2010 THE THREAT TO BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION OF PROPOSED HYDROELECTRIC DAMS IN THE LA AMISTAD WORLD HERITAGE SITE, PANAMA AND COSTA RICA. Dr. William O. McLarney Lic. Maribel Mafla H Lic. Ana María Arias Lic. Danielle Bouchonnet 0 THE THREAT TO BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION IN THE LA AMISTAD WORLD HERITAGE SITE, PANAMA AND COSTA RICA, FROM PROPOSED HYDROELECTRIC DAMS A follow-up to McLarney and Mafla (2007): Probable Effects on Aquatic Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function of Four Proposed Hydroelectric Dams in the Changuinola/Teribe Watershed, Bocas del Toro, Panama, with Emphasis on Effects Within the La Amistad World Heritage Site With consideration also of La Amistad/Costa Rica and the Pacific Slope of La Amistad. Dr. William O. McLarney Lic. Maribel Mafla H. Lic. Ana Maria Arias Lic. Danielle Bouchonnet Programa de Biomonitoreo Asociación ANAI Contact Information: Asociación ANAI (Costa Rica): ANAI, Inc. (United States): Apdo. 170-2070 1120 Meadows Rd. Sabanilla de Montes de Oca Franklin, North Carolina 28734 Costa Rica, C.A. USA Phone: (506) 2224-3570 Phone/fax: (828) 524-8369 (506) 2756-8120 E-mail:
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[email protected] [email protected] Respectfully submitted to: UNESCO World Heritage Committee February, 2010 1 Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5 RESUMEN EJECUTIVO 8 INTRODUCTION 11 DAMS AS BARRIERS, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF DIADROMY 13 EFFECTS OF DAMS ON DIADROMOUS ANIMALS IN MESOAMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 17 EVENTS SINCE 2008 19 1. Social, Political and Legal Events: 19 Panama-Atlantic slope: 19 Panama-Pacific slope: 19 Costa Rica-Pacific slope: 20 Costa Rica-Atlantic slope: 20 2.