Background
The Permanent Special Commission for the Environment of the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica is now reviewing the Proposed Law to Extend, Consolidate and Develop the Leatherbacks of Guanacaste Marine National Park, in Playa Grande, Costa Rica (File # 14.989). This law was published on Thursday, November 7 of 2002, La Gaceta # 215.

The Playa Grande complex, or the three beaches included in the Leatherbacks of Guanacaste Marine National Park, Playa Grande, Ventanas and Langosta, is currently the most important nesting site for leatherback turtles in the entire Pacific Ocean.

Currently, the Leatherbacks of Guanacaste Marine National Park is threatened by urban coastal development and illegal fisheries in the Marine Protected Area.

The Leatherback sea turtle is classified as critically endangered, and its populations in the Pacific have declined dramatically during the last decades. In Las Baulas National Park, nesting has dropped from 1356 individuals during the 1988-89 season, to 117 during the 1997-98 seaon, to only 69 turtles during the 2001-02 season (Playa Grande Graph).

The Proposed Law 14.989 seeks to:

• Extend the limits of the National Park to preserve the most important nesting habitat for leatherback turtles in the Pacific.
• Provide the National Park with the economic resources to administrate and enforce the protection of the natural resources.
• Sanction illegal fishery activities within the Marine Protected Area.
• Involve the communities and local organizations in the development and protection of the National Park's natural resources.

Send a letter right now supporting the proposed law and help us avoid the extinction of the Leatherback Sea Turtle. Personalize the following sample letter and send it to your friends and contacts.

The letter must be addressed to the President of Costa Rica, Abel Pacheco, email: , FAX (506) 253 9078.

With copies to:

• Congressman Quírico Jiménez, Presidente Permanent Comisión of the Environment, , FAX (506) 243-2436
• Congresswoman, Maria Lourdes Ocampo. She submited the Proposed Law with the support of 28 other congressmen. , FAX (506) 243-2163
• Minister of the Environment. Carlos Manuel Rodríguez.
• Viceminister of the Environment: Manuel Antonio Bolaños. vice


• Don't forget to send us a copy for our records. Another option is for you to send us a message with your personal information, saying you support the Proposed Law to Extend the Leatherbacks of Guanacaste Marine National Park, and we will add your name to a sign on letter.

Thanks a lot, and don't forget to communicate with us if you have any questions.

Sample Letter

Honorable President of Republic of Costa Rica Abel Pacheco,

I wish to express my support for the approval of the Proposed Law to Extend, Consolidate and Develop the Leatherbacks of Guanacaste Marine National Park (File Number 14.989), published on Thursday November 7 of 2002, in La Gaceta Number 215.

The survival of the leatherback turtle is in our hands, because of which I would be very pleased if the Legislative Assembly approves this Law, and grants protection to the most important nesting site for leatherback turtles in the Pacific ocean, thus avoiding their extinction.