and Outreach University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability Team Members Wenyang Mu, Landscape Architecture Audrey Pallmeyer, Environmental Justice Walker Stinnette, Conservation Ecology Brad Weiss, Environmental Informatics Co-Advisors Ivette Perfecto, PhD Catherine Riseng, PhD Client Bijagual Center for Environmental Education and Conservation Submitted April 17, 2018 Acknowledgements We are exceedingly grateful for our advisors, Ivette Perfecto and Catherine Riseng, who provided expert guidance and support every step of the way. We cannot overstate the appreciation we have for Paul Foster of the Bijagual Center for Environmental Education and Conservation, for his warm hospitality, tireless support for every aspect of our project, and dedication to the conservation of Bijagual River watershed. This research would not have been possible without the financial support of the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability and the University of Michigan Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Laboratory space was provided by La Selva Biological Station, of the Organization of Tropical Studies (La Estación Biológica La Selva de la Organización de Estudios Tropicales). Further GIS and remote sensing support was provided by Shannon Brines of the School for Environment and Sustainability as well as by Mary Ellen Miller, Laura Bourgeau-Chavez, and Michael Battaglia, research scientists at Michigan Tech Research Institute. Our field research in Costa Rica would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of Bernal Paniagua, Enrique Salicetti, Janette Paniagua, Ricardo Sandí, Socorro Avila Araya, all staff of the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS, or Organización de Estudios Tropicales, OET in Spanish). Our survey research methodology was edited by Yeiris Borge, Orlando Vargas, Enrique Castro, Danilo Brenes, Marisol Luna, and Paul Foster. Amanda Wendt assisted with survey and interview guide editing, as well as connected us to field support from Enrique, Bernal, Janette, and Socorro. Helen Gutiérrez, a fellow Masters student at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability, verified translations of the in-person survey responses. Finally, this research would not have been possible without the willingness of our research participants to share their knowledge and perspectives with our team. It is our hope that the information they shared with us is used to protect and enhance the environment where they live in alignment with their needs, wants, and values. 2 | P a g e Abstract The Bijagual Center for Environmental Education and Conservation (BCEEC) owns and operates the Bijagual Ecological Reserve (BER) in Sarapiquí, Costa Rica. In order to assist the BER to engage community members in reforestation efforts as well as monitor the outcomes of these efforts, this report summarizes environmental attitudes and interests in the region, provides geospatial analysis to support the BER in identifying land use patterns and areas to target for reforestation and provides materials for a water quality monitoring program and educational interpretive signage system. The body of the report is divided into four sections: social research, geospatial analysis, stream sampling/water quality monitoring, and signage. Each of these four sections include an introduction, methods, results and recommendations as appropriate. 3 | P a g e Table of Contents List of Tables ................................................................................................................................................. 6 List of Figures ................................................................................................................................................ 7 Section 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 8 Regional Context ....................................................................................................................................... 8 Deforestation Explained ........................................................................................................................... 9 Costa Rica “Turns a New Leaf” .................................................................................................................. 9 The Case for Riparian Buffers.................................................................................................................. 10 Section 2: Social Science Research.............................................................................................................. 11 Deliverables............................................................................................................................................. 11 Methods .................................................................................................................................................. 12 Results and Discussion ............................................................................................................................ 13 Recommendations for Future Work ....................................................................................................... 23 Limitations .............................................................................................................................................. 25 Section 3: Geospatial Analysis .................................................................................................................... 26 Deliverables............................................................................................................................................. 27 Methods .................................................................................................................................................. 27 Results ..................................................................................................................................................... 34 Discussion................................................................................................................................................ 38 Recommendations for Future Work ....................................................................................................... 41 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................... 41 Section 4: Stream Monitoring Program ...................................................................................................... 42 Deliverables............................................................................................................................................. 43 Methods .................................................................................................................................................. 43 Baseline Stream Monitoring Results ....................................................................................................... 51 Discussion................................................................................................................................................ 53 Limitations .............................................................................................................................................. 54 Recommendations for Future Work ....................................................................................................... 55 Section 5: Interpretive Trail Signage Design ............................................................................................... 60 Deliverables............................................................................................................................................. 61 Methods .................................................................................................................................................. 61 Existing Extent of the Reserve’s Signage System .................................................................................... 65 4 | P a g e Signage Design ........................................................................................................................................ 66 Limitations .............................................................................................................................................. 71 Recommendations for Future Work ....................................................................................................... 71 Section 6: Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 72 Literature Cited ........................................................................................................................................... 74 Appendices .................................................................................................................................................. 81 Appendix A: Environmental Attitudes Interview Guide (Spanish/English) ............................................. 82 Appendix B: Advertisement for La Selva’s Feria Ambiental (Environmental Fair) .................................. 88 Appendix C: Environmental Attitudes Survey (English/Spanish) ...........................................................