Community Selects Playa Tamarindo for Restoration
Playa Tamarindo was selected as a high priority location for restoration. Steady recreational use and illegal vehicle access had degraded the vegetation protecting the beach from erosion. This vegetation provided a buffer for stormwater runoff, blocking sediment and pollution from reaching the coastal waters and the marine ecosystem. CORALations helped select the site and coordinated the participation of students from the Ecological School of Culebra. Students assisted with reforestation efforts. Members of the student chapter of The Society of Marine Environment (CESAM) showed effects of the degraded beach on their coral reef restoration areas.
Healthy Coastal Ecosystems Support the Tourism Economy
Several ecotourism operators are based at the beach offering snorkeling and kayak adventures. Recreational use of the beach places increased pressure on natural resources and increases the need for restoration measures and management practices to conserve these coastal resources. Healthy reefs, mangroves, and beaches support the tourism economy, as well as providing habitat for animals and protection for coastal communities.