Q COSTARICA — The creation of the Lorne Ross Ashley Urban Natural Park in Santa Ana is now official, following the publication of the Executive Decree in the Official Gazette, La Gaceta.
This step formalizes the protection of the area and redefines how natural resources will be managed in this part of the canton.
With the declaration, the park’s administration is officially entrusted to the Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación (SINAC)—National System of Conservation Areas, through the Área de Conservación Central—Central Conservation Area.
This entity will be responsible for developing and implementing the General Management Plan, a technical document that will define the park’s internal zoning, permitted uses, and guidelines to ensure the conservation of its natural resources.
The development of this plan will be crucial in establishing how responsible enjoyment, environmental education, and ecosystem preservation—elements that characterize urban natural parks in the country—can coexist within this space.
Furthermore, it will lay the groundwork for regulating the sustainable use of the area and provide legal certainty to management decisions.
The Santa Ana Local Government celebrated the declaration and described it as a significant step forward for the canton’s environment.
The municipality emphasized that the process was made possible through collaborative work with public institutions, organizations, and individuals who championed the initiative until its official recognition.
Furthermore, it reaffirmed its commitment to continue collaborating on actions aimed at protecting and properly managing the local natural heritage, with the goal of strengthening the community’s quality of life and ensuring the preservation of the ecosystems within the newly created Lorne Ross Ashley Urban Natural Park.
This advancement consolidates an institutional framework that will allow for more robust and conservation-oriented management at a time when urban expansion demands greater efforts in planning and environmental protection.