Resilience, Reforestation, and Change in Costa Rica during the COVID-19 Pandemic

In Costa Rica’s mountainous tropical forest regions, the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically reduced the tourism flows that drive the engines of forest communities’ economies, precipitating both an economic crisis and a crisis for annual reforestation efforts that primarily use labor from hundreds of volunteer tourists who visit during the May - July planting season. Drawing on interviews, digital ethnography, and in-person ethnographic research, this flashtalk will discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped reforestation efforts in Costa Rica, describing changes to both the types of trees planted and the labor systems used for tree planting. For the first time, in response to emergent food insecurity and in anticipation of the protracted nature of this crisis, fruit trees have been included alongside native species in local reforestation programs, a decision that could have long-term consequences for how the goals of reforestation in the region are understood. In addition, community members have developed alternative economies centered around reforestation, where locals who would otherwise be unemployed can be compensated with tuition or grocery vouchers in exchange for planting trees. However, the reduction in visitors has dramatically reduced income for both the region‚Äôs inhabitants and the region’s protected areas, posing a significant threat to conservation. This talk will also discuss how the region’s experience with previous locally-recognized crises, such as the collapse of the dairy economy or Hurricane Nate, influenced the response to the pandemic.