Costa Rica’s Constitutional Court has ruled that the General Management Plan for the Gandoca-Manzanillo Mixed Wildlife Refuge is unconstitutional. The decision annuls both the plan and a 2023 directive from the Environment Ministry that allowed permits in protected areas, citing violations of the country’s constitution and international wetland protections.
The court found that the plan improperly excluded over 20 hectares of forest and 165 hectares of wetlands from conservation protections. These areas, located in the southern Caribbean, are essential to maintaining biodiversity and form part of Costa Rica’s State Natural Heritage. By removing these lands from oversight, the plan opened the door to new construction and land use permits that have already caused visible environmental damage.
The now-annulled directive from the Ministry of Environment and Energy had instructed officials to issue permits using outdated maps and criteria. These guidelines directly contradicted scientific assessments and undermined the legal framework protecting forest and wetland areas. Based on this directive, local and national officials had authorized activities that fragmented habitats and disrupted ecosystems that are home to turtles, birds, and aquatic species.
The ruling stems from a legal complaint filed earlier this year by environmental advocates who argued that the management plan and directive encouraged unchecked urban development in one of Costa Rica’s most sensitive ecological zones. The court agreed, stating that the plan violates Articles 50 and 89 of the Constitution as well as obligations under the Ramsar Convention, which protects wetlands of international importance.
As part of the decision, the court gave the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) a deadline of one year to revise the plan. If corrections are not submitted and approved by that time, the plan will be definitively struck down. In the meantime, the existing plan remains in effect but under legal scrutiny.
This decision has halted further permits in the affected zones and reaffirmed the role of constitutional and international law in defending Costa Rica’s natural resources. It also places pressure on SINAC and local municipalities to ensure future planning aligns with environmental obligations and community oversight.
