There's more to see on the white sand beaches of Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula than the beautiful jungle coastline As one of the world's original Blue Zones And while the keys to living that lifestyle are deeply ingrained in local culture the habits that keep it alive aren't always immediately clear as I did while visiting the Blue Zone last month — partly because of a wonderful work assignment but also because of a newfound obsession with wellness as I enter my 30s — you can glean lessons on longevity to take back home with you Here are three things I learned that I'll be reminding myself of as I prioritize healthy living going forward: a surge in tourism means a surge in various luxuries cropping up to provide outsiders with easy and familiar places to eat and Pollolandia — a local fried chicken chain — have made it to the most remote corners of the Central American country Locals I spoke to said the Blue Zone lifestyle is real, but it's fading. Instead of balanced meals of fruit and freshly caught fish it's quicker to pick up a burger at the fast food chain that moved in once the tourists did to tend to your livestock and split wood to keep a fire going if you no longer need a farm and you've had electricity for years Maintaining a Blue Zone lifestyle in a modern-day world doesn't happen automatically — it takes daily effort and intention Watching how locals lived in the beach towns of Paquera and Montezuma showed me that wellness-centric habits don't have to be complicated No one I spoke to had elaborate gym routines or chlorophyll drops to add to their oat milk smoothies Instead, most everything was pared down to its most essential elements. The Blue Zone diet included fresh rarely prepared in any way more complicated than roasting; exercise was daily but rarely vigorous — like walking to the grocery store for ingredients rather than interval training A man and woman I spoke to had lived on the beach their whole lives kept remarkably young by their active work and limited-stress lifestyle it became clear that Blue Zone living makes wellness a routine built into daily life but another key element of wellness in Costa Rica was locals' focus on their connection to their community playgrounds for schoolchildren stay open past dark and the many animals who share the environment are treated like neighbors Costa Rica's unofficial national catchphrase meaning "pure life," sums it up well: It's about integrating and making the best of your whole life COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER and revitalize the marine ecosystems of the Gulf of Nicoya a total of 1,050 coral fragments have been cultivated on Tortuga Island from June to September led by the State Distance University (UNED) Puntarenas branch and the Nautical Fishing Center of the National Learning Institute (INA) “Feasibility of the Ecological Restoration of Coral Reefs in the Gulf of Nicoya through Coral Reef Gardening in 2024.” Among the structures used in coral nurseries (gardening) are spider, clothesline, and tree structures. These are assembled on the seabed by means of anchors, remaining suspended in the water column about 5m/20 feet from the surface. Rodolfo Vargas, a researcher at INA’s Nautical Fishing Nucleus and a coral reef gardening specialist, emphasized that the technique accelerates coral growth, increasing resilience and enabling maturity in just one year, compared to the natural rate of 2.5 cm annually. “This effort not only benefits marine biodiversity but also has the potential to transform Isla Tortuga and the surrounding area through a sustainable tourism model,” he said. He also mentioned that this technique is crucial for restoring coral reefs degraded by anthropogenic or natural factors. Currently, the approximate volume of coral planted on Tortuga Island is 9,745.51 cm³, a positive figure indicating significant recovery of the coral and fish population in the area. Sedimentation, pollution, and overexploitation of resources are some of the main causes of coral reef degradation in the Gulf of Nicoya. Against this backdrop, reef restoration on Tortuga Island is a crucial step to mitigate these impacts and ensure the health of marine ecosystems for future generations. Coral reefs are essential for marine biodiversity and coastal protection. In Costa Rica, 77% of these ecosystems face serious threats, mainly due to human activity. The news and editorial staff of Sound Publishing, Inc. had no role in the preparation of this post. The views and opinions expressed in this sponsored post are those of the advertiser and do not reflect those of Sound Publishing, Inc. Sound Publishing, Inc. does not accept liability for any loss or damages caused by the use of any products, nor do we endorse any products posted in our Marketplace. The latest data indicates that around 12% of Americans have credit scores below 550, which makes obtaining credit from conventional… Do you have a hard time making both ends meet and require immediate cash? In most cases, having a poor… When you’re in dire need of cash, and your credit score is alarmingly low, traditional financial institutions may not be… • 28 works including roads, bridges, and educational centers in various cantons of the province will be carried out as part of the Comprehensive and Resilient Infrastructure Reconstruction Emergency Program (PROERI). CABEI has played a crucial role in the development of Guanacaste, with investments exceeding US$600 million, through a series of projects that have been executed, and others that are advancing at a steady pace. The construction of the new Hospitalization Service and the reinforcement of the Anexión Hospital in Nicoya, which represented an investment of US$33.5 million, is an example, since this work expanded the medical attention capacity, offering new specialties and high quality services to more than 120,000 people. This hospital is now an essential pillar of medical care in the province, significantly improving access to healthcare services. CABEI also participated in the area of electricity generation, providing US$160 million in financing for the development, operation, and 20-year lease of the Las Pailas I geothermal Project, which generates more than 272 GWh per year and supplies sustainable electricity to more than 75,500 Costa Rican homes. Among the projects recently executed was the expansion and improvement of the Bagaces aqueduct, with an investment of US$10.4 million, which ensures the supply of potable water for 130,000 Guanacastecos who were historically affected with access to the vital liquid that had arsenic contamination, thus strengthening the sanitation infrastructure, and improving the living conditions of the inhabitants. In addition, as part of the Comprehensive and Resilient Infrastructure Reconstruction Emergency Program (PROERI), a total of 28 road and educational infrastructure works will be executed in all the cantons of the province with an investment of more than US$42 million. One of them is the Bridge over the Santa Inés River in Liberia, which will improve connectivity and accessibility for 53,382 people, facilitating access to basic services and economic activities. Similarly, the construction of bridges over the Cabalceta, Las Vueltas, Sonzapote, and Tempisquito rivers will benefit the communities of La Cruz and Liberia, providing safe and efficient roads for more than 60,000 people. In the area of education, the El Coco Educational Center in Carrillo and the CTP in Nicoya will be some of the projects financed with CABEI resources, benefiting more than 2,000 students not only with a safe and adequate learning environment, but also by providing a significant boost to human development in the region. Other works contemplated as part of PROERI in Guanacaste: Design and Construction of Structure over the El Chingo river, La Cruz Bridge over the Las Vueltas river, La Cruz Bridge over the Tempisquito River, Liberia Escuela Matias Duarte Sotela Educational Center, Santa Cruz Road in the Santa Cruz district, Santa Cruz Victoriano Mena Educational Center, Hojancha These initiatives are part of CABEI's strategy, specifically regarding human development and the promotion of competitiveness in its member countries, seeking to promote opportunities for all, reaffirming its commitment to be the region's main ally in building a prosperous and sustainable future. Central American Bank for Economic Integration, All Rights Reserved 2025 Costa RicaChevron Peninsula PapagayoChevron Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Peninsula PapagayoSave this storySaveSave this storySaveAll products and listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links my villa peered over the glimmering bay below I reflexively grabbed my phone to check the weather app scolding myself for the lapse in mindfulness Within seconds I grabbed my phone to check it again before remembering I just did This impulse, I rationalized, came from wanting to know exactly what to expect: If I’d be able to optimize every moment at the serene tropical wonderland that is Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Peninsula Papagayo which just hosted the first official Blue Zones-sponsored retreat I was a stone’s throw from the Nicoya Peninsula an eighty-mile stretch just south of Nicaragua that’s home to one of the highest concentrations of centenarians in the world making it one of five geographic “blue zones” where journalist Dan Buettner and a team of researchers found people lived extraordinarily long lives I had the strong suspicion they were not addicted to their weather apps The Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Peninsula Papagayo A guest taking part in the resort's Blue Zones Retreat The concept of blue zones originated from the work of demographers Gianni Pes and Michel Poulain who identified Sardinia as having the highest global concentration of men living over 100 years old Buettner furthered the research by identifying other longevity hotspots and the lifestyle principles they all had in common pro-longevity habits “The Power 9,” which include moving naturally and “downshifting” after work or stressful events the Blue Zones organization brought on health coach Céline Vadam to help design retreats in blue zones around the world This dreamy week at the Peninsula Papagayo Andaz which I also filled with reiki and aerial sound healing marked the first official Blue Zones retreat a bubbly French woman who is also the founder of the wellness consultancy We(i) Think and health coaching brand Retrouv’l planned intimate hour-long workshops on topics like happiness and purpose focusing specifically on the healthy attributes identified in this Costa Rican blue zone like the cultural emphasis on social interactions and family ties Wellness expert Céline Vandam performs a cacao ceremony as part of the retreat Blue Zones the company isn’t selling an individualized view of health; the whole point of Buettner’s research is that our environments have an outsize impact on our wellbeing If you live an hour from a store selling fresh fruits and vegetables of course your diet will never amount to that of a Sardinian goat herder As someone who works hard not to blame herself for her cancer and other chronic illness I was pleased to hear that the organization works with over 75 cities in the U.S to help make people’s environments healthier which determines whether a city is safe for families and disabled people to stay active in their environments “We also work with companies on how to have healthy options in their cafeterias,” Vadam told me We work with supermarkets to make sure that the healthy vegetables are in a more prominent place than the crisps and chocolate bars because individuals sign up for them hoping to learn ways they can take action to improve their lives over a breakfast of fresh fruit and intoxicating local coffee curated by the resort’s head barista a Costa Rican coffee genius named Luis Carlos Herrera I took the Blue Zones online “vitality test” to determine my life expectancy The quiz asked lifestyle questions about diet and exercise habits but also about how many days out of 30 I was sad and whether I’ve had any major illnesses like cancer my life expectancy flashed on the screen: 50.3 There was an option to click on a button that said “Add 37.2 more years.” I laughed My first thirty-some years hadn’t been so fab: Was tacking on three more decades really so desirable located in one of the property’s opulent two-story suites with sweeping vistas of the bay Vadam had our group of six examine a wheel of the Power 9 principles She asked us to identify how we felt we were faring on each drawing a dot either close to the circumference (great) or close to the center (bad) If you felt you were excelling in every area from the “80% Rule” (fullness goal) to “Loved Ones First,” your dots would connect to a perfect circle; if you felt good about just a few your shape would have a zig-zagged perimeter with four main points indicating my strong suits: “Plant Slant” (eating a mostly plant-based diet) “Right Tribe” (having a good social circle) “Move Naturally,” and “Downshift” (the ability to unwind whether through napping or prayer.) I felt satisfied to see I was doing well in those areas which almost compensated for my “Purpose” dot in the center of the circle; I essentially gave myself a 0 I reflected on how many hours a day I watch 90 Day Fiancé and I challenged myself to watch slightly less in favor of activities that are aligned with my values A local cook making tortillas during the resort's Huertas Experience Indigenous Costa Rican ingredients are used to prepare many of the meals served during the retreat “Wellness programs today are very exclusive while Blue Zones principles are inclusive,” said Vadam ‘How does it move into your life?’” I leaned into the flexibility because there were certain lifestyle suggestions I knew were not for me I would never want to live a life where I ate until I was only 80% full I feel strongly that anyone who has endured chemotherapy which can not only make it difficult to eat but also make food taste worse deserves to enjoy food exactly how much they want to but Dan Buettner would have to pull my Cheez-Its from my cold I’ve learned from recovery (and my physical therapists) that the amount I exercise or don’t exercise needs to be dictated by how my body is feeling While I wish I could make some pledge about walking more to pick up groceries Vadam went over the 3Ps vital to emotional well-being—pleasure and pride—and asked participants to consider how our environments impact our happiness I reflected on the garbage in my apartment and the fact that I rarely see grass I scribbled “bad” on my notebook clipboard I was reassured to be in a small group of people who also shared difficulties accessing happiness on a daily basis The workshop format helped to alleviate some of the shame we can feel for doing life things wrong or not well enough because nobody except the surrounding monkeys who were living lives beyond my wildest dreams When it comes to medical advice for my illness who are experts on the latest cancer research no amount of beans or good vibes can stave off a recurrence But I thought about the little things that actually are in my control: being more intentional about scheduling time with friends and doing things that fill me with a sense of purpose I chose to release the “living long” part of Blue Zones philosophy and to embrace the “living well” tenet Rather than instilling a specific doctrine the retreat reminded me of what I liked about life like the sense of wonder I get when I travel and the feeling of being surrounded by natural beauty were easy to do at a luxurious eco-resort with a great spa and exceptional restaurants committed to local sourcing I ordered some blue zone-inspired dishes they were offering for the retreat made with indigenous Costa Rican ingredients that are part of the reason locals live so long Between sips of a gorgeous non-alcoholic margarita I dove into a plate of seared local mahi mahi perched atop a coyote pesto and garnished with lots of culantro (a potent type of native cilantro) and crispy pejibaye the sweet and nutty fruit of regional peach palm trees I sank into a slice of dense purple corn cake made of native Pujagua corn up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse We understand that time is the greatest luxury which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world Volume 6 - 2019 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00126 Trophic models of the Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) type and local ecological knowledge (LEK) have widely been applied to fisheries assessment and management there are no specific methodologies describing how LEK from local fishers can be incorporated with the scientific data from the models in the context of ecosystem-based fisheries management To our knowledge this is the first contribution exploring a systematic integration of LEK with EwE modeled output An EwE food web model of the Nicoya Gulf ecosystem constructed 20 years ago and recently revisited by the authors and collaborators was used in workshops to stimulate discussion among local stakeholders regarding changes in the marine ecosystem 58 artisanal fishers were recruited to eight workshops and the qualitative data were analyzed with quantitative frequency of responses to identify trends we systematically compared the changes in the fishery over time through an analysis of similar and contradictory information across knowledge systems the analysis across systems reflected changes in species composition of the catches paralleled by a harvest reduction in high-trophic-level species as well as economic losses due to a shift in harvesting low-value species and due to an increase in operational costs we identified (1) similar pieces of information that delivered the same message providing robust evidence of changes in the social–ecological system; (2) information complementary to each other which together provided a broader picture (descriptors and attributes) of the changes of some fishing resources; and (3) conflicting pieces of information that indicated mismatches between sources of knowledge which might suggest the cause of management problems This study demonstrated how integrating knowledge systems can enhance our understanding of the state and changes in ecosystems We also found that an EwE model can be an effective communication tool to be used with fishers and to promote discussion and engagement Our aspiration is to bring new and replicable tools to the policy interface in Latin-American fisheries based on both stakeholder participation (including LEK) and the best scientific information available Figure 1. Gulf of Nicoya (GoN) located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The Gulf is sectored by Incopesca into areas 201, 202, and 203 based on species composition and fishing gears used (Marín-Alpízar and Vásquez, 2014) The three focal points selected for this study along the gulf were Isla Chira (inner area) Costa de Pájaros (inner-intermediate area) The outcomes of this study are expected to contribute to a new narrative of decision-making in fisheries management based on both stakeholder participation and scientific evidence The core of the study was conducted from May to July 2017 as this is a 3-month period of fishing closure in the inner and intermediate zones of the gulf created for the protection of the reproductive peak events of target resources (small pelagic fish species Given that fishers from internal zones are usually not involved in any fishing activity during the closure it was expected that fishers would have more availability to participate and engage exploratory visits to the study sites were performed during January to March 2017 to establish contacts with community leaders and fishing association presidents we sought and obtained authorization from the presidents of the fishing associations for conducting the interviews and workshops we asked participants for prior informed consent and explained to them the project and the use of the data Their responses were voluntary and confidential and all people involved in the study had the possibility to drop out at any time Data handling took place in an anonymized form and it was made sure that it is impossible to identify particular individuals The focus of the study was the small-scale artisanal fishers who used gillnet gears and owned a fishing license from Incopesca Those fishers that worked for someone who had a license were also considered We were interested in people who were living in the area for more than 5 years and who have about 5 years of experience as a fisher A list of fishers’ names matching these criteria was provided by the presidents of the fishing associations so it was possible to contact participants during the study in their houses or at the local fish market To assess the local fishers’ knowledge about changes in the fishing ecosystem over time, workshops were held in each focal area (Figure 1) For the purpose of this paper, the following changes in the fishery over time (1990s–2010s; Alms and Wolff, 2019) were explained to the participants: (1) an overall increase of 20.9% in the total fishing catches for both artisanal and semi-industrial catches; (2) a severe decrease in the catches of shrimps and corvinas (60 and 35% respectively) in the 2010s; (3) changes from shrimp-dominated catches (1990s) to sardine-dominated catches and small demersal fish (e.g. The reduction in catches of corvinas and shrimps led to additional changes (Alms and Wolff, 2019): (4) a decline in the commercial value of the catches (almost 50%) compared to that in the 1990s Although shrimps still represent the largest contribution (39%) of the total value an important percentage of the economic value (35%) is currently provided by species of lower commercial price as in the case of small demersal (28%; e.g. small corvinas) and small pelagic species such as sardines and anchovies (7%) Other species of higher trophic levels only contribute small percentages (5) Eighty percent of corvinas caught in the 2010s had not reached the size of maturity and were thus small individuals of lower market prices (6) There are changes in corvinas and shrimps in terms of the species composition of the catches While the capture of whitefin weakfish and tallfin croaker has increased the catches of other corvina species have diminished by 35% there was a severe decrease in the catches of coastal shrimp species including the white shrimp and the Pacific sea bob shrimp ∼titi The most recurrent topics mentioned were catch abundance of fishing resources (mainly shrimps and impact of fishing fleets on the marine resources Similarity in information is understood here as two sources of knowledge that provide the same message with the exact same or very similar words We defined complementary as different pieces of information that are unique to each knowledge system but when combined can better describe a situation or enrich a message Information that is contradictory to another piece of information presents opposite messages on the same topic Economic descriptions were elicited using attributes like profits Other descriptors such as fishing effort and the impact of fishing gears on species were included The respondents’ profiles are summarized in tables (Supplementary Material) revealing that the income for most of the interviewees lays between 200,000 and 300,000 Costa Rican colones (1 EUR: 611 Costa Rican colones as of survey year); 36.8% said they earn 200,000 This amount oscillates around the minimum monthly salary for Costa Rica in 2017 (256,000: EUR 419.10) most respondents (81%) depend solely on fishing while the remaining (17.5%) combine fishing with other activities which suggests that there is a vast number of fishers with monthly salaries below the minimum In the range of 80,000 to 110,000 falls the basic expenses (monthly bills and food) of 23.6% interviewees but it is noteworthy that the expenses varied among fishers 18.2% require a minimum of 200,000 to 300,000 to cover their basic needs The balance between income and expenses seems to be influenced by the number of family dependents (between 0 and 7 with an average of 3.3 dependents) and other expenditures beyond the basics (e.g. formal or informal loans to buy a fishing boat) Gillnet is the primary fishing activity for 66.7% of the respondents while 26.3% interlaces gillnet with hook fishing and 7% interchanges it with line fishing Corvina fishing is the main activity for most of the respondents and usually is combined with other activities such as fishing for shrimps (20%) and snappers (15%) the results of the interviews indicated that 40.4% of the people are fishing 6–9 h per day almost daily (56.9%) Discussions in workshops concerning changes in the fishing ecosystem over time were used to understand the LEK The qualitative data helped to identify dominant topics and trends in relation to abundance of fishery resources (shrimps the key themes identified in the workshops were used to examine the interactions across LEK and the food web EwE model We focused on the state and changes over time of the resources of shrimps and we compared the information of both systems of knowledge considering the similarities The resources of shrimps and corvinas were indicated as highly abundant in the past, while their abundance has decreased over the course of time (Figure 2A) This is nicely summarized by the following statements from a fisher: “In old times you could hear them everywhere” (Isla Chira-workshop A participant in the same workshop specified that at around 1993 “a shrimp fever took place all over the island” because of its great abundance and the high fishing activity data for the 2010s show that certain species of this family were not present any longer A significant reduction in catches of corvinas was reported ranging from 70–90 kg in the 1990s to only 20–30 kg in the 2010s from 30–39 kg in the past to only 5–9 kg today per day of fishing Predominant topics and attributes identified in the focus groups related to the state of shrimps and corvinas [1990s and (or) 2000s] Participants indicated that shrimps and corvinas were geographically widely distributed in the past, contrasting with the restricted distribution reported for present times (Figure 2A): “In the past you could fish shrimps and corvinas everywhere now you have to go to deeper waters and different places to find them” (Isla Chira-workshop Low abundance for certain species of shrimps was also mentioned since small specimens do not receive as high prices in the market as large ones only 20–29 individual shrimps were needed in the 1990s to make a kilogram while 40–49 individual shrimps are needed in currently Corvinas were commonly around 2 kg in size in the 1990s one to four individuals are necessary to obtain a kilogram of corvina In the 1990s, the most commonly used gillnets mentioned by fishers had mesh sizes of 3.5 and 3.0 inches (Figure 2D) 2.75 and 2.5 inches were the most commonly used gillnet mesh sizes (especially after 2005) through the use of gillnets with mesh sizes of 2.5 inches and “rastras” (a type of artisanal trawling) was widely reported in the early 2010s up to now Another widely used fishing gear reported during the 2010s is the semi-industrial trawl labeled as a non-selective method with high levels of bycatch As stated by fishers, in the 1990s, there were almost no fishing regulations compared to the 2000s (Figure 2D) when Marine Areas of Responsible Fishing (AMPRs) and minimum landing sizes (larger than the size at first maturity) were created with the aim of sustaining the fishing resources and ecosystems the fishers still expressed that there are high levels of illegal fishing and confusion with regard to the legal size limits of species since there are multiple species being caught Local ecological knowledge (LEK) about temporal changes in the state of large predatory species according to artisanal fishers consulted in the GoN (% of responses) Species of catfish (Bagre panamensis) were reported as present in the 1990s and of high commercial importance, while they were almost absent and slightly commercially important in the 2010s (Figure 4A). Snappers (Lutjanus spp.) were identified as highly abundant and profitable in the past. However, catch went down from 20 to 29 kg in the early 1990s to 5–9 kg per day in the 2010s (Figure 4B) fluctuations in the market have been influencing low profits associated with the commercial importance of snappers according to the majority of fishers consulted Summary trends of four important commercial species in GoN as reported in the focus groups by participants: (A) catfish We found an interesting case with sardines (Opisthonema spp.), since according to the fishers, its catches were abundant in the past (1990s), but the current state, in the 2010s, is unknown for participants (Figure 4C) Fishers mentioned that Incopesca authorities suggested to significantly reduce sardine fishing Some people assumed that the management measure was proposed due to a decrease in the catches of the species; however there was no agreement and certainty among participants regarding this affirmation sardines are widely used as bait by fishers; therefore some other fishers consider that catches of sardines remain as abundant as in the past Similar information (Table 1) is reflected in the reports that indicate peaks in the catches of shrimps and corvinas in the 1990s with a severe decrease (60 and 35% The catches of shrimp and corvinas were widely distributed in the 1990s along the gulf predominantly in the inner area (Zone 201) A restricted distribution of catches is suggested for both species in the 2010s with most of the catch originating in the outer part of the gulf (Zone 203) the current dependence on only two species (compared to seven species in the 1990s) and smaller specimens reveals changes in the species composition of the catches and a decrease from large to small demersal individuals For both sources of knowledge in the 2010s fishing effort of corvinas increased mainly in the intermediate area while the fishing effort for shrimps decreased Table 1. Similarities across two systems, local ecological Knowledge (LEK; this study) and scientific knowledge (EwE; Alms and Wolff, 2019) The model and LEK agreed that the first signals of stock reductions of large drums and shrimps were observed in the 1990s associated to a growing commercial importance of the species at the end of the decade the increasing pressure of gillnet fishing on the resources explained by the expanding illegal fishery (80% of gillnet fleets) negatively impacted the resources in the 2010s The impact of semi-industrial trawling on shrimps and corvinas due to bycatch was identified in both knowledge systems Table 2. Complementarities across two systems, LEK (this study) and scientific knowledge (EwE; Alms and Wolff, 2019) shrimps accounted for the vast majority of the total value of artisanal and semi-industrial fleets in the 1990s and still represented the largest contribution to the artisanal fleets in the 2000s but experienced a strong decline in the total catch and value The two systems of knowledge integrated suggest that the inshore resources have been decreasing since this fleet is not able to compete with the semi-industrial fishing fleet which has larger vessels and capacities to go fishing further out to sea small corvinas represent the largest contribution in the catch just two species are sold as a high-quality product: the whitefin weakfish (Cynoscion albus) and the Stolzmann weakfish (Cynoscion stolzmanni) The rest of the species are small and sold in low-value classes it was also found that the temporal impact (1990s vs 2010s) of different fishing fleets on some fishing resources is better explained when the two knowledge systems are complementary That is the case of information about the impact of the semi-industrial fleet on shrimps The data for the 1990s were obtained by combining LEK and the EwE knowledge the model alone shows the impact of different fishing fleets on large predators as well as a negative impact by artisanal gillnet The details of the gillnet fleets’ impact on shrimps and corvinas were provided by the fishers since the model does not differentiate at that level Fishers identified a growing commercial importance at the end of the 1990s with the extensive use of gillnets with mesh sizes of 3 and 3.5 inches and a continued increase in gillnet impact on the resources in the 2010s especially illegal fishing with mesh sizes of 2.5and 2.75 inches There are also contradictory pieces of information between the EwE and LEK (Table 3) despite the significant increase in the commercial importance of corvinas reported at the end of the 1990s by local fishers they indicated that the fishing effort on this resource was low during that time which indicates a high fishing effort since the 1990s Table 3. Contradictions across two systems, LEK (this study) and scientific knowledge (EwE; Alms and Wolff, 2019) The model shows considerably higher catches of sardines in the 2010s than in the 1990s with a change from shrimp-dominated catches in the 1990s to sardine dominated catches The model also detects a declining trend in the catch of sardines since 2008 the LEK is unclear about the current state of the sardine catches with some fishers believing that its catches are abundant as it is commonly seen and used as a bait to fish corvinas There are few efforts attempting to address the lack of systematic integrated information on small-scale fisheries (Salas et al., 2007) This also applies to the fisheries of the GoN where a dissociation between sources of knowledge examined the potential of using the scientific findings of an EwE model to stimulate discussion among fishers regarding observed changes in the marine ecosystem The two knowledge systems (the scientific and the local) were later compared systematically and qualitatively to identify similarities The aim was to integrate the two sources of information to enhance our understanding of the state and changes in the ecosystem and to help improve fisheries management we identified other advantages resulting from this systematization related with the engagement of the fishery participants The analysis of the interactions across systems of knowledge demonstrates that the fishers’ perceptions on the past and current state of the fisheries–ecosystem presented strong similarities with the core findings of the EwE model especially in relation to the following aspects: (1) there was a severe decrease in the catch of shrimps and corvinas in the 2000s paralleled by (2) significant changes in the species composition of the catches of corvinas over the years and a reduction in their sizes (3) The first signs of reduction in the catches of large drums and shrimps were visible especially at the end of the 1990s due to growing commerce and use of gillnets (4) The usage of gillnets increased in the 2010s and illegal fishing was indicated as a predominant activity fishing efforts toward corvinas increased in area 202 and fishing efforts toward shrimps decreased In general, a growth in the use of gillnets was widely reported from the early 2000s up to now by both sources of information. This trend may be related to the greater intensity of fishing that has most probably led to a depletion of larger specimens in the population, resulting in the predominance of smaller individuals in the catches, a process described as fishing down the web (Pauly et al., 1998; Alms and Wolff, 2019) we found similar pieces of information that delivered the same message helping to foster stronger confidence in the conclusions and providing robust evidence of changes in the social–ecological system of the Gulf were detected among the EwE model and the fishers’ perceptions: (1) reduction in the catches of sardines since the late 2000s was identified by the model but not by the fishers the high prices in the market for large pelagic fish make the activity profitable for the semi-industrial fleet this does not apply for the artisanal fleet that operates with smaller vessels with restricted ranges and lower fishing capacities (3) Increase in the fishing effort toward corvinas was not detected by local stakeholders but was shown by the model data The latter result suggests that fishers possibly perceive a decrease in fishing efforts as an explanation of the reduction in the catches of corvinas over time Some authors raise the point that it is important not to ignore the disagreements between different sources of knowledge provided by diverse systems and stakeholders, since doing so could lead to an artificial consensus (Leite and Gasalla, 2013) The conflicting information between LEK and the EwE model found in this case study has generated new insights with the potential to be acknowledged at the decision-making level We suggest that the mismatches between LEK and scientific knowledge could indicate the source of management and enforcement problems local stakeholders perceive abundant catches from the early 2000s up to now while the model shows a declining trend in the catches since 2008 During the focal groups’ activities it was often stated that sardines are the only realistic alternative to fishing corvinas with handlines (the second most common activity in the artisanal fishing sector besides gillnet fishing) a conflict arises since reducing or avoiding fishing sardines and artisanal fishers do not see a need to reduce sardine fishing As Tengö et al. (2014) identified and in light of the interactions between the EwE model and the LEK described so far it is possible to note how using multiple evidence types can generate different valid and useful knowledge but together improve our understanding of the state and changes in the fisheries systems as well as the implications for the well-being of humans Another area where connecting systems of knowledge would potentially be fruitful is in relation to the control of minimum catch sizes for target species This regulation has been implemented in the GoN as an output control measure to protect juveniles with possibilities to enforce it at the market Fishers mentioned this topic during the group discussions and expressed confusion concerning the legal-size limits of some species of corvinas due to the large number of other species caught and the different size regulations in place for each one The control of catch sizes is possibly creating a regulatory environment where the burden of compliance is high yet the reason for complex regulations is unclear for some fishers there seems to be a need for better communication with local fishing stakeholders about the reasoning behind ecosystem-based management alternatives As Armada et al. (2018) stated we also found that an EwE trophic model can be an interactive and effective communication tool to use with artisanal fishers to promote initial discussions on changes in the fishing ecosystem over time and to gather their perceptions about these multifaceted and sensitive topics our team learned that information of this kind should be presented using basic images and graphics moving gradually from the most basic to the most intricate information Since the different life stages of shrimps are key food items for a great variety of species their progressive decline in abundance over time will definitely cause a great system impact and therefore requires further research and management and ensuring that these alternatives are accepted by a critical number of fishers (searching for consensus) Our study suggests that the workshop-mediated integration of LEK and scientific data reduced conflicts between stakeholders and may help to foster the compliance of fishers (Leite and Gasalla, 2013; Msomphora, 2015). Management proposals that local resource users do not agree or comply with will be hard-pressed to meet management goals (Fujitani et al., 2012) We hope that the outcomes of this study can contribute to new narratives of decision-making in the GoN based on stakeholder participation (including the LEK) and the best scientific evidence available The datasets generated for this study are available on request to the corresponding author This study follows the standards of good scientific practice outlined by the German Science Foundation The protocol was assessed for ethical human research by the Ombudsperson who is the point of contact for good scientific practice at the ZMT the institute for which authors conducted the research AS-J analyzed the data in collaboration with MW and MF All authors participated in the improvement and revision of the document This study was funded by the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) through the project 3601 The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest We deeply thank all the fishing communities for their participation Montiel for their help with the logistics for the workshops and interviews Quirós for her valued assistance with data collection and entry Artavia for his collaboration with the SIG/maps component of this study and to the reviewers for their valuable feedback The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2019.00126/full#supplementary-material The gulf of nicoya (Costa Rica) fisheries system: two decades of change CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Right-sizing as a strategy for allocating fishing effort in a defined marine ecosystem: a Philippines case study Fishers’ choice of alternative management scenarios: a case study in the Danajon Bank Cascading top-down effects of changing oceanic predator abundances Advancing the use of local ecological knowledge for assessing data-poor species in coastal ecosystems “Local ecological knowledge (LEK): understanding and managing fisheries,” in Fishers’ Knowledge and the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Lucas (Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) Google Scholar Biomarcc-SINAC-GIZ. 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This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited in accordance with accepted academic practice distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms *Correspondence: Astrid Sánchez-Jiménez, YXN0cmlkLnNhbmNoZXpAbGVpYm5pei16bXQuZGU=; YXNhbmppbUBnbWFpbC5jb20= Matthias Wolff, bWF0dGhpYXMud29sZmZAbGVpYm5pei16bXQuZGU= Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish popular and more reliable in an era of artificial intelligence (AI) and social media where unique programming raises awareness and promotes public participation on climate decision making in Latin America In a crucial year for climate action which, in accordance with the Paris Agreement seeks to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels World Radio Day is dedicated in 2025 to highlighting the power of broadcasting to bring climate change issues to prominence Radio is considered the most reliable medium, according to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in their journalistic coverage of this year’s theme director of La Ruta del Clima – the Climate Route – a Costa Rican non-governmental organization (NGO) promoting public participation in climate and environmental decision-making that has been an observer advocating at the UN climate summits since 2014 whether digital or transmitted by antennas is super important because it democratizes,” he told UN News “Radio traditionally reaches places and communities where there is no Internet People interact with the radio day by day because it is ephemeral.” The Climate Route studies and exposes impacts “on the human rights of people in vulnerable communities in Latin America who have to deal with the adverse effects of climate change for which they have very little responsibility but which is transforming their territories and ways of life” With the aim of disseminating and raising awareness in society about these issues in 2015 the organization created the Ruta del Clima Radio – the Climate Radio Route The programme was broadcast in the first years by a radio station of the University of Costa Rica and then by digital media through podcasts “Communication that can have a massive reach has become very expensive and elitist,” Mr digital or traditional radio opens up that opportunity for communities social organizations and movements to create their window and make their voices heard.” UNESCO argues that beyond popularising environmental concepts by disseminating information independent of economic radio can condition listeners’ perception of climate change radio can also contribute to shaping the public agenda and influencing policies in this regard The Climate Radio Route has focused a lot on connecting the issue of climate change with people not only at the national level in Costa Rica The programme discusses issues most relevant in climate governance and amplifies the work and experiences and opinions of colleagues, activists and experts from this region and others on climate issues “Citizens can have information and criteria beyond what is in the official media and thus can have a more comprehensive vision and promote the effective participation of our communities in climate decisions,” Mr Climate Route Radio productions are self-contained and include climate summits community interviews and online interviews with people around the world in English or Spanish The Climate Route underlines the importance of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) particularly those that refer to: climate action; peace justice and solid institutions; and partnerships to achieve the goals Mr. Martínez points out that the NGO has worked with some UN agencies, such as the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) “We collaborate, for example, with the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), on climate change issues, and we are always discussing with them and with the rapporteurs of the United Nations system or the OAS [Organization of American States] on environmental issues,” he said. Costa Rica is a country that for years has stood out for the ecological and climate awareness of its population and government, and the Climate Radio Route could have something to do with that awareness. “We know that we have a very specialised community of listeners and have helped to interact with this technical group from various countries: politicians, activists or members of governments or national delegations,” Mr. Martínez said, adding that it has also helped to talk about issues of human rights, gender and community perspective as well as make constructive criticism. This interaction, he adds, has made it possible to strengthen demands for climate justice. “We are not a very large radio station, but perhaps very special in its message,” Mr. Martínez said. “I think that has opened doors for us to make our perspective known and create a link with this community that is sometimes difficult to engage.” In this vein, he underlined the relevance of radio. “It allows us to access communication in an oral way, which is sometimes very necessary to be able to have understanding,” he said. “The way we communicate orally is very different from the way we do in writing and sometimes we cannot communicate in the same way.” Radio is essential to be able to generate that dialogue of ideas, emotions and feelings that can enhance decision making for peace and for the construction of a better relationship with the environment. “I think we must continue to explore not only the use of radio, but also other media that connect us and understand the need to work together,” he said. “That is the important thing about the media: to be able to understand others and then to be able to take common action.” The Amazonian city of Belém, Brazil, will be the global focus of efforts to tackle the climate crisis in November 2025, when it hosts one of the most significant UN climate conferences in recent years. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) held historic hearings from 2 to 13 December addressing States’ obligations under international law to combat climate change, a process spearheaded by small island nations facing existential threats. Newsletter Learn more about the best restaurants Alicia Miller - 21/10/2024 50 Best explores the restaurants championing the cuisines of so-called ‘Blue Zone’ regions whose residents seem to live exceptionally long lives We all know the memory of a great meal can last a lifetime but can that meal help prolong our years on the planet too Sardinia and California have been dubbed Blue Zones for producing a record number of centenarians The phenomenon is seemingly born out of lifestyles rooted in strong community ethos alongside a varied diet of seasonal produce and plant-rich slow cooking With a quest for longevity firmly bedded into the zeitgeist 50 Best rounds up nine restaurants flying the flag for ‘Blue Zone cuisine’ using everything from heritage ingredients to gut-friendly methods of preparation Sikwa, San José@sikwa.cr Strong community life is at the heart of every Blue Zone including lush tropical Nicoya in Costa Rica chef Pablo Bonilla travelled through the country on a research mission documenting recipes from Indigenous communities and fostering supply chains between farmers and eateries “My initial intention was never to open a restaurant,” he says “but Sikwa’s mission has been to bring the rich history of our culture to the table for people to enjoy.” Working with everything from purple corn – a principal Nicoya Blue Zone crop – to pejibaye (peach palm fruit) and chayote squash Bonilla showcases modern takes on traditional plates in a jungle-like indoor-outdoor space that belies the location off San José’s bustling Central Avenue with sugar cane spirit cacique meeting apple and limon mandarin.The roasted octopus at Sikwa is marinaded with tiger's milk and puréed tomatoes Chez Panisse, Berkeley@chezpanisse One thing that all Blue Zones have in common is a major love-in with local And if there’s one US restaurant that epitomises the farm-to-fork movement Berkeley’s iconic fine-dining establishment has set the standard for Californian cuisine since it basically invented it in the early 1970s.Guests can watch their meals being prepared in the open kitchen at Chez Panisse The interior might be white tablecloths and chocolate-hued woods but thanks to the lead of celeb chef-owner Alice Waters uncomplicated feel that lets exquisite-quality Menus change rapidly according to what’s freshest; among early autumn’s bounty expect the likes of chanterelle mushroom salad with grilled spring onions Fradis Minoris, Pula@fradisminoris Sardinia’s slow-paced lifestyle has seen it produce a glut of healthy centenarians a south-coast seaside resort blending powdery beaches Right on the waterfront at biodiverse Nora lagoon Fradis Minoris puts the surrounding landscapes first sustainably sourcing local fish from traditional fisherfolk and niche vegetables and wines from small producers The artfully plated tasting menu from Sardinian chef Francesco Stara served on a simple sea-facing terrace features a life-giving bounty of carefully wrought mussels grey mullet and razor clams.Fradis Minoris overlooks Sardinia's placid Nora lagoon Soil, Athens@soilrestaurant.gr “We follow a true farm-to-table philosophy starting with planting seeds months in advance and nurturing them as seasons change,” says Soil chef Tasos Mantis Set steps from the ancient Panathenaic Stadium in artsy Athenian neighbourhood Pangrati Soil is “guided by nature’s cycles” and “purity of ingredients” – most of which come from the chef’s private garden in Alepochori meals have an affinity with the Blue Zone isle of Ikaria pecan and marigold served on earthy pottery in an open-air courtyard.Chefs choose ingredients at Soil's herb garden in Alepochori Sola, London@solasoho While it might not enjoy the Californian weather this London restaurant takes the Golden State ethos of globe-trotting flavours and seasonal ingredients and applies it in a cosy dining room in buzzy Soho tropical foliage and warm lighting set the scene for American chef Victor Garvey’s eclectic menu hopping from sardine toast with grape and almond to hamachi plus a decadent hot pot featuring langoustine langoustines are flambéed tableside and served on a rock alongside a dashi broth Manzú, Nicoya@manzurestaurant Steps from the jungle-clad beachfront in the Blue Zone of Nicoya in Costa Rica Manzú channels Costa Rican pura vida (simple life) culture with tables nestled in the sand and strings of lights hung beneath a canopy of trees an open kitchen turns out twists on trad Tico recipes such as pejibaye palm – used by Indigenous peoples for millennia – crusted with panko breadcrumbs and wood-smoked spicy peppers sillky with coconut and studded with seafood.The rondón stew is one of the staples of the Pura Vida tasting menu at Manzú La Madia Next door to Sardinia in slow-living Sicily intimate La Madia – sitting around 40 guests each service – showcases chef Pino Cuttaia’s interpretation of trad Italian island cuisine a parade of nostalgic takes on superb seafood pours forth – a dish of rice and scampi; a perfect pasta and fish soup Meanwhile delicate ravioli are stuffed with squid and tinniruma (sprouts of Sicilian cucuzza squash) and finished with umami-rich anchovy sauce Mavrommatis, Paris @mavrommatislerestaurant For more than 40 years the Mavrommatis name has been representing the sun-soaked Its flagship romantic restaurant – dressed in floaty white fabrics and putty-hued walls to evoke a sophisticated contemporary twist on Grecian-island dining – celebrates classic Hellenic flavours and terroirs while employing precise contemporary cooking methods Tuck into grilled eggplant scented with wild thyme paired with obsiblue prawn and lardo di colonnata xinomavro wine-cooked onion and sea lettuce.The minimalist Bellezza crunchy shima rakkyo shallots and bumpy atemoya fruit: tropical Okinawa has a cuisine a world away from what you’ll find on mainland Japan the restaurant at plush Hoshinoya Okinawa resort makes the most of the nutrient-rich local produce and pairs it with a dose of Italian flair In the contemporary white- and blue-dressed dining space The nine-course ramble might include mineral-rich kuruma prawn with aosa seaweed and sea grapes Discover more fantastic hotels, restaurants and bars with 50 Best Discovery your inside line on the world’s leading restaurants As a Costa Rican historian reflecting on the bicentennial of Nicoya’s annexation I am struck by the profound impact this event has had on our nation’s trajectory The voluntary decision made by the people of Nicoya to join Costa Rica on July 25 stands as a testament to the power of self-determination and the complex interplay of cultural and political forces that shape a nation’s destiny To truly appreciate the significance of Nicoya’s annexation we must first understand the historical context in which this decision was made Central America was undergoing a period of significant political upheaval The dissolution of the Federal Republic of Central America left many regions in a state of uncertainty regarding their political future which had historically been part of the Partido de Nicoya under Nicaraguan administration The region’s geographical proximity to Costa Rica coupled with growing economic ties and cultural affinities led its inhabitants to consider a bold move: voluntary annexation to Costa Rica made the historic decision to join Costa Rica known as the “Annexation of the Party of Nicoya,” was not merely a political maneuver but a reflection of the people’s aspirations and their assessment of where their future prosperity lay It’s important to note that this decision was not without controversy opposed the move and continued to claim the territory for many years which was widely accepted in Latin America at the time supported Costa Rica’s claim based on the people’s expressed will The annexation was officially recognized by the Federal Congress of Central America on December 9 further legitimizing Costa Rica’s sovereignty over the region This recognition was crucial in solidifying the annexation and paving the way for Nicoya’s integration into Costa Rican society The years following the annexation were marked by both excitement and challenges the addition of Nicoya represented a significant expansion of its territory and resources The peninsula brought with it vast tracts of fertile land and a population with its own unique cultural heritage integrating Nicoya into the Costa Rican state was not without its difficulties The region’s distance from the central valley where most of Costa Rica’s population and political power was concentrated posed logistical and administrative challenges and develop infrastructure in the newly acquired territory required substantial investment and political will the cultural differences between the people of Nicoya and those of central Costa Rica necessitated a period of mutual adaptation The Nicoyan people brought with them traditions and customs that enriched Costa Rica’s cultural tapestry but also required sensitive handling to ensure harmonious integration As we look back over the past two centuries it becomes clear that the annexation of Nicoya has had a profound and lasting impact on Costa Rica’s development in numerous ways the Nicoya Peninsula has been a significant contributor to Costa Rica’s growth the region became known for its cattle ranching with vast haciendas driving the local economy The fertile plains of what is now Guanacaste province became crucial for agriculture the beautiful beaches and rich biodiversity of the Nicoya Peninsula have made it a cornerstone of Costa Rica’s booming tourism industry and Santa Teresa have become internationally renowned attracting visitors from around the world and contributing significantly to the national economy the integration of Nicoya has added depth and diversity to Costa Rican identity The region’s strong indigenous heritage has given rise to unique traditions that are now celebrated as integral parts of Costa Rican culture From the distinctive musical styles and dances to culinary traditions and local handicrafts the cultural contributions of Nicoya have become sources of national pride The sabanero (cowboy) culture of Guanacaste has become an iconic representation of Costa Rican heritage Annual celebrations like the Annexation Day festivities in Nicoya showcase these cultural elements reminding all Costa Ricans of the rich legacy brought by this historical union the annexation of Nicoya has had lasting implications for Costa Rica It significantly expanded the country’s territory altering its geopolitical position in Central America The additional coastline not only provided economic opportunities but also increased Costa Rica’s strategic importance in the region The integration of Nicoya’s population into the Costa Rican political system has also influenced national politics over the years Leaders from the region have risen to prominence in Costa Rican politics bringing with them perspectives shaped by their unique historical and cultural background the annexation has contributed to Costa Rica’s reputation as a nation built on peaceful decision-making and democratic values The voluntary nature of Nicoya’s joining Costa Rica has become a point of pride often cited as an example of the country’s commitment to self-determination and peaceful resolution of territorial matters While the annexation of Nicoya is generally celebrated in Costa Rica it’s important for us as historians to acknowledge that it has not been without its challenges and controversies The historical dispute with Nicaragua over the territory lingered for many years occasionally straining diplomatic relations between the two countries While the issue is considered settled today it serves as a reminder of the complex nature of territorial changes in the post-colonial era there have been occasional tensions related to the distribution of resources and political attention between the central valley and the more distant Guanacaste province has not always received its fair share of government investment and development focus the rapid development of coastal areas for tourism in recent decades has raised concerns about environmental preservation and the maintenance of local cultural identities Balancing economic development with cultural and environmental conservation remains an ongoing challenge As we mark the bicentennial of Nicoya’s annexation in 2024 Costa Rica is engaged in a nationwide celebration of this historic event The anniversary serves multiple purposes: honoring the wisdom of those who made the decision two centuries ago celebrating the contributions of the region to our national identity and reflecting on the journey of integration that has unfolded over the past 200 years Festivities are taking place across the country with particular emphasis in Guanacaste province and official ceremonies are being organized to commemorate this significant milestone These celebrations not only honor the past but also provide an opportunity for Costa Ricans to reflect on the nation’s multicultural heritage and reaffirm the bonds that unite different regions of the country The bicentennial also offers a moment for national introspection It prompts us to consider how we can continue to strengthen national unity while respecting and preserving regional identities It challenges us to address ongoing disparities in development and opportunity between different parts of the country The story of Nicoya’s annexation and integration into Costa Rica holds valuable lessons for our nation as we face the challenges of the 21st century It reminds us of the importance of inclusive decision-making and the need for continuous effort to maintain national unity It challenges us to ensure that the benefits of development are shared equitably across all regions of the country as Costa Rica continues to play a role on the international stage the history of Nicoya’s peaceful annexation serves as a powerful example of how territorial issues can be resolved through democratic means and mutual agreement The annexation of Nicoya 200 years ago was more than a mere expansion of territory It was a decision that profoundly shaped the Costa Rica we know today – geographically The legacy of this decision continues to influence our nation reminding us of the power of unity and the enduring strength of democratic choices in shaping a nation’s destiny Last month, as I explored Costa Rica's Pacific coast I took particular care to visit the Blue Zone of the Nicoya Penninsula I'd heard the residents there live longer, healthier lives than the global average and I wanted to find out what made that little stretch of the Central American coast so special where temperatures rarely fall below 70°F year-round strong social connections to the local community and plenty of daily movement — though not much vigorous exercise But there are also clear differences in the local diet here compared to both elsewhere in the country and around the world Here are three ways I've brought elements of the Costa Rican Blue Zone diet back home It's also a common mid-morning or afternoon snack to quickly boost energy levels and refresh yourself in the jungle heat Fresh smoothies are also common throughout the country and make it easy to feel full without a heavy meal weighing you down I already try to keep a bowl of cut fruit in the fridge for easy enjoyment but my travels in Costa Rica reminded me to go beyond my staples of berries and bananas While I can't get the same quality pineapple having some regularly can bring a little pura vida back home During nearly two weeks of traversing the country we had to intentionally seek out red meat if we wanted it locals prioritize fresh fish and chicken if they have a meal with protein — and Nearly every sit-down restaurant or small open-air cafe (called a soda) we visited offered fresh ceviche served with smashed Other mains often included whole roasted fish or shredded A typical Costa Rican breakfast includes a traditional dish of rice and beans called gallo pinto ceviche with patacones or a grab-and-go chicken and vegetable empanada would be common such as roasted fish and basic salads with rice balanced meals made of lean proteins and fresh produce but there's a reason this advice has stood the test of time The tried-and-true formula of whole foods is part of why people in the Nicoya region live so long Excellent news for those traveling between Guanacaste and San Jose: the Amistad Bridge over the Tempisque River is 99% complete and will be inaugurated next week After three months of intervention and maintenance work indicated that they are now in the final stage small works will be carried out and the final details will be reviewed which was the placement of the asphalt mix has also been finalized,” Efraím Zeledón commented La Amistad Bridge is 780 meters long and consists of two sections: a 260-meter cable-stayed section It is located between the cantons of Cañas and Nicoya The work on this bridge included replacing the supports on one bastion and several piers Estrumet Metalmecánica is the company in charge of the diagnosis and intervention of the bridge The total cost of the work is $1,769,134.78 Several reports indicated that the bridge was in very poor condition and posed a danger for those who had to cross it The reopening will take place prior to the celebration of the bicentennial of the annexation of the Nicoya Party the government will tour the Guanacaste province starting Monday President Rodrigo Chaves will visit Abangares One of the potential secrets to the Nicoyans' longer lifespan is their diet, which relies heavily on beans as a superfood which felt encouraging: I'm a pescetarian and follow a plant-based diet 80% of the time but always worry I'm still not getting enough protein whole-food diet may be linked to longevity made me want to try eating like a Costa Rican SuperAger I won't be able to tell if it will really help me live longer — but some more energy would be nice Because I live in Brooklyn and can't harvest my own food as many Nicoyans do I had to make do with meal-prepping two dishes and a snack The first meal I made was a Costa Rican rice and bean dish called gallo pinto which is traditionally served at breakfast but I ate for other meals It was incredibly easy to put together: I just needed to chop some onion and bell peppers I had three full Tupperwares of a delicious base. It challenged the idea that food needs to be complicated or expensive to be healthy and delicious I scarfed down a hearty plate with all the fixings and was surprised at how satiated I felt for the rest of the day The show didn't mention a specific Costa Rican recipe, so I found a simple stew consisting of butternut squash It was an easy one-pot meal I made in bulk and ate throughout the week I was skeptical that this stew would keep me full without rice or couscous But eating it on its own for lunch was enough to fuel me throughout the day When I went to my weightlifting class later I was legitimately surprised at how much energy I had without drinking any protein powder — something I always chug otherwise Reducing added sugars is one of the best things you can do to improve longevity and that is often a chocolate chip cookie (main treat) and a handful of leftover chocolate chips (second treat) plus perhaps ice cream (bonus treat) if I take a walk with a friend I munched on the treats throughout the day but didn't feel the expected sugar crash and subsequent grogginess I normally get. While it took more effort to make these than opening a bag of chips I didn't feel the creeping worry that usually accompanies my nose-dive into heavily processed food when I was already full from my main meals the voice in my head crying for a cupcake got a little quieter Costa Rica's Nicoya region has 900 residents over 90 right now Here's how the area has become a coveted "Blue Zone." José Bonafacio Villegas has ridden a horse nearly every day for the last 100 years and spent the next 99 years riding to school doing farm work or visiting friends on horseback although he’s currently sidelined – an ear infection hurt his balance and has kept him off the saddle since December is one of 44 centenarians that live on the Nicoya peninsula in north-western Costa Rica an area dotted with wildlife refuges surrounded by some of Costa Rica’s most pristine and isolated beaches surfers and celebrities like Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen frequent the coast Motorcycles are the easiest way to get around on the rocky dirt roads is a Central American raison d’etre – a positive reason to live that keeps senior citizens activeThe peninsula which has vast tracts of hilly land with grazing cattle separated by barbed-wire fences is also one of six ‘Blue Zones’ around the world or places with higher-than-average life expectancies the proportion of centenarians is around three and a half times the global average According to explorer and author Dan Buettner a number of factors in each zone – such as diet and community – contribute to such high concentrations of longevity one of the concepts Buettner pointed to was ‘plan de vida’ It’s a Central American raison d’etre – a positive reason to live that keeps senior citizens active It’s similar to the Japanese concept of ‘ikigai’ or ‘reason for being’ that Buettner says contributes to similar longevity in the Japanese Blue Zone of Okinawa While ikigai is a well-defined and studied concept that’s been around for decades plan de vida is a more abstract concept in Costa Rica but one embedded and unspoken in the Nicoyan way of life Simplicity is a key factor in the Plan de Vida the founder of the Nicoya Blue Zone Association who’s been studying centenarians in Costa Rica for more than 15 years “If they plant an orange tree at 90 they plan on eating the fruit,” Vindas said For many centenarians the organisation tracks their daily goals are as pure as going for a walk to visit family With no work, Villegas still saddled up every day and visited friends that were sick or in poor health. He wanted to cheer them up – and, of course, ride his beloved horse. Villegas isn’t the only elderly member of the horse-and-rider duo; his horse, Corazon, is 28 – the equivalent of an octogenarian in equine years. The simplicity at the heart of the plan de vida may even be why Corazon has fit seamlessly into this Blue Zone; Villegas says his horse has lived so long because he’s not a work horse and has a fairly easy life. As for himself, Villegas isn’t sure why he’s lived for more than a century. Maybe it’s also an uncomplicated answer. “God’s the one that decides,” says Villegas. Many of the longest-living residents of the Nicoyan peninsula don’t think they’re doing anything different or special than anyone else to live long lives. Some, like Villegas, say it’s the will of a higher power. But a secret may also lie in another kind of faith – one of living with purpose to serve family and community. Most of the centenarians in the region live below the poverty line, Vindas adds, but as long as they have a house and food for their family, they have enough. When they do have more, they share. “If they kill a pig or have a big harvest, they’ll share it with their neighbors because it was too much for them,” Vindas says. Although 89-year-old Ramiro Guadamuz isn’t quite yet 100, he is gripped by the same sense of faith and duty that’s pushing him toward many years to come. He still wakes up at 05:00 to milk cows on his farm, and works until sunset. Guadamuz says he still enjoys working, but teaching his great grandchildren, aged 15 and eight, how to work on the farm is what motivates him to keep going. “They come with me to milk in the morning and then we go check the cattle,” says Guadamuz. “I like teaching them those things and feel content when they come with me." Guadamuz adds that he’s worked since he was a kid and has learned how to do everything there is to do on the farm. He’s worried that newer generations are too focused on technology and will forget the Nicoyan style of living that’s helped him live a long life. “You want what’s best for your family, for them to live a good life,” Guadamuz says. “I hope that they live to 100, too.” It just may be that one of the keys to thriving into old age is a spirit that only grows as time ticks by – although the peninsula’s elders simply see their day-to-day as the only way to live. “The concept of ‘plan de vida’ is a little romantic and not necessarily a term the centenarians use,” says Vindas. “They don’t think about dying – they think about what things they’re going to do tomorrow. That’s their plan de vida.” It’s never been the goal to live as long as possible, say both Villegas and Guadamuz. It’s just been a lovely side effect of a fulfilling life in the sunshine. Instead, each has been focused on the simple pleasures of what drives them daily – building something their descendants can hold onto and keep building on when they’ve passed. Guadamuz said he never thought he’d make it to his current age, and although he’d like to make it 100, he’s not living for the number. And Villegas, who’s looking forward to toasting 103 in a few weeks with some beers, has no target age he wants to reach, either. “I just hope I live more,” he says. Simply, they still have reason to live each day. “Why want more than what God gave you?” adds Guadamuz. “What I have is enough… I’m happy because my family is united. My daughter and granddaughter love me a lot. The kids love me. Maybe that’s why I’m happy with my life. I feel ‘pura vida’.” Rome's most stunning optical illusions revealedFrom the Malta Knights keyhole to a set of vanishing columns, discover the Eternal City's visual secrets. 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Actors Dominic Monaghan (47) and William Nathan Boyd (56) known for their roles in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy According to the General Directorate of Migration the pair arrived in the country on Thursday They were spotted by fans during celebrations at the Cofradía de la Virgen de Guadalupe in Nicoya where they enjoyed traditional Costa Rican food and beverages a popular local drink made with corn and spices These festivities involve a centuries-old tradition inherited from the Chorotega ancestors whom they called “La Señorita,” as their patron saint after the evangelizing processes carried out in the region of Nicoya since the arrival of the Spaniards in 1522 Dominic Monaghan, a British-Irish actor, rose to international fame as Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–2003). He is also known for his role as Charlie Pace in the popular TV series Lost(2004–2010), which helped solidify his standing as a versatile and admired actor. Meanwhile, William Boyd, a Scottish actor and musician, played Peregrin “Pippin” Took in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Boyd’s talent extends to music; he composed and performed “The Edge of Night,” a haunting melody featured in The Return of the King (2003). This song was later used in the trailer for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014), further linking him to the franchise. Costa Rican fans have warmly welcomed Monaghan and Boyd, thrilled to see the actors embracing the country’s culture and natural beauty during their stay. ‘Down here most people live to 90 and a lot to 100 I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Sprightly octogenarian Berta Dalia appears from her modest faded apron tied around her waist and yellow fluffy slippers providing a pop of colour to her hard-working feet the mother of four and grandmother of nine looks considerably younger than her years as she sits down on a simple wooden chair to join her husband They live in the Nicoya Peninsula in the north west of Costa Rica an 80-mile stretch just south of the Nicaraguan border popular with tourists for its abundance of wildlife Read more: How I traded my west London flat for a beachfront paradise in Costa Rica It’s also one of the world’s six ‘Blue Zones’ areas where people are reportedly living longer healthier lives compared to the global average Other Blue Zones are Okinawa in Japan, Ikaria in Greece, Sardinia, Loma Linda in California and most recently Singapore home to one of the highest concentrations of centenarians in the world to find out how holidaymakers might experience a little of what this life affirming – and lengthening – country has to offer a well-known restaurant serving traditional Costa Rican fare in Manzanillo overlooking the Pacific Ocean used to take a modest fishing boat out to catch what the diners – and the family – would eat papaya and watermelon grown on their patch of land “The community is important,” José continues the community didn’t have houses but 10 or 15 of us would get together and build for each other.” In the early days Berta would cook on wood – shellfish and snapper tortillas she had made with the corn she ground herself – and they would climb the steep hill next to their plot armed with machetes to cut down the branches of guava madrone and guazuma trees to fuel the wood burner By incorporating elements of ‘Blue Zone’ living into well-being focussed holidays hotels in Costa Rica are offering visitors to chance to learn about local culture In the small coastal town of Santa Teresa – essentially one long street of restaurants, cafes, surfing rentals, ATV (all-terrain vehicles) hire and souvenir shops selling pretty jewellery and beach ephemera – the boutique luxury beachfront hotel Nantipa has launched a Blue Wellness package inviting guests to enjoy enhanced physical health We experience real life on a typical Costa Rican farm with a Tico family ($132/£105pp for 3-4 people bookable through hotel) where traditional methods are used to rear animals we are warmly welcomed by a family who have run their 75-acre plot for three generations Two-day-old chicks huddle in plastic crates while turkeys and ducks strut around our feet waiting to be fed We venture to a pen where cows are milked and visitors are shown how to do the job properly The family works hard to serve up our breakfast of local cheese which tastes like a cross between ricotta and cottage fresh tortillas made by the matriarch and other home-grown delights before showing us how the oxen walk in circles to drive a vice which crushes the sugar canes and squeezes out the juice We hear of an uncle who reached 105 – his widow is now 91 Our guide Ernesto Rodriguez explains: “Down here most people live to 90 and a lot to 100 “When you get old your kids take care of you and we don’t have (care) homes to send people to so it takes a lot of stress away and makes the old people happy.” It has been found that the world’s longest-lived people don’t pump iron but they do live in environments where exercise is built into their daily lives through gardening As part of Nantipa’s path to ‘blue wellness’ visitors can increase their physical health by hiking through lush rainforest or enjoying horseback riding or surf lessons a thatched wooden open-air building where my gentle stretching and mindfulness session begins Being close to nature is easy in Costa Rica with plentiful hanging bridge journeys and hikes to see the biodiverse country’s trademark sloths iguanas and the amazingly colourful and prolific bird population of toucans with white snouts and light rings on their tails but tourists don’t have to live on casado (rice and beans with fish or meat) all the time – although it is tasty – because many restaurants offer menus which are as delicious as they are healthy Ceviche – a zesty dish made with raw fish or cooked chicken and dowsed heavily with lime – is a staple with added home-grown fare including avocado All too soon we are venturing away from our coastal resort a town in the foothills of the active Arenal Volcano which has wellbeing at the top of its agenda devastating the town but creating lava flows and rich volcanic soil where the rainforest soon re-emerged Here, there are natural thermal waters bubbling up from underground springs, which the Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa has been able to use to its advantage A maze of structured pathways at the nearby spa of the hotel lead to 24 pools where guests can soak in the natural thermal waters from the Tabacon River I wallow in hot springs of 100F amid mini-waterfalls The springs apparently have restorative qualities to help repair tissues and to benefit circulatory and respiratory system Sitting in those pools surrounded by nature wild cerise pink orchids and orange and red ginger plants providing colourful accents against emerald palms and other native flora and fauna but I’m certainly making the most of the time I have on this planet Red Savannah (01242 787800; redsavannah.com) offers an eight-night private journey in Costa Rica from £3,195 per person, including three nights on a B&B basis at both Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa (tabacon.com) and Nantipa (nantipa.com) return flights from London Heathrow to San José a domestic flight within Costa Rica and private transfers Read more: The best countries to visit in South America, from Brazil to Argentina After three months of work and as part of the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the annexation of the Nicoya the government has fulfilled its promise to rehabilitate and reopen the La Amistad Bridge over the Tempisque River facilitating transit for thousands of Guanacaste residents After 20 years of deterioration and significant damage caused by the 2012 earthquake the La Amistad Bridge has been officially reopened to traffic which links Guanacaste with the rest of the country has been rehabilitated through specialized works that ensure its effectiveness which coincided with the celebration tour of the Bicentennial of the Annexation of the Nicoya Party was attended by President Rodrigo Chaves and the Minister of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT) The rehabilitation works included lifting the structure by 2 cm to replace the damaged supports and installing new ones that offer a better anti-seismic response and marking of the road surface with thermoplastic paint were completed led by CONAVI’s engineering team and executed by the Costa Rican company Estrumet Metalmecánica cost ¢1,365 million (approximately $2.56 million USD) with an additional ¢135 million (approximately $253,500 USD) for resurfacing and signaling Minister Batalla thanked all the entities and workers involved highlighting their commitment and dedication in carrying out this complex work we celebrate 200 years since the Annexation a very special date to demonstrate that in our country we can complete public works on time which benefits thousands of Costa Ricans and contributes to the sustainable development of our nation,” said the Minister of Transportation With the reopening of La Amistad Bridge, locals will no longer have to cross the Tempisque River by boat or face long trips by bus significantly improving connectivity and mobility in the region Many know the Guanacaste province as a paradisiacal place Although it is one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful areas with pristine beaches and abundant wildlife Its cultural richness is significant and deserves admiration As Costa Ricans celebrate the traditional Annexation of the Nicoya Party (Anexión del Partido de Nicoya), it’s worth highlighting a wonderful tradition: Chorotega ceramics. Many locals grew up surrounded by curiol—pigments—and clay from their land. Mothers and grandmothers passed on the tradition of creating Chorotega ceramic pieces to their children. Maribel Sánchez, a San Vicente de Nicoya native, remembers spending her childhood learning this unique craft, which she now shares with her community. “I really liked making small pieces. I was always by my mom’s side, and even though I was just observing, she was teaching me and explaining step by step. When I was 10 years old, I started making my own pieces. Nowadays, I make everything, including pre-Columbian replicas, jars, pots, comales, and all the traditional things I learned from my mother,” she recalled. The natural pigments used, known as curiol, are usually red, white, and black, and are obtained from a hill with the same name. “Extracting the curiol is quite a ritual. You must climb the mountain for several hours, which is dangerous because of the presence of snakes. In addition, it is essential to be silent during the extraction so as not to scare away the pigments; if the moon is favorable, the red stones sprout,” added Sánchez. The making of Chorotega pottery, in addition to representing a cultural heritage of the native peoples, is a source of income for families, a tourist attraction for the region, and a meeting point for community members. “My mom worked the pottery, and my dad had oxen and carts; he pulled the mud, firewood, and sand for my mom and other women who made pottery in my community. In addition, my mother’s brothers would sometimes go to the Curiol hill to extract the pigments,” Sánchez said. The Ecomuseum of Chorotega Ceramics of San Vicente de Nicoya, a community project to rescue and preserve the art and culture of the Chorotega ancestors, opened its doors in 2007. It currently has 57 artisan members and is open to all artisans who wish to bring products for exhibition and sale. What was your academic background and interest that led to this experience? After taking Spanish-American literature with Professor Jeff Barnett, as well as Introduction to Latin American and Caribbean Studies with Professor Seth Michelson, I knew that I wanted to improve my Spanish and spend my summer in Latin America. I discovered the program in Nicoya through Professor Barnett, who recommended it as an immersive, less touristy experience. I registered for LACS 452-01, which is an EXP course that counts for my LACS minor. Other than spend time with my family, I attended Spanish class every day from 8 a.m. to noon with my professor, Priscilla Ramirez. After classes I would either volunteer at the nursing home or help Tita babysit a little girl from the neighborhood. On the weekends I went on adventures with new Costa Rican friends from the town or accompanied my family on outings. Essentially, Nicoya is the perfect place to learn Spanish and witness firsthand the kindness of the Costa Rican people. Absolutely. I plan to return to Nicoya in order to visit my host family as soon as possible. I am confident that they will be in my life for a long time, and they even made me promise that I will bring my future children to meet them someday. Furthermore, I hope to teach or work in Latin America in the future. It is such a beautiful region full of diverse cultures and the most hospitable, selfless people. I can’t wait to go back to beautiful Nicoya soon. Volume 7 - 2020 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.00707 The Gulf of Nicoya is a large tropical estuary located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica and accounts for the country’s main fish production It is increasingly impacted not only by its fisheries the input of pollutants from urban centers and agriculture activities in the catchment areas of large rivers entering the gulf the gulf is particularly sensitive to short- and long-term changes in the climate While the gulf has been studied for decades until now no attempt has been made to combine the analysis of the impacts of fishing and environmental changes on the ecosystem By following a holistic approach that uses fisheries and environmental time series data from collaborative research and simulation models this study aims at identifying the main drivers of the observed changes in the Gulf of Nicoya ecosystem While the model simulations indicate that variations in the catch of some target species (e.g. cephalopods and shrimps) are mainly driven by the fisheries’ exploitation rates and crabs) are also substantially affected by climate variations particularly during El Niño periods of high Sea Surface Temperature extremes and increased precipitation phytoplankton productivity and zooplankton biomass deceases with bottom–up effects on the entire food chain Indicators of the environmental state of the system thus have to be considered along with regulations of the fishing pressure to form the basis for the development of appropriate management strategies We attributed an important role in causing these changes to fisheries and were able to show that phytoplankton and zooplankton largely control higher trophic levels groups suggesting that bottom–up control mechanisms are crucial to the system Since in such environments changes in abiotic factors due to climate variations may directly affect the primary productivity, we further examine these bottom–up effects in this study. Additionally, we aim at exploring the possibility of mixed trophic interactions or wasp-waist control mechanisms within intermediate trophic level species that exercise both bottom–up control on their predators and top–down control on their prey (Cury et al., 2000) According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), most inter-annual fluctuations in fish production in the Eastern Central Pacific Ocean (Fishing Area 77) result from abundance changes in mid-trophic level pelagic fish. These fish often assume a central role in marine ecosystems and influence both higher and lower trophic levels (Frederiksen et al., 2006) point out that this “wasp-waist” role of small pelagic fish that has been proven for temperate and subtropical upwelling regions may not remain valid for tropical and therefore less productive upwelling areas a statement we would like to analyze for the Gulf of Nicoya We consider the identification of main drivers behind the observed changes as crucial requisites for the selection of appropriate management and conservation strategies of the gulf future measures can be taken to sustainably improve the habitat of the Gulf of Nicoya Figure 1. Maps of the study area (Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica), modified from Alms and Wolff (2019) The Gulf of Nicoya is the country’s main fishing ground The present research is based on fisheries data of the artisanal and semi-industrial fishing sector Four artisanal fishing fleets with approximately 2000 licensed fishermen operate in the gulf with different boat sizes and gear types that target a variety of demersal and coastal species (BIOMARCC-SINAC-GIZ, 2013). Gillnets are prominently used and its usage further increased in the 2010s (Sánchez-Jiménez et al., 2019) Fishermen use small motorized boats (pangas) Catches are diverse but dominated by drums (Perciformes: Sciaenidae) The line fleet uses bottom longlines and drifting longlines and operate bigger motorized boats (lanchas) Smaller non-motorized boats fish for drums using handlines in the inner shallow part of the gulf Manual mollusk extraction is mostly carried out by the women of the coastal communities combined with the manual trap fisheries targeting different crustaceans The artisanal fleet provides around 55% of the total catch in the Gulf of Nicoya (in 2013) two semi-industrial fishing fleets operate in the gulf: shrimp trawlers and sardine purse-seiners The purse seine vessels target small pelagic fish species in the intermediate and outer zones of the Gulf of Nicoya The bottom trawl fleet targets several shrimp species however the capture of bycatch species drastically exceeds the shrimp catches as well as proxies for primary productivity such as Chlorophyll a (Chla) concentrations (mg m–3) photosynthetically active radiation (Einstein m–2 day–1) particulate organic matter (mg m–3) and high colored dissolved organic matter The time series data were standardized by scaling the values to the (0.5,1.5) range whereas each time series value x was scaled according to the new maximum: max’ = 1.5 and new minimum value min’ = 0.5 The EwE time series fitting routine was used to identify the model that matches the variation in the abundance of the functional groups with the historical catch time series data of the Gulf of Nicoya For the choice of model procedure forcing data is needed to trace the biomass changes of the model compartments over time and reference data is necessary for comparison and validation of the models three essential classes of ecosystem drivers were tested: anthropogenic factors (fishing trophic control mechanisms (interactions) and the influence of the chemical and physical environment (climate) namely the representative concentration pathways RCP4.5 (radiative forcing of 4.5 W m–2 by 2100) and RCP8.5 (radiative forcing > 8.5 W m–2 by 2100) In general terms it was hypothesized that temporal changes in primary productivity due to regional oscillations in environmental conditions on one hand and fishery induced changes in the trophic control of the food web on the other hand (through changes in the relative biomass contribution of the different fishing target species) both might have contributed to the observed temporal variation in the volume and composition of the catch The most representative model was selected based on the calculated sum of squares and the Akaike information criterion as an output of the Ecosim routine (AIC) n is the number of observations (data points) being fitted and k is the number of parameters estimated (kmax = number of time series - 1) SS is the sum of square residuals and minSS is the calculated sum of squares The AICc is derived from the AIC as follows: According to the protocol created by Burnham and Anderson, 2004 several additional measures associated with the AIC were calculated to improve model comparison: The relative difference (Δi) in AICc compared to the best model (AICcmin) the relative likelihood of the model having the best fit where wi is a measure of the strength of evidence for each model indicating the probability that the model is the most accurate one among the set of possible models the model’s functional groups and their data availability (catch and effort data) were taken into account These steps ensure an analysis of the data that is considerably less sensitive to errors Trends in the fishing effort and catch per unit effort of the artisanal and semi-industrial fleets are displayed in Figure 2 (A) Semi-industrial (filled triangles) and artisanal (circles) catches (t/year) (B) Semi-industrial (filled triangles) and artisanal (circles) fishing effort (days fishing/year) (C) Semi-industrial (filled triangles) and artisanal (circles) Catch per unit effort (CPUE) (kg/day fishing) for the years 1994–2014 (missing effort data 2006 and 2007) in the Gulf of Nicoya (Costa Rica) It can be observed that the semi-industrial fishing effort increased until 2000 followed by a slight decline in the early 2000s and a further drastic decline after 2006 and 2007 resulting in an effort reduction of 65% in total The artisanal fishing effort remained high until 2005 Recent levels of fishing effort are reduced by 55% compared to 2005; also due to the seasonal fishing ban “veda” that lasts 3 months A peak of artisanal catches can be observed in the late 1990s The EwE time series simulations of the last two decades indicated that the fishing effort explains a large part of the variability in the catch and biomass data of some functional groups (Figure 2) The semi-industrial fleet’s effort improves the model of the target species shrimp and sardine as well as of small demersal fish and crabs as bycatch species of the shrimp trawl fleet Since not all trends in the catch data can be explained by variations in the fishing effort of different fleets, the possible role of trophic effects was taken into account and the vulnerability settings of 11 different predator groups were changed from its default to simulate top–down and bottom–up effects (Table 2) This allowed for further improvement of the model fit and a reduction of the SS Prey-predator interactions in the Gulf of Nicoya Model (scenario 2) The assessment of the prey-predator interactions in the model of the Gulf of Nicoya provides important information on the food web structure of the system. The most representative vulnerability settings are displayed for each predator group, whereas bottom–up (B), top–down (T) interactions are indicated in Table 2 The top predatory fish species in the system are bottom–up controlled as well as the lower trophic level species only few species exert top–down control on their prey small pelagics and small demersals are assumed to exert mixed control on their prey and predators (A) Sum of squares and the corrected Akaike information criterion (AICc) of all tested models of each scenario and (B) number of estimated parameters (vulnerabilities and or spline points of primary production anomalies) of the ‘best models’ of each scenario primary production anomalies: Sea Level Pressure (SLP) and Chlorophyll a] that improve the model (reduce the sum of squares) of each functional group and the total improvement of the sum of squares for all groups for each factor analyzed The variations of the physical environment in the Gulf of Nicoya linked to the ENSO cycle were represented in the model by the Eastern Equatorial Sea Level Pressure (SLP) time series, leading to substantial improvement of the model. Changing the vulnerability setting of once again 10 groups resulted in the most representative model and a 60% reduction of the SS (as well as low AICc values) (Figure 3) Figure 4 elucidates the relation between phytoplankton productivity (Chla as proxy) This shows that there is a negative relationship between the East Equatorial Sea Level Pressure and the El Niño phenomenon El Niño years are associated with negative anomalies in Sea Level Pressure (SLP) A pronounced positive peak in the SLP in 1999 can be associated with a strong La Niña event Positive SST anomalies occur during episodes of El Niño (e.g. Maximum Chla concentrations coincide with La Niña episodes (2005 Environmental time series 1997–2014: anomalies of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) (red line) Chlorophyll a concentration (green line) and the Sea Level Pressure (blue line) in the Equatorial Eastern Pacific Ocean associated with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation cycle Yearly catches (filled circles) and model predictions for the simulated EwE scenarios: fishing effort (black line); fishing effort trophic effects and Sea Level Pressure forcing phytoplankton productivity (blue line); fishing effort trophic effects and Chlorophyll a concentrations forcing phytoplankton productivity (green line) Calculated sum of squares: residual sum of squares (SSE) and total sum of squares (TSS) for the model’s predictions of the selected scenarios and important target groups compared to the reference catch data fisheries and/or climate impacts on the ecosystem should result in changes in the sensitive system state indicators The officially registered overall fishing effort in the Gulf of Nicoya declined drastically since the early 2000s the reduction is due to the implementation of the seasonal fishing ban “veda” in the inner Gulf of Nicoya which has directly reduced the yearly effort since 2006 by approximately 60% the shrimp fishing fleet reduced its capacities due to a lack of resources and the expiration of licenses In 2013 shrimp trawling was declared unconstitutional in Costa Rica and no further licenses were said to be granted in the future The last remaining shrimp licenses expired in 2018 and 2019 Although the overall fishing effort decreased, the CPUE of the artisanal and semi-industrial fleet increased compared to the early 1990s, despite the heavy exploitation of the resources. However, gear improvements changed the relation between the CPUE and the actual abundance of species and tend to mask the trends of the species exploitation status (Arreguın-Sánchez et al., 2002; Ward and Myers, 2005) toward Taiwanese lines and smaller gillnet mesh sizes might have allowed increasing catches per unit effort These changes in the fishing fleet have most likely increased the overall efficiency of the fishing gear and the catchability of certain target resources We come to the conclusion (Table 3) that both the semi-industrial and artisanal (gillnet) fleet negatively influence the distribution of some target species (e.g. However the negative impact on the major target species is dominated by the shrimp trawl fleet which negatively influences its target species as well as its bycatch species and by the semi-industrial sardine fleet The artisanal handline fleet does not appear to have a relevant influence on any target species The manual mollusk extraction is a very selective harvesting method however the removal of piangua (Anadara tuberculosa Arcoida: Arcida) drastically increased in the last decade and exceeded sustainable levels the mid-trophic levels are only represented by few species such as plankton feeding small pelagic fish The modeling approach we applied in our study clearly showed that the variations in the catch cannot solely be explained by variations in fishing pressure. Similar results have been found in other systems, such as the Southern Benguela system (Shannon et al., 2008) Adding environmental data related to the primary productivity of the system to the simulations considerably increased the reliability of the model the Chla concentration appeared to be the most relevant of tested environmental drivers It is a proxy for the amount of plankton in the water column which directly affects the bottom of the food chain Increasing phytoplankton availability enhances zooplankton growth resulting in higher availability of prey for low trophic level species foraging on zooplankton The associated increased production will then cascade through the entire food web a reduced primary production will lead to a lack of foraging success of species in higher trophic levels Changes in the vertical and horizontal distribution of the plankton could also cause changes in the spatial distribution of foraging fish with effect on their predators and fishery through an alteration in catchability Our results indicate that particularly the lower trophic level groups such as small demersal- and small pelagic fish benefit from increased phytoplankton availability as well as the catches of lobster also positively benefit from high Chla concentrations this could be due to a bottom–up effect due to increased prey availability of these groups Plankton feeding fish are known to aggregate closer to the coast due to food concentration in these areas Foraging fish follow their prey and likewise occur closer to the coast the catchability of certain fish species increases for the coastal fisheries Furthermore, other abiotic factors of the marine environment (e.g., wind direction and speed, light availability) can directly influence higher trophic levels of the system, for instance by affecting larval dispersal and the productivity of certain species (Runge, 1988) Our study reveals that several species in the Gulf of Nicoya are influenced by these large-scale environmental conditions associated with the ENSO cycle We specifically observed that variations in the catches of functional groups (large drums and snook crabs and morays and eels) are related to the ENSO cycle Warm water masses can also cause other species to move offshore into deeper and cooler waters The findings of our study suggests that there are multiple factors that impact the ecosystem besides the exploitation by the semi-industrial fishing fleets Environmental forcing plays an important role in the explanation of species biomass variabilities due to fluctuations in primary productivity have a pivotal role in the food web of the Gulf of Nicoya Although we reported a substantial reduction of the officially reported fishing effort in the gulf fishing without licenses and fishing during the closed season have occurred during the observational period These unreported fishing activities cannot be quantified and are thus not part of the study The aim was to provide a holistic modeling approach in the sense looking at combined effects influencing the species biomass variations and physical and chemical factors (also as proxy for pollution) the selection of factors was limited by the availability of time-series data and not every single possible parameter could be tested solid waste pollution and agricultural pollution For future research it would be useful to incorporate social-ecological interactions into the model Our study may be used as a reference to further assess the regional impacts of future climate variations and extreme events in an ecosystem already altered by the fisheries. In the Gulf of Nicoya, like in other tropical environments, we need to consider the effects of increasing temperatures, as stated by Cheung et al. (2013) and Palomares and Pauly (2019) no species adapted for warm regions will be available to replace species that are displaced by the high temperature thus there will most likely be a temperature-driven loss of species in these areas Considering the predicted decrease in primary productivity it seems necessary for a sustainable ecosystem management to adapt the volume of fishery catches to potentially lower overall resource productivity Furthermore, there is a high uncertainty concerning the future dynamics of the ENSO cycle. The frequency and intensity of El Niño events is likely to be altered by climate change, however it is unknown to what extent (e.g.,Collins et al., 2010; Cai et al., 2014) catch and biomass fluctuations in the Gulf of Nicoya are linked to ENSO related variations in the Equatorial Pacific Sea Level Pressure and a constant monitoring of the regional ENSO impact is thus imperative Furthermore our models can be used to directly engage stakeholders in the management plans, as it has been attempted by Sánchez-Jiménez et al. (2019) The EwE software was used as an interactive communication tool with artisanal fishers in the Gulf of Nicoya to facilitate discussions on changes in the fishing ecosystem over time The data analyzed in this study is subject to the following licenses/restrictions: “The fisheries data belong to the Instituto Costarricense de Pesca y Acuicultura, Costa Rica and the Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Costa Rica. The authors are not authorized to publish the original/raw data.” Requests to access these datasets should be directed to https://www.incopesca.go.cr/Contactenos/ MW contributed the Ecopath baseline model (Wolff et al., 1998) and initiated the research cooperation with the Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR) and the Universidad de Costa Rica and supervised the project Both authors contributed to the final version of the manuscript This study was financed by the Project MONICOYA [Modeling Two Decades of Change of the Nicoya Gulf (Costa Rica) Ecosystem: Implications for Future Management] of the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) in which VA had the opportunity to conduct her Ph.D This work was also supported by GLOMAR – Bremen International Graduate School for Marine Sciences This research did not receive any specific grants by funding agencies in the public The facilities in Costa Rica and some of the data about the Gulf of Nicoya were provided by the Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR) and the Universidad de Costa Rica The research project was strongly supported by our main project partner Alvaro Morales Ramírez in Costa Rica who provided the infrastructure and guidance in Costa Rica and helped to develop the project collaboration between the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research and the CIMAR Several other colleagues from the CIMAR and the University of Costa Rica supported the project Berny Marín Alpízar (INCOPESCA) supported the study with valuable advice and guidance concerning the marine resources in the Gulf of Nicoya Moritz Stäbler (ZMT) supported the time series modeling task with his experience and advice on the Ecopath with Ecosim modeling approach The Gulf of Nicoya (Costa Rica) fisheries system: two decades of change CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Damped trophic cascades driven by fishing in model marine ecosystems Arreguın-Sánchez Flows of biomass and structure in an exploited benthic ecosystem in the Gulf of California Bigelow and Schroeder’s Fishes of the Gulf of Maine Google Scholar Trophic planktonic dynamics in a tropical estuary Pacific coast of Costa Rica during El Niño 1997 event Google Scholar BIOMARCC-SINAC-GIZ (2013) Estudios científicos de hábitat marino costero y situación socioeconómica del Pacífico Norte de Costa Rica Google Scholar Multimodel inference: understanding AIC and BIC in model selection CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Increasing frequency of extreme El Niño events due to greenhouse warming Calvo Vargas, E., Boza Abarca, J., and Berrocal Artavia, K. 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This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) *Correspondence: Viola Alms, dmlvbGEuYWxtc0BsZWlibml6LXptdC5kZQ== purpose and a positive outlook is an integral part of life researchers say — and it could be helping them live longer Within this rural beach community the average age is 85 — but many residents live to be over 100-years-old residents here are three-and-a-half times more likely to live past 100 than the global average Nicoya has been identified as one of the world's five "Blue Zones" by researcher Dan Buettner — regions of the globe where people are thought to live the longest and healthiest lives The spot was recently featured in his book and Netflix docuseries on the topic Much of the produce Nicoyans eat they reportedly grow and harvest themselves A unique feature of Nicoya is its naturally calcium-rich water Just drinking or cooking with five liters of water in Nicoya a day is enough to reach the daily recommended calcium intake of one gram, ABC news reported The Blue Zones website suggests that higher calcium levels could explain the lower rates of heart disease stronger bones and fewer hip fractures among Nicoyans People in the Blue Zones generally don't exercise but are rather "nudged" into movement, Buettner said in his new book, "The Blue Zones: Secrets for Living Longer." Buettner said people are more likely to walk around where physical activity is woven into their daily lives Take 86-year-old Juan Carrillo, who told Buettner in the Netflix docuseries that he still does activities like chopping logs for firewood Residents of Nicoya are also known for taking long walks, an activity Buettner says we could all do to extend our longevity people would never do a couple hours of work when they could be enjoying their family or interacting with their friends," Buettner said in his Netflix docuseries "They slow down to make time for things that really matter to them." Prioritizing rest and relationships over work could help reduce chronic stress which can lead to inflammation and glucose spikes and ultimately increase risk of conditions like heart disease I think that you have to rest," Carrillo said in the Netflix docuseries Carrillo said that he likes "to go out and treat myself." Some of his favorite activities include heading out to the bar to have a cold beer with friends VICTOR — A 48-year-old woman has signed a plea deal after police say she tried to kill a man by pushing him off a loft and stabbing him repeatedly Luna Nicoya Phaedra Serrano signed a plea agreement that was filed in April stating she would plead guilty to felony aggravated battery in exchange for the prosecution agreeing to “not bring any further charges” related to the case The state also agreed to recommend a retained jurisdiction, or a “rider” at sentencing A “rider” or a retained jurisdiction means Serrano will be sent to a treatment program in prison for one year the judge can decide whether or not to send Serrano to prison for an underlying term or release her onto probation RELATED | “Let’s fight to the death.” Woman allegedly stabs man and pushes him off second-story loft Serrano was initially charged in October 2023 and pleaded not guilty to felony attempted first-degree murder and two counts of felony aggravated battery these charges could mean Serrano would face up to 55 years in prison EastIdahoNews.com contacted Teton County Prosecutor Bailey Smith to clarify how the prosecution and defense reached this agreement “Aggravated battery carries the same penalty as attempted murder and the addition of other counts in this circumstance would be unlikely to change the sentencing outcome given the likelihood of concurrent sentences while I have every confidence that the defendant committed the crimes we charged her with this case had certain difficulties of proof that could have presented real challenges at a jury trial,” says Smith “The State’s rider recommendation in the plea agreement is not binding on the judge and he will be free to sentence Defendant Serrano however he sees fit including to significant prison time if he believes necessary.” Serrano’s sentencing is scheduled for Tuesday before District Judge Steven Boyce Teton County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call at a home on Kestrel Hill Road in Victor on Oct told deputies they had to “run outside” and were hiding under a truck The deputy writes in the police report that although he recognized the number to belong to a man who was “crying and appeared to be panicking.” She pointed to the cabin Serrano was reportedly fully dressed in two jackets “one jacket being worn backward,” unzipped facing toward her back The deputy yelled at the man to get off Serrano “bleeding significantly.” Emergency responders arrived due to the man’s injuries and Serrano’s “non-responsive behavior.” and a deputy noticed she was “wet from what appeared to be blood and sweat.” Her eyes were also reportedly wide She was breathing rapidly and “was verbally non-responsive.” the deputy noticed a large bump on her forehead and a bruise around her right eye who said he was sleeping upstairs when Serrano “came up and started stabbing him.” He said Serrano was not there when he went to sleep “I feel like I’m dying,” before saying that Serrano pushed him “all the way down off my top ladder.” who said she was asleep on the downstairs couch when she woke up to the victim telling her to run The woman said she wasn’t sure who Serrano was and was “afraid that (Serrano) was going to harm her because (Serrano) sounded like a lunatic.” The woman said Serrano had texted the victim that she wanted to fight him “to the death.” deputies said the kitchen counter at the base of the ladder to the loft was knocked over There was also a “significant amount of what (deputies) believe to be (the victim’s) blood throughout the cabin,” next to the couch and a deputy found a pair of scissors on the counter Deputies also saw blood on Serrano’s headlamp but found no actively bleeding wounds on her Serrano was arrested and booked into jail at the Teton County Sheriff’s Office The victim was transported to Teton Valley Hospital for his injuries deputies learned from the victim that Serrano had stabbed him before in the side with the same scissors and said he had gone to the Family Safety Network in Driggs to apply for a civil protection order against Serrano he fell asleep and was “awakened to (Serrano) straddling his body and stabbing him in the head.” The victim says he was stabbed multiple times before he realized what was happening Serrano and the victim were both kneeling on the bed when Serrano reportedly “kicked or shoved (the victim) off the bed,” according to court documents and landed on the ground-level kitchen countertop before falling onto the floor the victim yelled to the witness to call the cops He told deputies he felt “helpless at this point with the wind knocked out of him Serrano only said one thing during the entire fight – asking who the other woman was The victim told deputies she “was not there to talk Court documents say Serrano then came down the ladder from the loft and allegedly stabbed the victim “at least five more times.” the victim got the scissors away from Serrano He then got on top of Serrano and “punched her several times to the right side of her face.” Serrano later admitted to threatening to kill the victim in the past and texting him things like “let’s fight to the death.” but was released and sent to pre-trial supervision the next day SUBMIT A CORRECTION We hope you appreciated this story. A small team of local journalists runs EastIdahoNews.com – not a big business or corporation Our stories are produced to inform and serve the public We don't have a paywall or require a subscription to use EastIdahoNews.com but there is a cost associated with bringing you stories every day Please consider supporting us just once for $1 or contribute a little more monthly or annually We sincerely appreciate your consideration © 2015 - 2025 EastIdahoNews.com LLC There are just five Blue Zones on the entire planet and research suggests that they are caused by a combination of factors which range from diet and weather to religion A magazine had commissioned me to find out why Costa Rica was home to one of these exceptional regions From the town of Puerto Viejo on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast we took a dug-out canoe up the Yorkin River This is the homeland of Costa Rica's indigenous Bribri people whose remoteness kept their culture alive during successive European invasions and the Bribri use that bounty for everything ranging from camphor sap that repels mosquitoes to a plant that they chew for toothache the Bribri gardens looked much like the rest of the jungle with different species piled around each other and butterflies flitting between the branches "That's because you are used to seeing farms of single crops," said Albin "We don't farm monocultures because the plants evolved to work in harmony: the legumes put nitrogen in the soil and banana trees put down potassium so we don't need artificial products or fertilisers so there's hundreds of bird species here whilst you might find only a dozen on a monoculture farm and there are also coral snakes and boas that kill rodents so we don't need pesticides or traps." "What about venomous snakes?" asked Dre "We do kill the fer-de-lance and bushmaster snakes," Albin said "Our gardens are right next to our villages watched over by their dad whilst he fished – giggled and screamed as they jumped into the river They let the current carry them to an overhanging branch which they used to haul themselves back to the riverbank before running upstream to repeat the whole process The air was filled with the stony smell of river water and the warm sweetness of flowers and grasses most of which were completely unfamiliar to me "This is a water apple," he said They look different from the ones you'd find in a supermarket because they are less hybridised." He approached a tree that was about 20ft tall and had fruits sprouting directly from the trunk and branches They were shaped like a ribbed rugby ball about the length of my hand-span "This is the cacao tree," said Albin "Our people thought it was the most beautiful tree in paradise and the seeds were used as currency." It split in half to reveal white flesh and perfectly tessellated seeds "But the seed is bitter before it is prepared." We entered a clearing of thatched houses on stilts and a white-wooden hut that looked like a large birdhouse "The seeds are removed from the fruit," he said That's when the chocolate flavour develops thanks to enzymes and micro-organisms Then we dry them in the sun for five days." I picked up one of the shrunken seeds and bit into it but it now had the distinctive taste of chocolate Albin grabbed a handful and tossed them in a pan he broke the seed's outer shell and pulled out the toasted inner flesh The toasted seeds were rolled with a stone then tossed to separate the lighter shell from the heavier nibs thick paste oozed from the bottom of the grinder and the deep rich scent of dark chocolate filled the hut The Bribri dry it and sell it to tourists and it creates the best chocolate that I have ever eaten "It has taken vision to bring tourism to this area," said Albin "But it's the only way to keep our culture alive." Our people already gave everything to the invaders And our cacao – Albin"Ever since Europeans came here," he said Now the government wants to build dams and ask us to give up our land for "the good of the country and for an enormous fee But our people already gave everything to the invaders and new rivers dammed and the jungle turned into banana plantations It was a sacred plant that made us strong – not just physically Now it's one of the reasons tourists come and that might be what saves us from development." "Does chocolate make Costa Rica a Blue Zone?" asked Dre "If it's made like this," said Albin "But a healthy life comes from many things: community; a sense of purpose; being outdoors; an active lifestyle which is difficult in these remote communities Dre and I began planning the next step of our journey "I'd never have come to this village if I was just coming on a holiday," she said "But it's such an incredible experience being in this beautiful place and finding out about the culture first-hand meeting fascinating people… it feels like such a privilege." Nicoya is on the opposite side of Costa Rica from the land of the Bribri Nicoya's indigenous Chorotegan culture has more in common with the Mesoamericans of Mexico than with the Bribri of the jungle because of the geography of Central America The clearest legacy of this is in the food: the roadsides of Nicoya were filled with cobs of yellow and purple maize drying in the sunshine "The Blue Zone is a real thing," said Ezekiel Aguirre Perez a traditional Chorotegan potter living in the town of Mutambu people regularly live into their 80s and 90s and that's without access to regular healthcare Blue Zone researchers have identified the importance of diet with an emphasis on lots of vegetables and a low consumption of meat It is fermented into chicha and chicheme alcoholic beverages The Chorotega also have a strong sense of community with the whole town coming together to build each new house It's a concept called "mano vuelta" which roughly translates as "work for the collective benefit" "People look for tricks to live longer," Ezekiel said "But you can't live a life of consumption and greed You have to live in an integrated way: an active life; a kind life; a community life "When someone in the village needs a new house Ezekiel told us about a man called Pachito who lived nearby and who had recently celebrated his 100th birthday He gave us the address and suggested that we pay him a visit Pachito's hacienda sat in a shallow valley surrounded by flowering bushes Ezekiel had called ahead and told him we were coming but we had to wait with Pachito's granddaughter until he came back Pachito trotted down the driveway on his white horse which he tied up in the back garden and deftly dismounted • Pura Vida: Costa Rica's uniquely positive outlook on life • One reason why many Ikarians live to be 100 • The ingredients for a longer life He responded with a wink and settled down in a chair "I had to go and visit a friend of mine who wasn't feeling too well – but he is 102 "Do you ride every day?" I asked "I've worked all my life as a sabanero – a cowboy – so it's more natural to me than walking Pachito sat down on a low wicker chair with pictures of his many descendants on the wall behind him His granddaughter handed him a cup of warm piñol kissed him on the head and then headed out to the garden "This was never a region of education and wisdom," Pachito said "But it was always a place of hard work The biggest difference from today is that we knew where our food came from raised cattle and pigs and kept chickens that fed on our food scraps but it was pure and healthy and we ate three times a day and great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren?" "I was not a grand person – a person of significance or anything like that – but I have always been a good friend you cannot wish anything bad on other people That stops things going bad for you from the inside." 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Grip strength is associated with a range of health outcomes, from type 2 diabetes to depression. Here’s how to check yours. Invented to satiate pregnancy cravings, Dubai chocolate is a rare combination of creativity, flavours and social media success that has broken all industry records. Netflix recently unveiled a first look at its upcoming documentary “Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones,” which will debut on August 30th The production focuses on the lives of 58 centenarians residing in Nicoya one of only five confirmed “Blue Zones” worldwide These unique Blue Zones are regions where inhabitants commonly live active lives past the age of 100 pioneered the concept in the early 2000s while researching global longevity hotspots His expeditions uncovered common lifestyle factors linked to extended health spans in Nicoya “This series represents two decades spent identifying and researching the world’s oldest populations There’s no better well of wisdom on living longer than from those who’ve truly achieved it The primary insight they offer might not be what one expects.” The Nicoya Peninsula earned its designation as a Blue Zone thanks to its high concentration of centenarians Demographic studies by Gianni Pes and Michel Poulain first shed light on these longevity zones with statistically significant numbers of people living past 100 Buettner explained that Blue Zones boast a unique convergence of lifestyle and environment that enables inhabitants to thrive into old age often inclusive of beans or grains like corn Residents maintain tight-knit circles of friends who foster healthy habits,” Buettner stated The Netflix documentary will provide an inside look at day-to-day life for Nicoya’s elders and environmental factors researchers have linked to exceptional longevity Costa Ricans hope the show will inspire people worldwide to incorporate Blue Zone lessons into their own lives Good health and community bonds run deep here in Nicoya where the pace of life moves slowly and loved ones stay close ShareSaveLeadership CMO NetworkWhat Costa Rica’s Blue Zone Can Teach Us About The Future Of Well-Being And LongevityByCathy Hackl Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights 10:41pm EDTShareSaveThis article is more than 4 years old.One of the world's Blue Zones is in Nicoya the average life expectancy is 71 years of age (70 for males and 72 for females) It remains to be seen if the COVID pandemic will affect that average Whether this pandemic impacts the average lifespan of people around the world or not a lot can be gained by studying five specific regions in the world where people seemingly effortlessly live to over 90 years in age There are five regions around the world called the Blue Zones: Okinawa but each has specific elements in common - all starting with a sense of purpose Costa Rica and what the Nicoyan lifestyle can teach us about humanity and what we could do better in the future Nicoya was introduced as a Blue Zone in a 2004 National Geographic article by Dan Buettner rural beach community located on the Guanacaste peninsula on the northwest coast of Costa Rica most inhabitants live to at least the age of 90 Nicoyans often live more than 100 years and Nicoya boasts of the highest number of centenarians in the world The most amazing part about people who live in Nicoya Costa Rica is that many of them live without medication or disability The way Nicoyans choose to live their lives gives us a template from which we can learn to improve our health and find our sense of purpose While we may not increase the average life expectancy throughout the world we can use Nicoya as a template for healthier living The Nicoyan way of life can enlighten people to make choices that will help to increase their life expectancy People often consider the impact of global decisions on future generations through legislation But we must also consider the impact of our individual health and lifestyle choices on future generations before the men of Nicoya ride their horses through the mountains of the Costa Rican peninsula The daily breakfast consists of gallo pinto (rice and beans) with a basket of homemade corn tortillas and hot coffee This healthy breakfast gives them the nutrients they need for a day of tending crops and livestock While starting the day off with rice and beans may not be an ideal breakfast for most people the key to a healthy breakfast is one rich with protein and antioxidants (minus the preservatives) Protein helps to rebuild and repair tissue Complex carbs provide the energy a person needs to get through the day And a breakfast rich with antioxidants helps to protect a person’s cells from disease Along with starting every morning with a healthy breakfast Nicoyans also eat nutritious food throughout the day They eat many fruits and vegetables often grown on their own lands For those who might need some meal ideas, Dan Buettner, wrote the Blue Zones Kitchen cookbook It consists of 100 recipes with ingredients used by those who live in Nicoya While Nicoyans start their day by eating a healthy breakfast their diet is not the only secret to living long lives They also practice good physical and mental health Many Nicoyans choose to walk from one destination to another instead of driving this helps maintain healthy and supportive relationships within their communities and develop a strong sense of faith and purpose along the way While walking gives Nicoyans a chance to exercise and get fresh air it also gives them time to enjoy the natural beauty for which Nicoya is known Healthy and supportive relationships with friends and family are another one of their keys to longevity Maintaining close ties with family and friends helps reduce stress a former Costa Rican diplomat and ambassador who works intensely promoting bioliteracy and well-being as holistic healthy mindsets When Dan Buettner introduced the concept of Blue Zones, he formed the Blue Zones Project It is a template outlining the lifestyles of people who live in places like Nicoya Cities throughout the world can use this template to encourage people to live healthier lives Lane reasons why Chicago should use the Blue Zones template to improve the lives of people who live there Lane cites the impact of COVID-19 on minorities like Blacks and Hispanics throughout Chicago While the Blue Zones project Lane discusses isn’t a cure for COVID-19 the principals lived by the people in those zones could increase the chance of livelihood for people of other cultures and high rates of depression in Chicago’s poorest neighborhoods as some of the reasons behind the high rates of COVID cases By encouraging Nicoyan’s belief community and sense of purpose through work or are overweight tend to have a more difficult time if they are infected by COVID-19 Changing the American diet and culture around the food we eat can help save lives Although the Blue Zone Project isn’t all about diet and it’s certainly about more than food for the people of Nicoya it is a big difference from the typical American diet (no matter what type of community) an entrance ramp for a new lifestyle change is through their mouth,” Buettner says Essential Costa Rica country brand director the world has mourned the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives The best way we can mourn those lives lost is to honor them by creating a better future for our children and their children’s children by making healthier choices now Now is the time for cities like Chicago to learn from the five Blue Zones throughout the world like Nicoya The template laid out in the Blue Zones Project: natural foods can help anyone develop stronger immune systems so they can live healthier and longer lives We do not need to wait for our cities of residence to adopt the principles for healthier living outlined in the Blue Zones Project We can start making healthier choices today thus living more enriching lives and encouraging others to adopt similar healthy ways of living We can no longer afford to allow the COVID pandemic to cause us to live in or out of a place of fear We must make the health of future generations our responsibility by implementing the lifestyles of the Blue Zones people now a regenerative investor and futurist explains that it is a great time to take on that wisdom from the local ancestors and combine it with new regenerative ways of living It is the reason why the founder of Omega Institute set up Blue Spirit in Nosara and a Longevity center Having worked with the pioneers in mind-body research and psychoneuroimmunology Many of us in Western countries know we need to eat less junk and add more natural food to our diets We know we should include exercise into all parts of our lives (not just an hour at the gym) It’s difficult to maintain family bonds and friendships when school and work take us far from home finding work/life balance is a constant challenge for many What we can incorporate about Nicoya into our culture is the sense of purpose Nicoyans enjoy That sense of purpose drives them in all aspects of their lives we can hopefully improve the health of future generations “Adapting our lifestyles wherever we live to healthier practices such as intermittent fasting and low glycemic index food intake sound like your everyday doctor’s recipe for a healthy life,” says Cedeno-Molinari “But the simplest truth is that what one needs is to sleep eight hours every night plant-based diet during a six-hour period to give your pancreas an 18-hour break until your next meal and be at peace with everything and everyone all of the time,” he adds and at any time has access to the technology that allows us to replenish replace and rejuvenate our physical bodies.” “What we’ve witnessed during 2020 are healthcare systems around the world that are reactive and so the actual healthcare is often neglected,” says Chaves “Imagine yourself in a future not-so-distant where more conscious lifestyle decisions you make at an individual level are supported by a branch of medicine that attempts to change the course of diseases and regenerates failing parts of our bodies Longevity then would not be a luxury only reserved for a few living in Blue Zones when we do emerge from the current pandemic many cities and companies will revisit well-being as a main topic for their citizens and employees There will be a lot to learn and a lot to do to get back to a healthier normal businesses and cities will be able to look at Blue Zone’s like the one in Nicoya and find a model to follow Nicoya’s Blue Zone will continue to be an example of the resiliency of the human body and spirit For many the hope is that the lessons that these centenarians can teach us and the secrets of well-being and longevity that live in this extraordinary part of the world will be able benefit all of humanity in the future Metrics details the long-anticipated Nicoya earthquake occurred in the heart of the previously identified locked patch Here we report observations of coseismic deformation from GPS and geomorphic data along the Nicoya Peninsula and show that the magnitude 7.6 Nicoya earthquake ruptured the lateral and down-dip extent of the previously locked region of the plate interface We also identify a previously locked part of the plate interface that may not have slipped during the 2012 earthquake By pairing observations of the spatial extent of interseismic locking and subsequent coseismic rupture we demonstrate the use of detailed near-field geodetic investigations during the late interseismic period for identifying future earthquake potential Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout Circum-Pacific seismic potential: 1989–1999 Evaluación del potencial sísmico de la Península de Nicoya (Editorial Fundación UNA Geodetic and seismic constraints on some seismogenic zone processes in Costa Rica Active deformation near the Nicoya Peninsula between 1996 and 2010: Interseismic megathrust coupling Along-strike variability in the seismogenic zone below Nicoya Peninsula in The Seismogenic Zone of Subduction Thrust Faults (eds Dixon Interface locking along the subduction megathrust from b-value mapping near Nicoya Peninsula A tremor and slip event on the Cocos-Caribbean subduction zone as measured by a global positioning system (GPS) and seismic network on the Nicoya Peninsula Slow slip events in Costa Rica detected by continuous GPS observations Deep low frequency earthquakes in tremor localize to the plate interface in multiple subduction zones Persistent tremor within the northern Costa Rica seismogenic zone The synchronous occurrence of shallow tremor and very low frequency earthquakes offshore the Nicoya Peninsula Seismic cycle and plate margin deformation in Costa Rica: GPS observations from 1994 to 1997 Inter-plate coupling in the Nicoya Peninsula as deduced from a trans-peninsula GPS experiment Laboratorio de Ingenierı´a Sı´smica. http://www.lis.ucr.ac.cr/index.php?id=665 (2012) seismic gap and its potential impact in Puntarenas Determination of earthquake source parameters using local and regional data: Seismic moment and rupture directivity of the M w = 7.6 Nicoya Earthquake Global seismicity of 2003: Centroid-moment-tensor solutions for 1087 earthquakes The 2011 Magnitude 9.0 Tohoku–Oki Earthquake: Mosaicking the megathrust from seconds to centuries Revised tectonic boundaries in the Cocos Plate off Costa Rica: Implications for the segmentation of the convergent margin and for plate tectonic models Costa Rica Mw 7.6 earthquake rupture process from joint inversion of high-rate GPS and teleseismic P wave data and its relationship to adjacent plate boundary interface properties Hydrogeologic responses to three-dimensional temperature variability Seismogenic zone structure beneath the Nicoya Peninsula from three-dimensional local earthquake P- and S-wave tomography Quaternary uplift and seismic cycle deformation The 25 October 2010 Mentawai Tsunami Earthquake The 1992 Nicaragua earthquake: A slow tsunami earthquake associated with subducted sediments Detailed data available for recent Costa Rica earthquake Nature of seismic coupling along simple plate boundaries of the subduction type Download references We thank the now finished NSF MARGINS programme for providing regional focus for studying seismogenic zone processes in Costa Rica Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica (OVSICORI) Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences The authors declare no competing financial interests Download citation Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment (2022) Nature Reviews Earth & Environment (2020) Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily. I was 11 years old when I first visited Costa Rica with my family and it’s left a lasting impression on me of the rainforests the wildlife and the incredible tropical fruits I was very excited to board my first long-haul flight in a while to visit again I had three simple objectives: speak Spanish La Finca Rosa Blanca This is the perfect place to stay at the beginning or the end of your trip eclectic style with a strong art focus using vibrant colours and tropical themes feature prominently; I was particularly taken by the blue and white tiled bathrooms with a view of San Jose from the tub With just 14 rooms set amidst lush gardens A total must if you can fit it in is a swim in the infinity pool before breakfast - which as you can imagine is a coffee lover’s delight My recommendation would be to try as much local fruit as possible before diving into a plate of their delicate pancakes with three syrups; sugar cane or organsie a cloud forest excursion - and do try the pina colada I ended up catching a small plane with a company called Green Airways from San Jose to Santa Teresa It is possible to get a 5-6 hour shuttle bus but I was too tempted by the speedy 20 minute plane with Jurassic Park-like views Nantipa was the perfect start to my holiday by the ocean Its bungalows sit directly on the sand and every inch of the property is covered in lush vegetation You can hear the sound of the waves from the moment you wake up to the second your head hits the pillow The rooms tastefully complement the environment with woven hammocks they do have a private swimming pool too if that’s more your vibe Its Manzu restaurant makes an excellent welcome cocktail and I devoured the Costa Rican classic of Pollo Tinto; rice Nantipa is in the centre of all the action and you are moments away from some of the best restaurants They helped me organise my first surf lesson and I couldn’t recommend this luxury eco hotel enough I loved the design which was in-keeping with nature and I could have stayed for weeks Vaqoco Surf I started my surf journey with Vaquoco on Playa Hermosa and I would say that it is essential to have some lessons while you are out here It is one of the best areas to surf in the world due to the wave consistency There are some difficult areas on this coastline and to have a team that makes you feel confident and have a better understanding of the ocean is priceless Not to mention these guys are jokers and you will have a lot of fun I suggest getting a package of lessons to really immerse yourself Jnor is part of the team and is amazing at making you feel safe and it was a brilliant introduction to this sport The Bakery BakeryAntonina ParkerGive me quality baked goods (the chocolate almond croissant and coconut banana bread were particularly memorable) healing salads (a glass noodle and raw vegetable salad with tamarind dressing helped me forget a particularly gruelling surf lesson) and amazing coffee and smoothies (with the full range of nut milks) and I will come back again and again El Corazón El Corazón is lit with tall dribbling candles and soundtracked by local musicians Go for a pre-dinner cocktail by the bar (the hibiscus margarita is incredible) or tuck into their burnt aubergine harissa beet hummus and gochujang tofu stir-fry Koji Koji is where you can sample some excellent sushi mahi mahi ceviche and soft-shell crab California rolls This is definitely somewhere that is a little bit special and a restaurant to celebrate catching a good wave Bali Beach Deli you can catch up on emails on the terrace before you hit a rainforest tour Be prepared for some friendly furry friends on standby to pat Green World Store Sometimes you need a break from eating out and although there are a few well-equipped supermarkets Green World Store is organic with refill options locally grown cacao and caramel coconut cookies I also bought ingredients to make sandwiches for my shuttle to Nosara that were packed full of pesto these were the envy of everyone on the bus This is the perfect hike to hit before sampling one of Montezuma’s lunch spots I only made it to the first out of three waterfalls because I was hungry and needed lunch but I heard that it’s a fun day excursion to do all of them Wear trainers and make sure you get a picture under the waterfall Playa de los Artistas This was one of my favourite restaurant experiences while I was away The food was tasty but it was the setting that really inspired me: terracotta walls The menu is a fusion of locally caught fish mixed with ceviche and a few Italian-style plates: think vibrant dishes of mahi mahi with green mango and jalapeños spicy gorgonzola dip and aubergine with fresh buffalo mozzarella Be sure to bring cash as they don’t take card and book at least a week ahead - note that they only open for the lunch service Nomadic Hotel I jumped on a shuttle bus from Santa Teresa to Nosara which took about four hours I had heard that Nosara was more rustic and had a calmer atmosphere than Santa Teresa In some ways I could not have been more wrong It’s quite fancy with lots of expensive boutique hotels but definitely has a more chilled vibe compared to the jungle party side of ST it is important to know that it’s not untouched and attracts many American and Canadian tourists The waves on Playa Guiones are perfect for beginners and intermediate surfers with a consistent and softer swell This was my paradise and was just the type of environment I needed after being bashed around on Playa Carmen further up the coast Nomadic is situated in the ultimate location being a five minute walk from Guiones and near to lots of the best restaurants it felt as though I had walked into an oasis filled with mango smoothies Everything is open plan and feels like you are in one large treehouse with different levels Breakfast is a set menu that changes daily with options of Gallo Pinto or banana pancakes both with tropical fruit You can hit the early surf at 7am and make it back in time for the complimentary yoga class at 9am Rooms have a laidback seaside feel with woven rugs dream catchers and watercolours of surfboards This is where the sophisticated hippie surfer would stay and I loved the way you ended up meeting other guests at breakfast thanks to the communal dining area Rolling Waves I am a coffee lover and so you can imagine I consumed many a cup while I was in the land of medium roasted beans unless you are lucky enough to meet local connoisseur Jesus who will point you towards the best brew in Nosara creamy cappuccino that was honestly the best I tasted while I was away You can choose which bean variety you prefer and then take some home for a present La Negra School I highly recommend a sunset surf on this beach They cater for all levels and the gentle waters at Guiones will improve your confidence For more experienced surfers they are also available to take you to one of the many other local beaches Howlers Bar I went to Howlers three times when I was staying in Nosara It was recommended to me by my chef friend and she told me two things: get the tuna carpaccio and try to prise the secret recipe from the chef I managed the first task and then failed miserably with the second makes some incredible Mexican dishes and offers a decent margarita It’s run by a couple and is packed every day and runs out of the best dishes by 7pm One of the signature plates is the aforementioned tuna carpaccio with avocado This sometimes runs out by 6.45pm so you need to go early to avoid disappointment I experienced this occurrence as early as 6.15pm one day a crowd of men from Virginia came to the rescue They had caught a tuna and generously gave it to the kitchen to make a few extra plates of this famous dish so we could all get our tuna fix You can be in a large group or ride solo enjoying a taco at the bar LagartaAntonina ParkerHiding up in the hills Lagarta is a 10-minute tuk tuk ride from Playa Guiones with incredible views of the coast and rainforest Nosara is in the middle of a national park and you can appreciate this from the lodge: I arrived at sunset and there were howler monkeys jumping from tree to tree carrying their young outside my room The style of the rooms are simple with neutral tones tree stump tables and hammocks on the balconies You don’t go to Lagarta to stay hidden away in your room you go to take advantage of the infinity swimming pools with panoramic views of the coast Their main pool is the perfect spot for getting immersed in a book They offer poolside snacks and I recommend the vegan rice bowl with pickled onions serves all the usual breakfast favourites with some particularly fluffy banana pancakes with passionfruit and mango I was lucky enough to meet their talented head chef Arturo who is passionate about quality ingredients and was kind enough to share some of his secret tips they also have a spa on site if you fancy grabbing a massage Their staff are exceptionally efficient at helping you book any of the neighbouring restaurants and you can WhatsApp reception when you want to order a tuk tuk anywhere I think Lagarta is the perfect place for a couple or family who want a pause from the busy seafront and is looking for some calm up in the hills You cannot help but get lost in the beautiful landscape Destiny Cafe Destiny is linked up to La Negra Hotel and it is the place to go after a morning of being battered about on the sea you get a complimentary breakfast from Destiny included and I took full advantage of this benefit They have a counter full of snacks including some extremely tempting chocolate chip oat cookies Il Basilico There are two rival Italian restaurants in the area Il Basilico is the more laidback offering with live music avocado prawn spaghetti and candlelit wooden tables This appeared more popular with the locals and had a more rustic feel compared to its counterpart go for a glass of red wine and a comforting bowl of pasta La Luna this is the fancier Italian in terms of location and interiors I went for Sunday lunch but I was told that an early sunset dinner is phenomenal All of the coast has this unspoilt feel but Pelada feels even more secluded because there is no one in the sea due to the rocks The food is a Mediterranean medley of grilled prawn kebabs beet and goats cheese frittata and falafel I particularly loved the home-made chilli oil and smoked garlic salsa that come with every meal Al Chile less than ten minutes walk from Guiones and hidden under a mountain of palm trees I loved the simplicity of the dishes here and I would order the nachos and ceviche The dishes are unfussy but the ingredients speak for themselves Follow @antoninaparker Southern Oregon University will offer an innovative study-abroad opportunity in Costa Rica this summer that explores the intersection of health The program focuses on the Central American country’s “Blue Zone” on the Nicoya Peninsula – one of a handful of locations worldwide where residents’ life expectancy is highest will be eligible to earn a total of six academic credits in two core courses – Health and Longevity (HE 399) and Environmental Health (HE 331) They will study the factors that contribute to healthy aging – from diet to community engagement – and also will engage with local communities visit historical sites and experience Costa Rica’s rich cultural heritage The application deadline for the Costa Rica program The trip is being coordinated through SOU’s Study Abroad program and is offered in partnership with Academic Programs International an independent study abroad provider that offers academic opportunities in more than 20 countries worldwide Financial aid options, including scholarships totaling $4,000 from Academic Programs International, are intended to make the program accessible to students from diverse backgrounds. Non-degree-seeking students and those from other universities are also eligible to participate The trip will include excursions to the 11,000-foot Volcán Irazú Costa Rica’s highest volcano; the famous Monteverde cloud forest; and several days on the Nicoya Peninsula and National Park Reserve There will also be opportunities for city walking tours Students will immerse themselves in Costa Rican culture through host-families while exploring Costa Rica as a living classroom with a strong global reputation for health Participants will practice experiential and service-based learning and will learn evidence-based practices in health and wellness as they study the Nicoya Peninsula’s Blue Zone The original five Blue Zones – in Okinawa California – identified populations that are among the healthiest and longest-living in the world The practices of inhabitants have been studied to find common keys to healthy aging Most centenarians on Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula continue to practice physical chores and remain relatively free of stress by embracing their common traditions They enjoy light dinners – typically of squash take in vitamin D through sensible sun exposure and drink water that is high in calcium Those who are interested in the Costa Rica program are encouraged to contact Crystal Stroud, an SOU adjunct instructor in Health, Physical Education and Leadership, at stroudc@sou.edu. This news was a powerful reminder that the planet remains a chief priority, above and beyond the pandemic and of the country's single-minded commitment to protect its natural environments—for its own sake and to mitigate against climate change helping fund the preservation of the ethereal cloud forests of Monteverde and the remote jungles of the Osa Peninsula as well as popular destinations like the Tortuguero and Manuel Antonio national parks And while countries around the world have taken an approach to tourism similar to that of Costa Rica perhaps nowhere else do citizens play as important a role as authorities An updated Airstream by the sea near the town of Nosara A thatched-roof bungalow at Hotel Playa Negra overlooks one of the area’s best surf beaches and a motorboat hop from San Lucas is the Nicoya Peninsula locals and an international nomadic crowd have come together to create a community of nature-loving forward-thinkers a verdant limb in the country's northwest has a string of beautiful beaches and a handful of townships where pura vida (the national mantra for living a simple life) is second nature Tama) down to Santa Teresa and Malpais are beautifully designed villas and small hotels restaurants championing Costa Rican cuisine Shell seeking at Florblanca resort in Santa Teresa All this is also only ever a step away from full-blown wilderness and that informs the way everything is done Gabriela Valenzuela-Hirsch is an artist and designer Her work has been showcased in the Design Museum in London and the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt Museum in New York born in San José to a family of artists and creators I came back to Costa Rica in 1996 as part of a kind of prenup made me commit to a life plan that would allow him to retire young so we could escape to a special place to surf for the rest of our lives we sold everything and went to seek the perfect surf break We bought a beautiful piece of land right on the beach I realized we were achieving a sense of well-being in Costa Rica that people in the urban rat race could only dream of A view of Playa Hermosa from the hill above the Olson Kundig–designed Costa Rica Treehouse I founded Heartwood Design—a cooperative of artisans to assist men and women with limited resources to turn their traditional folk art into high-end products creating a source of income and pride for the makers And I love the intimate creative process too carving intricate three-dimensional modern sculptures “I'm humbled every day to wake up in paradise then go to my studio and work there all day long as I only use up-rooted and fallen trees in my work and I've been involved in reforestation programs here in Costa Rica since the mid-'90s My work is to protect and defend Mother Nature Artist Gabriela Valenzuela-Hirsch’s studio just south of Tamarindo “Other countries and cities talk about embracing doughnut economics [pinpointing the sufficiency of resources we need to lead a good sustainable life] we're already doing that; Tamarindo is the first community in Latin American to be fully regenerative has been opening hotels on the Nicoya Peninsula for two decades—he was most recently the general manager at Kasiiya Papagayo and still works closely with the hotel nobody in San José knew what it was like or even where it was and it was a seven-to-eight-hour drive from the capital There were three little hotels at that time: Hotel Frank's Place A few Ticos came to hang out on the beaches—six miles of deserted white sand—or to surf Then Nicoya pioneer Susan Money opened Florblanca with lots of birds and animals including monkeys and sometimes a puma; two private beaches; a rare and very special dry tropical forest; the best snorkeling in Costa Rica—you see whales and stingrays up close—and a sublime sunset “The owner [Moroccan French entrepreneur] Mehdi Rheljari's concept was to leave the land 100 percent untouched did an amazing job avoiding any impact on the scenery and keeping the infrastructure low-scale and lost in the greenery the majority of the materials used for construction being recycled wood and fallen trees I love the upscale tent concept and the fact that it is totally off-grid All the bath products are locally made and 100 percent organic Most of the food served is sourced from the province of Guanacaste There's a naturalist guide who is a brilliant teacher on the dry forest flora and fauna and the marine life of Punta Gorda who trained in India and is an expert in chakra cleansing which is hidden in the forest and reached by a hanging bridge People had little work and a lot of time on their hands So we made a deal with them: We gave them materials and they gave their time to help improve the town painting the school and the bus stops with murals and fixing up the church roof and it connected us even more to neighboring Nuevo Colón—where many of the staff have their homes.” co-owns Cala Luna hotel in Tamarindo with her sister “I came to Tamarindo in 1992 with my sister and then brother-in-law We started to build Cala Luna two years later “I'm from a Belgian family with culinary passions and 15 years of living in Italy and lots of travel has made me a foodie for life Working with the young Costa Rican agro-ecologist Carlos Piñeda Soto and with our chefs we've come up with tasting menus that make local produce the star of the show To the classic base of all Costa Rican dishes—peppers and garlic—we've added coyote cilantro We've also been inspired by traditional ingredients: sorghum We have our own seven-acre organic vegetable garden All this helps keep our carbon footprint small and we try to use every part of our ingredients—for instance we ferment pineapple peel to create our own pineapple vinegar and use a subsequent fermentation for sourdough bread And we make a veggie version of a traditional dish called carne mechada from plantain peel A slice of Spanish tortilla on Playa Negra “We work closely with local fishermen to get away from the heavily commercialized species so you won't find tuna or lobster on our menu We source mussels and other shellfish from the Palito community on Chira Island a women-led program supported by the University of Costa Rica none of those fish can be found on the commercial market who's from Santa Cruz—inland from Tamarindo—is one of a new generation of organic agronomists emerging in Costa Rica fully responsible for the success of our kitchen garden Through him we've become actively involved in community groups It's been vitally important during the COVID-19 crisis Juan Diego Evangelista is a surfer and surfboard shaper from Argentina; at Cheboards he has pioneered building toxic-free balsa-wood surfboards It's a beautiful city on the ocean with a small surfing scene of its own I started to surf every summer and loved it and I soon learned to travel to other places to surf I came to Costa Rica for the first time and met my wife There are as many kinds of surf breaks as there are hotels or restaurants and the little ones learn to enjoy the simple things of life you can hit the Caribbean and the Pacific on the same day “I've always loved to work with my hands As a kid I played with Lego a lot and made the figures little wooden boards so they could surf and today I make surfboards to spread the fun to others I use 90 percent organic materials and specialize in working with Costa Rican balsa It's a light wood with unique qualities: It floats easily and is flexible Hammocks with a view at rental villa Casa Dewa in Santa Teresa “The surf is very alive—and it's for everyone We're always organizing competitions and festivals; the big summer event is the Tamarindo International Surf Film Festival the crystal-clear waters and good barrels are irresistible Getting barreled is the ultimate goal of every surfer When the weather's sunny and the water's clean has traveled throughout the Nicoya Peninsula and Costa Rica and has worked as a naturalist and expedition leader for National Geographic Expeditions and World Wildlife Fund for 20 years “People often wonder why Costa Rica has become this global biodiversity hot spot It's a long story but has something to do with us being isolated from the colonial administration for centuries “Costa Rica was not always this model nation Deforestation was a serious threat until the national parks were established in the 1950s the first director of the country's national park service that we could sell a tree a hundred times to tourists instead of only once to the lumber yards “I was born on a farm near the town of Grecia and water that you could drink wherever you stopped to rest He had the idea to leave parts of our land unchanged so sloths I learned to identify species as a young boy and aimed binoculars far more often than any gun except when I helped my brother on a scientific project that involved taxidermy It was natural for me to become a guide and show everyone else this world “I spent a lot of time in the cloud forests of Monteverde and it was botanists and naturalists going there that led us to develop ecotourism hand in hand with science We didn't let the tourists come first and spoil everything as has happened in many parts of the world As ecotourism grew and became a major income source people became aware that the environment and ecology were essential to development It's where Costa Rica's remaining jaguars and tapirs find shelter “There are places in Costa Rica that are still pretty much undiscovered: Very few people have been to Cocos Island; it's in the history books because of stories of treasure and pirates the site of an immense web of marine life as well as species of birds endemic to the island But I encourage visitors to spend time with the human species too and you'll experience the real culture of the countryside We are a place where people routinely live beyond a century I put it down to the way we are with visitors and with our neighbors—always ready to learn from others This article appeared in the January/February 2021 issue of Condé Nast Traveler. 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