The Ecological Blue Flag

The Ecological Blue Flag

The world gives high marks to Costa Rica for its environmental awareness, but a visit here shows that the accolades don't always match the reality. Deforestation occurs at an alarming rate and the country has major trash-disposal issues. Recognizing that three-quarters of visitors to Costa Rica make a beach excursion, the national water utility, Aqueductos y Alcantarillados, in conjunction with the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo, began evaluating and ranking water and environmental quality in coastal communities in 1996. Those that achieved a 90 percent score were awarded a Bandera Azul Ecológica (ecological blue flag) to fly as a symbol of excellence.

The program, modeled on one begun in Spain in 1986 and now used in the European Union, awards flags as prizes for communities, rather than to individual hotels. Participating areas are required to form a Blue Flag committee, a move that brings together diverse sectors of an area's population, many of which otherwise fiercely compete for tourist dollars. In true developing-country fashion, Costa Rica's wealth concentrates in the capital and the Central Valley. But the Blue Flag program has prompted less affluent lowland and coastal communities to put resources into improving environmental quality of life for themselves and for their guests.

Only 10 beaches earned a Blue Flag that first year, a fact that Costa Rica sheepishly decided not to publicize, not wanting to call attention to the high number of communities that didn't make the cut. When 19 succeeded the following year, the results went public. Officials inspect heavily visited beaches once a month. More isolated communities get bimonthly assessments. They evaluate water quality—both ocean and drinking water—trash cleanup, waste management, security, signage, and environmental education. In 2002, the competition was opened to inland communities.

Blue flags fly proudly in the following communities covered in this book:

Central Valley: Carrizal (Alajuela).

Northern Plains: La Fortuna, Las Horquetas de Sarapiquí, San Rafael de Heredia, Vara Blanca.

North Pacific: Bahía Junquillal, Nosara (Playa Guiones, Playa Pelada), Ostional, Playa Avellanas, Playa Carrillo, Playa Conchal, Playa Grande, Playa Hermosa, Playa Junquillal, Playa Langosta, Playa Ocotal, Playa Pan de Azúcar, Playa Panamá, Punta Islita, Tamarindo.

Central Pacific: Barú, Isla Tortuga, Malpaís, Manuel Antonio (Playa Manuel Antonio, Playa Espadilla Sur, Puerto Escondido, Playa Gemelas), Puntarenas, Punta Leona (Playa Blanca, Playa Limoncito, Playa Mantas).

South Pacific: Ballena National Marine Park (Playa La Colonia, Playa Piñuela, Playa Ballena, Punta Uvita), Dominical, San Gerardo de Rivas, San Marcos de Tarrazú.

Caribbean Coast: Cahuita (Puerto Vargas, Playa Blanca, Playa Negra), EARTH, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca (Playa Negra, Playa Chiquita, Playa Cocles, Punta Uva), Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge.