The Minister of Environment, Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, announced that they have plans to turn 8 areas in different regions of Costa Rica into parks similar to La Sabana in San José, where people have open spaces for their recreation and leisure.

The eight areas that are being considered are: La Carpintera in Cartago, an area in the Mountains of Escazú in San José; El Rodeo in Ciudad Colón, San José; Finca La Verbena in Alajuelita, San José; El Chayote Forest Reserve in Valverde Vega, Alajuela; El Pizote in Tres Ríos, San José; Grecia Forest Reserve in Alajuela and an area in Salitral, Santa Ana, San José.

In total this project includes 4,500 urban hectares that will be transformed into recreational parks that will be connected by inter-urban corridors, rivers than need to be recovered since many suffer important contamination.

The lands still have to be purchased by the state, since they are currently private property.

“There are 4,500 hectares of forests that have been protected in some way. We cannot let the intense development of the society reach these protected areas and this is the way to do it”, said Rodríguez.

The areas will be managed by the Municipalities and/or communities.