French–Costa Rican Collaboration Strengthens Biodiversity Monitoring in Corcovado National Park 

Led by NatureXpairs in collaboration with SINAC and supported by the French Ministry of Ecological Transition, the Office français de la biodiversité (OFB), and the HAC N&P Secretariat, the mission is enhancing Costa Rica’s biodiversity monitoring systems and data management in Corcovado National Park and surrounding areas. French experts from Parc national des Écrins and OFB are sharing their experience with GeoNature, a French open-source platform for biodiversity data management, to strengthen local capacity in data classification, analysis, and governance. This project addresses Theme 5: Monitoring and Reporting Progress.

Corcovado National Park (est. 1975), located on Costa Rica’s southern Pacific coast, spans more than 45,000 hectares of land and sea and protects some of the most biologically rich ecosystems in the country. The park encompasses a wide range of habitats, including montane and cloud forests, mangroves, and freshwater swamps. It is home to approximately 140 mammal species, 367 bird species, 6,000 insect species, and 117 species of amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the park protects 500 species of trees and several endangered species, including wild cats and large reptiles. Yet, it has experienced significant anthropogenic threats throughout its history.

Since 2012, Corcovado’s officials and specialists have collected extensive monitoring data on terrestrial mammals using footprints, excrement, and camera traps. In 2022, SINAC developed a national protocol for monitoring non-flying terrestrial mammals, standardizing data collection and analysis across all protected areas. Early results from 2023 indicate that Corcovado’s biodiversity remains strong: species diversity and energy transfer indicators are rated very good and good, respectively, showing evidence of the forest’s resilience and potential for ecological recovery despite past human pressures.

While the outlook is positive, park managers face challenges in systematizing and interpreting large volumes of mammal data. The France–Costa Rica mission directly addresses these needs. Activities include data collection from 20 monitoring cameras, improving data analysis and interpretation, aligning Corcovado’s current archive with the National Ecological Monitoring Program, and training local communities in participatory monitoring.

Expected outcomes of this collaboration include the full integration of Corcovado’s data into the national PRONAMEC platform, improved monitoring capacity, and long-term technical cooperation between French and Costa Rican conservation institutions. Through collaboration and technological capacity exchange, this partnership exemplifies how international collaboration under the HAC for N&P Matchmaking Platform can strengthen national biodiversity monitoring frameworks, ultimately advancing progress toward 30×30.

Photo 1 – Group pictures of the workshop participants (Credit Photo: Camille Soupin)

Photo 2 – Presentation on France’s expertise in monitoring biodiversity (Credit photo: Camille Soupin)