by Rod Hughes

Right Hand Ignoring Left Hand’s Actions Dept. As reported in La Nacion today, functionaries of the Central Pacific Conservation Area of the Environment Ministry thought they had stopped a project that would have destroyed a mangrove swamp in Parrita, Puntarenas province. But they found to their horror that biologist Oscar Chaves of the Technical Environmental Secretariat (SETENA) had classified the mangroves as “pastrure,” giving its destruction the green light.

The confusion began when ministry inspectors found cut trees and undergrowth, plus bulldozer tracks at the seaside Marina Linda farm and brought the case before the courts. Mangroves are a treasure trove of wildlife, both in the shallow seawater and roots and on dry areas under the trees.

Both SETENA and the conservation inspectors are allies but this time, they were at cross purposes. The SETENA biologist’s classification had given the go-ahead for the five hectare mangrove’s destruction in order to build a shrimp farm. Moreover, the Conservation Area’s ministry watchdogs even checked with the Parrita municipal government for a construction permit. Civil engineer Daniel Rohas said flatly, “I haven’t inspected yet, therefore there’s absolutely no permit.”

But investigators received a fax from the owner—a copy of a permit issued after office hours and without inspection. Despite efforts of the Conservation Area personnel, distruction and construction contined merrily throughout 2005 and 2006, defying all their efforts.

Finally, the comedy of errors reached its end last May when the appellate court upheld a judge’s previous order to destroy the concrete cisterns the shrimp farm had constructed. But years will elapse before nature is able to replace the grove that bureaucratic bungling killed.