Ricardo Valverde Sanchez is a certified environmental consultant and biologist in Costa Rica. He has a Master’s degree in Geography, and a BA in Biology with a concentration in environmental interpretation from the University of Costa Rica.
Ricardo has offered consultancy and lectures on water-related issues, the effects of climate change, and the management of protected areas in Latin America and the USA. He has also collaborated as a field instructor in Costa Rica for undergraduate students from American universities. He has been part of numerous publications and research studies involving environmental studies in Costa Rica and all Latin America.
For over a decade Ricardo led reality tours for foreign visitors and students who were interested in nature-based activities, ecotourism, and cultural tourism as a source of livelihood for rural communities. With the input and experience gathered from all these years, and a deep examination of the pros and cons related to these activities in Costa Rica, he learned that the country has turned nature-based tourism into its major source of income, and that ecotourism has played a key role in rural communities and in diversifying local economies.
The Journal of Park and Recreation Administration invited Ricardo to publish an article for their Fall 2018 special issue on Latin American parks and protected areas. “Conservation Strategies, Protected Areas, and Ecotourism in Costa Rica” provides an overall outlook on Costa Rica’s policies to promote itself as one of the world’s foremost nature destinations, based on its rich biodiversity.
Click here to view Ricardo’s article.
