Its only fair to point out that many environmentalists are concerned that Costa Ricas Ecotourism boom is endangering the very ecosystems that bring tourists in the first place. Monteverde Cloud Forest Is a good example. A few years ago, only a handful of dedicated biologists and students walked the trails of Monteverde to savor its unique treasures. In 1973, just 300 visitors arrived during that entire year. By 1993, the numbers increased to well over 30,000! There is no question that large numbers of people tramping through the forest every day frighten away some of the fauna and cause unintended damage because of the heavy foot traffic. Recent visitors have said they were shocked to discover that birds and animals that used to be common are becoming difficult to spot.
However, I believe that with the growing number of ecotourism facilities, the total number of tourists will be spread over more sites, in more regions of the country. The Cordillera de Talamanca area, for example, which is virtually unvisited, holds wonderful potential for ecotourism projects. Diversity should lessen the impact on any one location, since most ecotourist developments can accommodate a comparatively small number of visitors. Whether we like it or not, folks will come to Costa Rica to commune with nature.

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