Area de Conservación Guanacaste World Heritage Site facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Area de Conservación Guanacaste |
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Rincón de la Vieja Volcano
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| Location | Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica |
| Area | 1470 km² |
| Established | 1989 |
| Governing body | National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) |
| Type: | Natural |
| Criteria: | ix, x |
| Designated: | 1999 (23rd session) |
| Reference #: | 928bis |
| Region: | Latin America and the Caribbean |
| Extensions: | 2004 |
The Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) is a special group of protected areas in northwestern Costa Rica. It's like a giant nature park! This area is so important that it's also a World Heritage Site. This means it's recognized globally for its amazing natural beauty and importance.
The ACG protects a huge area of tropical dry forest. This forest is home to many animals that need special protection. Some of these animals include the Central American tapir, the mangrove hummingbird, and the great green macaw. Scientists have found over 7,000 types of plants and 900 types of animals with backbones (like mammals, birds, and reptiles) living here.
What is the Guanacaste Conservation Area?
The Guanacaste Conservation Area is very large. It covers about 1,470 square kilometers (568 square miles). This area has grown a lot over time. It started with Santa Rosa National Park in 1971. Over many years, more land was bought. Other national parks were also connected. This helped the protected area grow bigger.
The ACG now includes many different types of habitats. These include tropical dry forests, rainforests, and cloud forests. It also has important areas along the coast. These coastal areas include marine habitats. This means it protects parts of the ocean too!
This special area protects about two-thirds of all the endangered animals in Costa Rica. It became part of the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) in 1994. Then, in 1999, it became a World Heritage Site. In 2004, the World Heritage Site grew even more. It added a private property of 15,000 hectares (about 37,000 acres). This new part is in the Santa Elena rainforest.
Parks and Refuges in the ACG
The World Heritage Site includes several important parks and refuges:
- Santa Rosa National Park
- Guanacaste National Park
- Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park
- Junquillal Bay Wildlife Refuge
See also
In Spanish: Área de conservación Guanacaste para niños
- Guanacaste Conservation Area
- World Heritage Sites in Costa Rica
