Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [344]
Never bury your rubbish – digging disturbs soil and ground cover and encourages erosion. Buried rubbish will likely be dug up by animals, which may be injured or poisoned by it. It may also take years to decompose.
Minimize waste by taking minimal packaging and no more food than you will need. Take reusable containers or stuff sacks.
Sanitary napkins, tampons, condoms and toilet paper should be carried out despite the inconvenience. They burn and decompose poorly.
Human Waste Disposal
Contamination of water sources by human feces can lead to the transmission of all sorts of nasties. Where there is a toilet, please use it. Where there is none, bury your waste. Dig a small hole 15cm deep and at least 100m from any watercourse. Cover the waste with soil and a rock. In snow, dig down to the soil.
Washing
Don’t use detergents or toothpaste in or near watercourses, even if they are biodegradable.
For personal washing, use biodegradable soap and a water container (or even a lightweight, portable basin) at least 50m away from the watercourse. Disperse the waste water widely to allow the soil to filter it fully.
Wash cooking utensils 50m from watercourses using a scourer or sand (not detergent).
Fires & Low-Impact Cooking
Don’t depend on open fires for cooking. The cutting of wood for fires in popular trekking areas can cause rapid deforestation. Cook on a lightweight kerosene, alcohol or Shellite (white gas) stove and avoid those powered by disposable butane gas canisters. If you are trekking with a guide and porters, supply stoves for the whole team. In alpine areas, ensure that all members are outfitted with enough clothing so that fires are not a necessity for warmth.
If you patronize local accommodations, select those places that do not use wood fires to heat water or cook food.
Fires may be acceptable below the tree line in areas that get very few visitors. If you light a fire, make sure you use an existing fireplace. Don’t surround fires with rocks. Use only dead, fallen wood. Remember the saying ‘the bigger the fool, the bigger the fire.’ Use minimal wood – just what you need to use for cooking. In huts, leave wood for the person that comes after you.
Ensure that you fully extinguish a fire after use. Spread the embers and flood them with water.
Wildlife Conservation
Do not feed the wildlife as this can lead to animals becoming dependent on handouts, to unbalanced populations and to diseases.
Discourage the presence of wildlife by not leaving food scraps behind you. Place gear out of reach and tie packs to rafters or trees.
Do not engage in or encourage hunting. It is illegal in all parks and reserves.
Don’t buy items made from endangered species.
Don’t attempt to exterminate animals in huts. In wild places, they are likely to be protected native animals.
Erosion
Hillsides and mountain slopes, especially at high altitudes, are prone to erosion. Stick to existing trails and avoid short cuts.
If a well-used trail passes through a mud patch, walk through the mud so as not to increase the size of the patch.
Avoid damaging or removing the plant life that keeps topsoil in place.
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ACTIVITIES
Hiking
Behind Altamira station, Los Gigantes del Bosque is a short 3km circuit that is named for the 40m trees along the way. Signposts in Spanish provide simple explanations of some of the flora, and the trail is an easy means of seeing some ancient rainforest. It passes two lookout points, one on the edge of the primary forest, and the other overlooking the rural landscape outside the park. Note that this trail is marked, but it is not well maintained. Be prepared to climb over fallen branches and wade through high grass. More importantly, make sure you bring plenty of water and snacks and pay close attention to the markers. Normally the loop takes two hours, but it can be much longer if you lose the trail.
The longest trail (approximately