The San Juan-La Selva Biological Corridor, located in the northern zone of Costa Rica was implemented in 2001 with the purpose of connecting the lowland tropical forest of Costa Rica to Nicaragua. The corridor only contributes to a much larger picture, the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, which was created with the idea to connect habitats from southern Mexico to Panama.
Within San Juan-La Selva Biological Corridor, Maquenque Mixed National Wildlife Refuge protects several key ecosystems. This refuge is especially important because it is what connects the Great Green Macaw habitats in Costa Rica to those in Nicaragua.
The Green Macaw Research and Conservation Project has been the one of the main entities monitoring the corridor. This project has allowed for researchers to pass on their environmental knowledge to local schools and communities in hopes to get the public involved.
Habitat connectivity is crucial to keep the northen part of Costa Rica biologically diverse. With threats of deforestation it is hard to keep the biodiversity relevant in this region considering so many species are at stake, such as the Almendro tree, Great Green Macaw and the Jaguar. The corridor allows for land not only to be protected, but for species with large habitat ranges to continue through the whole protected area. This is not only crucial for their survival but a key role in reproducing.
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