BE OUR GUEST: FOR CONSERVATION'S SAKE, PAY A VISIT TO COSTA RICA

Alan R.P. Journet teaches ecology at Southeast Missouri State University. From January to August this year, he is on sabbatical leave in Costa Rica studying aspects of tropical forest ecology.

Perry was abandoned. Of course, she fell out of a tree first. But when she was found, crying on the forest floor, her mother was nowhere to be found. She was small, fluffy, and just three days old then. Now she is over six weeks old and has added a variety of leaves to her original diet of cow's milk. I didn't know how to take care of a baby two-toed sloth, I hadn't done it before. But then she hadn't grown up before either, so we are in it together, learning.

Conservation begins at home. As the 1990 Earth Day slogan said, "Think Globally - Act Locally." And since I am here until August, this is home; this is my "locally." While one stranded baby sloth won't make a serious conservation difference, we must manage and maintain habitat if we want to conserve threatened species. And we should do it before population sizes drop to the calamitous "endangered"level. But for this one sloth, representing a species endangered through some parts of its Central American range, I am doing what I can do.

This is my fourth visit to Costa Rica, this time driving through Mexico and Central America an interesting and trouble free nine-day trip. Here on leave from Southeast Missouri State University until August, I am studying the distribution and density of several mammal species in relation to forest fragmentation, and regeneration of the forest itself. My overall interest, not surprisingly, is tropical forest conservation.

If you are interested in conservation, there is one thing that you can do: you can come to Costa Rica. A few years ago, I thought that the best way to conserve natural areas and wildlife habitat was to keep the tourists out. Maybe true in principle, but very naive in reality.

The first environmental offense is global overpopulation. No sane, informed person would argue against the need to control it, but each person now here has legitimate economic and social aspirations. Conservation cannot occur in an economic vacuum; programs must include economic incentive.

For Costa Rica, the historic sources of foreign exchange have been bananas, coffee, beef, and various fruit (e.g. oranges). But now, because of its deserved reputation in Central America as a haven of economic, social and political stability, and because of its beautiful natural resources, tourism has become the number two source of income. A good proportion of the tourists are "ecotourists," folks who come for the tropical forests and their flora and fauna.

Whether in Africa, Asia, South or Central America, many nations that are the custodians of valuable global natural resources, also have a very limited tax base. As a result, they cannot afford to allocate a large proportion of their surface area to conservation unless this is accompanied by some economic reward, some incentive to maintain and manage.

To its everlasting credit, Costa Rica is at the forefront in conservation of natural resources; about 25 percent of its land area is under some form of biological protection. The United States would do well to emulate this commitment to the future; as one Costa Rican minister remarked when questioned on the wisdom of this policy, "Most Costa Ricans have not yet been born." Conservation represents a commitment to future generations.

But the leading position Costa Rica has adopted can only continue if the lands provide a source of revenue. And you, the potential ecotourist, are the source of that revenue. We Americans, who are guilty of the second environmental offense, that of overconsumption, can contribute something to the global conservation effort, while learning and enjoying ourselves at the same time.

Costa Rica, in the heart of Central America, is populated by the friendliest people in the world. The capital, San Jose, is a modern city with excellent hotels. Out of the city, you can enjoy beaches, fishing, volcanoes, mountains, hiking, whitewater rafting, and a full array of natural activities, including, of course, a wide diversity of tropical forests. The many National Parks and Wildlife Refuges are open, accessible, and beautiful. And by the time you come, Perry should be back in the forest, where you can enjoy her as she should be enjoyed, in her native habitat.

Sure it helps to speak Spanish, but even if you don't, and are prepared to be open, friendly, and accept that you are in a different culture, you cannot fail to have a great time. So, to support conservation, come on down and enjoy "Pura Vida" ... you'll be glad you did.