No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCosta RicaMonteverde will become Costa Rica's 83rd canton

Monteverde will become Costa Rica’s 83rd canton

Monteverde will become Costa Rica’s newest canton after lawmakers voted in favor of the designation.

Law project 21.618, which will convert Monteverde into Costa Rica’s eighty-third canton, received 49 votes in favor and none opposed Wednesday during a second debate in the Legislative Assembly.

“Local development and decentralization processes have been a vital part of the National Tourism Development Plan, so we are sure that working together with the new local government will be of great benefit to the region,” the Costa Rica Tourism Board said in a statement

Currently, the tourist-heavy region resides in the central canton of Puntarenas, complicating administrative procedures due to the distance between the two locations.

Deputy Carmen Chan says the cantonal designation will strengthen municipal autonomy and allow Monteverde to improve the planning and investment of resources.

“The initiative summarizes the need and will of a community to become a canton,” Chan said.

“The project will contribute to addressing problems of order, planning and infrastructure and will make possible the urban development that Monteverde requires as a tourist destination.”

Authorities also believe creating Monteverde canton would “contribute to the development of the region and the improvement of the quality of life and general well-being of its inhabitants,” Chan said.

Monteverde, one of Costa Rica’s most-visited locations, hopes to continue its growth as a sustainable tourism destination.

As part of that development, the 17-kilometer portion of Route 606 between Guacimal and Santa Elena/Cerro Plano/Monteverde was finally paved.

As Guillermo Vargas, President of the Monteverde Chamber of Tourism, explained in early 2020, a visitor’s car will is no longer a barrier to access Monteverde and its famous cloud forests.

Here are the developments being planned in Monteverde, according to local tourism authorities:

  • Hiking: Expand, improve and develop the network of trails in the community of San Luis. These are part of the Pacific Slope Trail network.
  • Training: Provide tourism guides and environmental educators the opportunity to receive high-level training that allows them to instruct and inspire visitors.
  • Parking: Create a parking area in Santa Elena to alleviate road congestion.
  • Regulating: Perform technical and legal studies to identify standards to partially regulate some areas of growth.
  • Conserving: Establish a comprehensive sanitation system focused on the recovery of resources such as water, energy and nutrients for local use.

Monteverde is located on the western slope of the Tilarán mountain range. It’s famous for its diversity of flora and fauna, much of it found within cloud forest.

The modern community was established in the 1950s by Quakers from Alabama who emigrated from the United States in opposition to the country’s involvement in World War II. After purchasing a large swath of land on their “Green Mountain,” the Friends founded the Monteverde Cheese Factory and later the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.

Between 2016-18, ecotourism was a primary reason for travel for the majority of international visitors to Costa Rica, according to ICT.  Pre-pandemic, tens of thousands of people visited Monteverde each year.

Trending Now

Riu Guanacaste Hotel Reopens in Costa Rica After Renovation

The Riu Guanacaste hotel in Costa Rica has reopened after a complete renovation, welcoming guests back to its beachfront spot on Matapalo Beach. The...

Costa Rica Reports First Yellow Fever Case in 70 Years

Health officials in Costa Rica have confirmed the country's first case of yellow fever in almost seven decades. The Ministry of Health announced the...

Costa Rica’s FIFCO Sells Operations to Heineken After Vote

Shareholders of Costa Rica's Florida Ice and Farm Company, known as FIFCO, gave the green light on to sell most of their food, beverage,...

Costa Rican Congressman Faces Sexual Abuse Allegations from 2006

Fabricio Alvarado, a sitting congressman and presidential hopeful for the New Republic Party, now contends with a formal complaint accusing him of sexually abusing...

Costa Rica Updates National ID Card with Enhanced Security Features

Costa Rica's Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) rolled out a redesigned physical identity card today. The update focuses on better protection against fraud while keeping...

Back North from Costa Rica: An Expat’s Culture Shock

I am presently away from Costa Rica. I am in a foreign country. I was born here, but it is now a different place...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica