Costa Rica's 1996 Forestry Law prohibits land-use change in forested areas, defines forest legally, and limits intervention to 10% for ecotourism. Includes the criminal penalties of Articles 58–62.
La Ley Forestal de 1996 prohíbe el cambio de uso del suelo en áreas boscosas, define legalmente el bosque y limita la intervención al 10% para ecoturismo. Incluye las penas criminales de los artículos 58–62.
204 documents in this topic.
Decreto 449652025
Creación del Sistema Nacional de Certificación "Madera Legal Costa Rica"
This executive decree creates the voluntary national certification system 'Madera Legal Costa Rica', administered by the National Forestry Office (ONF). Its objective is to promote the use and consumption of legal and sustainable national wood, strengthening the forestry sector through a legally, technically, administratively, and financially viable…
Decreto 450652025
Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional del Proyecto Acueducto Costero de Santa Cruz II Etapa
Executive Decree 45065-MINAE declares the public works project 'Expansion and Improvement of the Santa Cruz Coastal Aqueduct. Phase II, Component II: Equipment of Well Lorena 2, Well Lorena 2-Bis and Impulsion Line to Lorena Well Field' to be of national convenience. The project is executed by the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA) and…
Decreto 452402025
Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional Sendero Universal El Gavilán
Executive Decree No. 45240-MINAE declares the construction of the El Gavilán Universal Trail in the Cuatro Esquinas sector of Tortuguero National Park, Limón, to be of national convenience. This declaration authorizes the cutting of trees in forested areas and in protection zones defined in Article 33 of Forestry Law No. 7575, activities normally…
Decreto 445582024
Reforma al Reglamento de la Ley Forestal para el pago de servicios ambientales en bosques de mangle
This executive decree incorporates Article 62 into the Forestry Law Regulation (Executive Decree No. 25721-MINAE) to regulate payment for environmental or ecosystem services plans and projects in mangrove forests. The amendment authorizes the execution of these mechanisms as recognition for organized rural communities that carry out sustainable harvesting…
Decreto 445602024
Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional del Proyecto Ampliación del Embalse de la Central Hidroeléctrica Doña Julia
Executive Decree No. 44560-MINAE declares the Doña Julia Hydroelectric Plant reservoir expansion project, developed by COOPELESCA R.L., to be of national convenience and public interest. This declaration exceptionally permits tree felling on privately owned forested land and in protection areas, pursuant to Articles 19(b), 33, and 34 of the Forestry Law…
Decreto 445942024
Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional del Proyecto Geotérmico Borinquen
Executive Decree No. 44594-MINAE, issued by the President of the Republic and the Minister of Environment and Energy, declares the Borinquen Geothermal Project of the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) to be of national convenience. This declaration authorizes the cutting of trees and land-use change in forested areas and protection zones, pursuant to…
Decreto 446072024
Reforma del Programa de Pago por Servicios Ambientales mediante el Decreto 44607
Executive Decree 44607-MINAE fundamentally reforms Costa Rica's Payment for Environmental Services Program. It establishes a new payment model for forest protection that differentiates three environmental services: a base payment for GHG mitigation and general biodiversity, a biodiversity plus for high-biodiversity areas, and a water resource plus. It sets…
Decreto 447262024
Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional del Proyecto Eólico El Quijote
This executive decree declares the El Quijote Wind Project of national convenience. The project is an 8-turbine wind farm (4.3 MW each) to be built in Bagaces, Guanacaste, by Proyecto Eólico Quijote S.A. The declaration is based on Articles 19(b) and 34 of the Forestry Law, which prohibit land-use change and tree cutting in forests and protection areas,…
Decreto 446732024
Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional del Proyecto Mejoramiento y Ampliación del Sistema de Agua Potable de Guácimo-Limón
This executive decree declares the Guácimo drinking water system improvement and expansion project in Limón to be of national convenience. The project is to be carried out by the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA). Under the Forestry Law, tree felling in forests and protected areas is only allowed for projects declared of national…
Decreto 448732024
Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional del Proyecto Mejoras al Sistema de Abastecimiento de Agua Potable Orotina-Caldera (Sistema Ojo de Agua)
Executive Decree No. 44873-MINAE declares the Orotina-Caldera drinking water supply system improvement project (Ojo de Agua System), carried out by the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA), to be of national convenience. This declaration, based on a social-economic analysis showing social benefits outweigh socio-environmental costs,…
Decreto 443702023
Declaratoria de conveniencia nacional del Proyecto Quinta Ampliación del Acueducto Metropolitano
This decree declares the Fifth Metropolitan Aqueduct Expansion Project (PAAM), developed by the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA), to be of national convenience. The project involves diverting 2.1 to 4.6 m³/s of water from the ICE's Río Macho Hydroelectric Plant to the Central Valley via tunnels and pipelines for potabilization and…
Decreto 417722019
Principios rectores del sector forestal productivo
This executive decree declares the productive forestry sector as strategic for the implementation of the National Forestry Development Plan 2011-2020, the Decarbonization Plan, and rural economic reactivation. It orders MINAE to issue the necessary acts to fulfill this objective. It promotes public procurement of sustainable national timber, instructing…
Decreto 404002017
Reforma para el aprovechamiento de árboles caídos por el Huracán Otto
This decree amends Executive Decree No. 40099-MINAE to streamline permits for the use of trees fallen due to Hurricane Otto. It modifies Article 5: for requests of up to 15 fallen trees per property, no prior inspection by the State Forestry Administration (AFE) is required; above 15 trees, the applicant may proceed through a forestry regent. Timber…
Decreto 404262017
Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional de Proyecto Hidroeléctrico Río Macho
This executive decree declares the 'Modernization of the plant and construction of the Río Macho parallel tunnel' project, executed by the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE), to be of national convenience and public interest. The work involves a 1.6 km tunnel parallel to the existing Tunnel I (built in 1962) to secure water supply to the Río Macho…
Decreto 404772017
Regulaciones para el aprovechamiento de madera de árboles caídos en bosques privados
This executive decree establishes the regulatory framework for harvesting and extracting timber from naturally fallen trees on private forest lands in Costa Rica. It defines two permit categories: fewer than 10 trees and 10 or more trees per property, with differentiated technical and administrative requirements. For the smaller category, the State Forest…
Decreto 406252017
Reforma al Reglamento a la Ley Forestal sobre PSA
This executive decree amends the Forestry Law Regulation to adjust the Payment for Environmental Services (PSA) Program managed by FONAFIFO. It introduces key changes to maximum area limits for forest protection and reforestation contracts: for individuals and legal entities, the limit is reduced to 600 ha in protection and 750 ha in reforestation for…
Decreto 406982017
Reforma al Decreto 33826 sobre la Comisión de Seguimiento del Plan Nacional de Desarrollo Forestal
This decree amends Articles 4, 5 and 6 of Executive Decree No. 33826-MINAE, which formalizes the Interinstitutional Monitoring Commission of the National Forestry Development Plan (PNDF) 2011-2020. The amendment adjusts the commission's composition, establishing that it will be composed of representatives from SINAC, FONAFIFO, the ONF and the College of…
Decreto 396602016
Políticas y Criterios de Priorización del Programa de Pago por Servicios Ambientales
This executive decree formalizes the policies and prioritization criteria for the Payment for Environmental Services (PES) Program for the 2016-2021 period, in accordance with Forestry Law No. 7575 and the Organic Environmental Law. It establishes four strategic policies: promoting environmental protection and improvement in selected areas; managing the…
Decreto 398712016
Reforma al Reglamento a la Ley Forestal
This decree amends the Forestry Law Regulation (Decree 25721-MINAE) to simplify and update the Payment for Environmental Services (PES) Program. It introduces definitions for small (≤50 ha) and medium (>50 and ≤300 ha) forest producers. The Minister of Environment will annually set the hectares to finance and payment amounts via a ministerial resolution,…
Decreto 399522016
Estándares de Sostenibilidad para Manejo de Bosques Secundarios
Executive Decree 39952-MINAE establishes the Principles, Criteria and Indicators, Code of Practices, and Procedures Manual for the sustainable management of secondary forests in Costa Rica. It repeals the previous Decree 27998-MINAE and defines secondary forest as land with successional woody vegetation of at least 0.5 hectares, including voluntarily…
Decreto 390152015
Decreto de Conveniencia Nacional para el Proyecto Eólico Vientos de la Perla
This executive decree declares the construction, operation and maintenance of the Vientos de la Perla Wind Project, located in Liberia, Guanacaste, with an installed capacity of 20 MW, to be of national convenience. The declaration is based on Articles 19(b) and 34 of the Forestry Law, which prohibit land-use change and tree cutting in protected areas,…
Decreto 390162015
Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional del Proyecto Eólico Altamira
This executive decree declares the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Altamira Wind Project—located in Santa Rosa, Tilarán, Guanacaste, with 20 MW capacity from 10 turbines—to be of national convenience. The declaration rests on the project's alignment with the National Development Plan and renewable energy policies, the environmental…
Decreto 390172015
Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional del Proyecto Eólico Vientos de Miramar
Executive Decree No. 39017-MINAE declares the Vientos de Miramar Wind Project, developed by Costa Rica Energy Holding S.A. in Liberia, Guanacaste, as a project of national convenience. This declaration is grounded in Articles 19(b) and 34 of Forestry Law No. 7575, which prohibit land-use change and tree cutting in protection areas except for projects…
Decreto 390182015
Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional del Proyecto Eólico Campos Azules
Executive Decree 39018-MINAE declares the construction, operation and maintenance of the Campos Azules Wind Project in Tilarán, Guanacaste, to be of national convenience. The declaration is based on the need to meet national energy demand with renewable sources, in line with the National Development Plan. It authorizes the felling, pruning or removal of…
Decreto 390602015
Proyecto Hidroeléctrico El Ángel (Ampliación) Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional
This executive decree declares the construction, operation, and maintenance of the El Ángel Hydroelectric Project (Expansion) in Sarapiquí, Alajuela, to be of national convenience. The declaration is based on the project's environmental viability granted by SETENA, its location outside protected wild areas, and a socio-environmental cost-benefit analysis…
Decreto 390832015
Pago de Servicios Ambientales para el año 2015
Executive Decree No. 39083-MINAE establishes the conditions, amounts, and priority areas for the Payments for Environmental Services Program (PPSA) for 2015. It defines the acreage and budget per modality: reforestation with fast, medium growth, and prohibited native species; natural regeneration; forest protection, including conservation gaps and water…
Decreto 392042015
Declaratoria de conveniencia nacional para sustitución de puentes en Ruta 733
This executive decree declares the public works project “Replacement of minor bridges, National Route 733, San Rafael (Guatuso)-Chimurria Section” to be of national convenience and public interest, executed by the National Roads Authority (CONAVI). The declaration is based on Article 19(b) of Forestry Law No. 7575, which allows tree cutting in protected…
Decreto 392632015
Declaratoria de Interés Público del Proyecto Mejoras al Acueducto de Nicoya
Executive Decree No. 39263-MINAE declares the Nicoya Aqueduct Improvement Project of public interest and national convenience, to be carried out by the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA) with BCIE financing. The declaration is based on the need to ensure potable water supply in the canton of Nicoya, affected by drought from the ENSO…
Decreto 393342015
Reforma al Reglamento de Terrenos de Uso Agropecuario para Incluir Áreas de Conservación
This decree amends the Regulation to the Law on Special Regulations for the application of the Real Estate Tax for Agricultural Use Lands (Executive Decree No. 38022-MAG-H). The reform adds the definition of 'Conservation and Protection Areas' as sections of agricultural properties dedicated to aquifer protection, natural regeneration, or protective forest…
Decreto 394072015
Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional del Sistema de Control de Inundaciones en Limoncito, Limón
Executive Decree No. 39407-MINAE declares the 'Flood Control System in the Limoncito Area, Limón' project of national convenience and public interest, to be executed by SENARA and financed with a World Bank loan. This declaration exceptionally allows land-use change and tree felling in protection areas, including species under a ban or endangered, under…
Decreto 394862015
Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional del Proyecto LT Reconstrucción Anillo Norte del ICE
Executive Decree 39486-MINAE declares the ICE Northern Ring Transmission Line Reconstruction project of national convenience. The project, located in the central region, aims to improve electric system reliability. The declaration is based on a finding that the project's social benefits outweigh its socio-environmental costs, supported by a positive Net…
Decreto 383232014
Pagos de Servicios Ambientales para 2014
This executive decree sets the conditions for the Environmental Services Payment Program (PPSA) for 2014, under Forestry Law 7575. It establishes the number of hectares and trees to be contracted per modality: reforestation (4,000 ha), natural regeneration (3,000 ha), forest protection (38,250 ha), forest protection in conservation gaps (1,000 ha), water…
Decreto 383512014
Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional del Proyecto Hidroeléctrico Los Negros II
This executive decree declares the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Los Negros II Hydroelectric Project, to be developed in Upala by Empresa de Servicios Públicos de Heredia S.A., as a matter of national convenience. The 40 MW project contributes to increasing the country's renewable energy production, improving competitiveness, and meeting…
Decreto 384502014
Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional del Proyecto de Transmisión Anillo Sur del ICE
Executive Decree No. 38450-MINAE declares the ICE Southern Ring Transmission Project of national convenience. This declaration, grounded in Articles 19(b) and 34 of the Forestry Law, authorizes the construction, operation, and maintenance of a 28-km transmission line and associated works, including substations, crossing forested lands. It permits tree…
Decreto 384512014
Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional Línea Transmisión Peñas Blancas-Naranjo-Garita
Executive Decree 38451-MINAE declares the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Peñas Blancas-Naranjo-Garita Transmission Line Project and associated works, by the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE), to be of national convenience and public interest. The declaration is based on the socio-environmental cost-benefit analysis required by…
Decreto 384442014
Reglamento de Regencias Forestales
This executive decree establishes the regulatory framework for the forest regency system in Costa Rica, detailing the obligations and duties of forest regents, the companies or individuals under regency, the College of Agronomic Engineers, and the State Forestry Administration. Forest regency is the activity by which an accredited professional assumes…
Decreto 384432014
Derogatoria de suspensión del aprovechamiento maderable en Talamanca
Executive Decree 38443-MINAE repeals Article 6 of Decree 34043-MINAE (2007), which had imposed a blanket suspension on timber harvesting in the canton of Talamanca. The repeal is based on the finding that the original suspension lacked the required prior technical studies under Forestry Law 7575, that conditions have since changed, and that current…
Decreto 387182014
Reforma al Decreto 37681 sobre Línea de Transmisión Cariblanco-Trapiche
This decree amends Executive Decree 37681, which declared the construction of the Cariblanco-Trapiche 230 kV Transmission Line Project and its associated works to be of national convenience and public interest. The amendment authorizes the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) to cut, prune, or remove trees of any species on forested land, treeless…
Decreto 387692014
Reforma al Reglamento a la Ley Forestal sobre trámite de Pago por Servicios Ambientales
This executive decree amends the Regulation to the Forestry Law to modify the procedure for processing Payment for Environmental Services (PES). Issued by the Executive Branch and published in La Gaceta in January 2015, the amendment aims to streamline and simplify the administrative processes for granting PES, a key financial instrument for forest…
Decreto 388092014
Reforma a la Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional del PH Los Negros II
This executive decree reforms Decree 38351-MINAE, which declared the Los Negros II Hydroelectric Project of national convenience. The project, located in Upala and developed by Empresa de Servicios Públicos de Heredia S.A., has a capacity of 40 MW. The reform modifies Articles 2 and 3 of the original decree to explicitly authorize the cutting, pruning, or…
Decreto 388632014
Reglamento para el trámite de permisos y control del aprovechamiento maderable en terrenos de uso agropecuario, sin bosque y situaciones especiales
This Executive Decree No. 38863-MINAE standardizes the procedure for processing timber harvesting permits on agricultural land without forest and in special situations in Costa Rica. It establishes permit categories: small (up to 10 trees per property per year), forest inventories (more than 10 trees), and special permits (national convenience projects,…
Decreto 376602013
Fomento Forestal y PSA para el Año 2013
This executive decree establishes the provisions for forest promotion and payment for environmental services (PSA) during 2013 in Costa Rica. It defines the amounts, priorities, and modalities of PSA contracts under the framework of the National Forest Financing Fund (FONAFIFO). It details per-hectare values by forest type and modality (protection,…
Decreto 374802013
Decreto 37480 — Estrategia Nacional de Manejo Integral del Fuego
This executive decree declares the National Integrated Fire Management Strategy 2012–2021 and its National Action Plan as the official instruments for planning, control, monitoring, and evaluation of forest fire and agricultural burning prevention and control actions. It ratifies the National Forest Fire Commission (CONIFOR) as the inter-institutional…
Decreto 377332013
Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional para el Proyecto Hidroeléctrico Balsa Inferior
This executive decree declares the Balsa Inferior Hydroelectric Project of CNFL, located in San Ramón, Alajuela, and its associated works to be of national convenience and public interest during construction, operation, and maintenance phases. The declaration is based on the need to expand electricity generation capacity with renewable sources, in line…
Decreto 377462013
Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional Proyecto Santa Rita-Cóbano
Executive Decree No. 37746-MINAE declares the Santa Rita-Cóbano Electrical Transmission Project and its associated substations to be of national convenience and public interest. This declaration permits, in accordance with Articles 19(b) and 34 of Forestry Law No. 7575, the cutting, pruning, or removal of trees of any species, including protected or…
Decreto 365162011
Pago de Servicios Ambientales 2011
This decree sets the available hectares, maximum payment amounts per hectare or tree, priority areas, contract terms, and deferred payment conditions for the 2011 Environmental Services Payment Program (PPSA) administered by FONAFIFO. It establishes quotas and rates for modalities such as forest protection (45,180 ha, $320/ha), reforestation with…
Decreto 365292011
Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional del Proyecto de Mejoramiento Ambiental del Área Metropolitana de San José
Executive Decree No. 36529-MINAET declares the studies and works of the San José Metropolitan Area Environmental Improvement Project —to be carried out by the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA)— to be of national convenience and public interest. Based on the severe pollution of the Tárcoles River and its tributaries, which threatens…
Decreto 366292011
Ampliación Línea Río Macho-El Este 230 KV
Executive Decree No. 36629-MINAET declares the electrical transmission works of the Río Macho-El Este 230 KV Transmission Line Expansion Project to be of national convenience. The project, located in El Guarco, Cartago, involves a joint construction by ICE and JASEC to provide an additional power supply point, enhancing reliability for over 82,000…
Decreto 367662011
Declaratoria de Conveniencia Nacional e Interés Público del Proyecto Modernización y Ampliación Planta Hidroeléctrica Cachí
Executive Decree 36766-MINAET declares the construction of the Cachí Hydroelectric Plant Modernization and Expansion Project, located in Cartago province, to be of national convenience and public interest. The decree is grounded in Articles 19(b) and 34 of Forestry Law 7575, which allow exceptions to the prohibition on land-use change and tree cutting in…
Decreto 367852011
Declaración de interés público de la Estación Experimental Forestal Horizontes
This executive decree declares as a matter of public interest the activities carried out at the Horizontes Experimental Forest Station, located within the Guanacaste Conservation Area. The 7,317-hectare station focuses on tropical dry forest restoration, silvicultural research, environmental education, ecotourism, and biodiversity conservation. The decree…
Decreto 368182011
Oficialización de los Mapas de Cobertura Boscosa 2000 y 2005
This executive decree officially adopts the mandatory use of Costa Rica's forest cover maps for the years 2000 and 2005, prepared by FONAFIFO, as a reference tool for land-use planning and decision-making. The 2000 map serves as the baseline for determining land-use change and enforcing the prohibition in Article 19 of the Forestry Law, while the 2005 map…
Decreto 369352011
Pago de Servicios Ambientales 2012
This executive decree establishes the terms for Costa Rica's Environmental Services Payment Program (PPSA) for 2012. It sets the number of hectares and trees to be contracted per modality, maximum payment amounts, priority areas and prioritization criteria, contract durations, and disbursement schedules. FONAFIFO administers the program and may reallocate…
Decreto 369452011
Plan Nacional de Desarrollo Forestal 2011-2020 (PNDF)
This decree amends Article 1 of Executive Decree 33826-MINAE to formally adopt the National Forest Development Plan 2011-2020 (PNDF) as the official planning instrument for the use, management, and protection of Costa Rica's forest resources. It recognizes the forest sector's role in climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, water provision,…
Decreto 369822011
Declaratoria de conveniencia nacional del Proyecto Hidroeléctrico Torito
Executive Decree No. 36982-MINAET declares the Torito Hydroelectric Project to be of national convenience and public interest, based on the exception in Article 19(b) of the Forestry Law. The 50 MW project, developed by Unión Fenosa Generadora Torito S.A. in Turrialba, Cartago, will use water from the Reventazón River downstream of the ICE Angostura plant…
Decreto 365352011
Modificación del Considerando XI del Decreto 34417
Executive Decree 36535 amends Recital XI of Executive Decree 34417, which declared the Los Santos Wind Project to be of national convenience and public interest. The original Recital XI stated that the forest cover in the project area was in the process of being removed in accordance with forestry legislation. The amendment clarifies that the development…
Decreto 358682010
Reglamento del artículo 18 de la Ley Forestal sobre actividades en Patrimonio Natural del Estado
This executive decree regulates Article 18 of Forestry Law No. 7575, which allows the State to conduct or authorize research, training, and ecotourism activities within the State Natural Heritage. It defines the types of activities permitted both inside and outside Protected Wild Areas, establishes a detailed procedure for obtaining use permits, and sets…
Decreto 358832010
Modificación del artículo 36 y adición al artículo 2 del Reglamento a la Ley Forestal sobre intervención en bosque privado
This Executive Decree amends the Forestry Law Regulation to clarify the procedure for authorizing interventions in private forests under Article 19 of Forestry Law 7575. It establishes that the State Forestry Administration (AFE) may authorize the use of up to 10% of a property's forest area for infrastructure such as housing, ecotourism, and similar…
Decreto 357622009
Decreto 35762 — Hectáreas para PSA 2010
Executive Decree 35762-MINAET sets the annual coverage targets and maximum payment amounts per hectare (or per tree in agroforestry systems) for Costa Rica's Payment for Environmental Services (PES) Program during 2010. The decree allocates available hectares by modality: reforestation (3,916 ha), natural regeneration (1,000 ha under CDM and 500 additional…
Decreto 345592008
Estándares de Sostenibilidad para Manejo de Bosques Naturales
Executive Decree 34559-MINAE establishes the sustainability standards governing natural forest management in Costa Rica. It repeals the previous standard (Decree 30763) and enacts a set of interconnected instruments: Principles, Criteria and Indicators (which safeguard ecological integrity and legal certainty of management); a Code of Practices (which…
Decreto 317502004
Reglamento de Ecoturismo
This executive decree, issued in 2003, regulated the term 'ecotourism' as provided in Article 18 of the Forestry Law. It set out definitions, principles and procedures for authorizing ecotourism activities on State Natural Heritage lands, under MINAE supervision and with possible environmental impact assessment. Its goal was to align ecotourism with…
Decreto 307632002
Principios, Criterios e Indicadores para el Manejo Sostenible de Bosques Naturales
This executive decree, repealed in 2008, established the official set of Principles, Criteria and Indicators (PCI&I) for the sustainable management of natural forests in Costa Rica, which constituted the mandatory technical basis for the preparation and approval of forest management plans on private property. The 8 principles addressed everything from…
Decreto 276941999
Reforma al artículo 89 del Reglamento a la Ley Forestal sobre medios de prueba de propiedad
This decree amends Article 89 of the Regulation to Forestry Law No. 7575 to specify the appropriate means of proving ownership or possession before the State Forestry Administration. The preamble notes that the prior text allowed proof of title through possessory information, perpetual memory, or sworn statements, instruments that did not provide legal…
Decreto 279981999
Principio, criterios e indicadores para el manejo sostenible de Bosques Secundarios y la certificación forestal
This executive decree establishes definitions, principles, criteria and indicators for the sustainable management of secondary forests and forest certification in Costa Rica. It recognizes that secondary forests have become quantitatively and qualitatively important forest resources requiring management that guarantees their viability and sustainability.…
Decreto 262521997
Fija valores mínimos de transferencia de madera no industrializada
This Executive Decree sets the minimum transfer values for different non-industrialized wood species nationwide, pursuant to Article 74 of Forestry Law No. 7575. By establishing these base prices, the regulation aims to govern the market for raw wood and ensure commercial transactions are based on fair and transparent values, thereby contributing to the…
Decreto 257211996
Reglamento a la Ley Forestal
This executive decree develops Forestry Law No. 7575, establishing operational definitions, the organization and powers of the State Forestry Administration, and detailed procedures for forest management and harvesting. It regulates forestry regencies, voluntary forest certification, transport of forest products, and protection against fires and pests. It…
Decreto 251671996
Restricción para el Aprovechamiento Maderable de Árboles de Almendro
Executive Decree No. 25167-MINAE, issued in 1996, imposes a total restriction on the standing timber harvesting of almendro trees (Dipteryx panamensis) within a defined geographic zone between the San Carlos and Sarapiquí rivers on Costa Rica's Atlantic slope. The measure is based on the almendro serving as the critical nesting and feeding habitat of the…
Decreto 257001996
Veda total de aprovechamiento de árboles en peligro de extinción
This executive decree establishes a total and indefinite ban on the harvesting of seventeen timber tree species that are in danger of extinction in Costa Rica. The measure is based on scientific studies demonstrating the threat to these species, which are located outside protected wild areas, and seeks to ensure their protection and conservation. The…
Decreto 253391996
Reglamento a los artículos 5, 20, 21 y 27 de la Ley Forestal
This 1996 executive decree regulated key articles of Forestry Law 7575 pending the final regulations. It designates the Ministry of Environment and Energy as the State Forest Administration and sets out requirements for forest management plans, including minimum technical content, cutting cycles, harvest limits per species, and controls on roads, landings,…
Decreto 198861990
Reglamento a la Ley Forestal
This executive decree details the provisions for implementing Forestry Law No. 7174. It defines the organization and functions of the General Forestry Directorate (DGF), its departments, and regional offices. It regulates essential aspects such as the management, use, and protection of forests, the operation of the Forestry Fund, the National Forestry…
Decreto 168521986
Regulación de Aprovechamiento en Manglares
This decree amends Decree No. 7210, which declared mangrove areas as forest reserves, and Decree No. 2923, the Forestry Law Regulation, to establish a comprehensive regime for protection and controlled use of mangroves. It reaffirms that all continental and insular mangroves are forest reserves, even where mangroves have been removed. The Forestry…
Decreto 61121976
Creación de Zonas Protectoras Caraigres, Carpintera, Tiribí, Escazú y Atenas
This executive decree establishes six protective zones in and around the Greater Metropolitan Area to ensure forest cover preservation and water resource protection: Caraigres, Cerro de la Carpintera, Río Tiribí, Cerros de Escazú, El Rodeo, Río Grande, and Cerro Atenas, covering approximately 14,800 hectares. The zones are delimited by National Geographic…
Decreto 53891975
Reserva Forestal Los Santos
This executive decree establishes the Los Santos Forest Reserve in the Talamanca Mountain Range, spanning approximately 62,000 hectares. It declares national lands within the boundaries inalienable, subjects all private properties and pre-existing national reserves to the Forestry Regime, and requires written authorization from the Forestry Directorate for…
Res. 04267-2026 Sala Constitucional2026 · Sala Constitucional
Amparo contra uso no turístico y destrucción de bosque en el Proyecto Papagayo
The Constitutional Chamber dismissed the amparo action filed by Gad Amit Kaufman against the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT). The plaintiff alleged that the ICT authorized non-tourist uses (subdivision and sale of luxury residential villas) on lands within the Gulf of Papagayo Tourism Project, managed by the ICT, and allowed the destruction of forest…
Res. 17078-2025 Sala Constitucional2025 · Sala Constitucional
Corta de árboles en El Tirol no viola ambiente sano
The Constitutional Chamber dismissed an amparo appeal filed by a company owning land in Residencial El Monte (El Tirol), San Rafael de Heredia, against the Municipality. The appellant claimed that the felling of cypress trees was indiscriminate and violated the right to a healthy environment. The Chamber found that the cutting was carried out in compliance…
Res. 19586-2024 Sala Constitucional2024 · Sala Constitucional
SINAC carece de competencia para autorizar tala de árboles urbanos
The Constitutional Chamber granted an amparo against SINAC for issuing a felling permit for a cedar tree at a condominium entrance in Heredia. The Chamber held that the tree was not in forest land or a forest plantation but in an urban ornamental area, making authorization under Articles 19 and 28 of the Forestry Law improper. Jurisdiction to decide on the…
Res. 17920-2023 Sala Constitucional2023 · Sala Constitucional
Poda de bambú en ribera del río Torres no es deforestación
The Constitutional Chamber dismisses an amparo action against the University of Costa Rica for pruning a bamboo clump on the bank of the Torres River. The petitioner alleged deforestation and environmental and health damages, but the Chamber found that the intervention was a pruning requested by a neighbor to protect her safety and property, as the bamboo…
Res. 09221-2019 Sala Constitucional2019 · Sala Constitucional
Rechazo de inconstitucionalidad de «permanentes» en Art. 33(a) de la Ley Forestal
The Constitutional Chamber rejects a claim of unconstitutionality against the word “permanentes” in Article 33(a) of the Forestry Law. The petitioners argued that distinguishing permanent from intermittent water sources allows reducing protection areas from 100 meters to 50 or 60 meters when a source ceases to be permanent, violating the principles of…
Res. 19249-2017 Sala Constitucional2017 · Sala Constitucional
Corte de árboles en áreas de protección y Parque Recreativo Los Chorros mediante declaratoria de conveniencia nacional
The Constitutional Chamber rejected a writ of amparo against Executive Decree No. 40675-MINAE and a SETENA communication related to the Atenas aqueduct improvement project. The petitioners argued the decree authorized tree felling in Los Chorros Recreational Park, violating Law No. 6126 and prior case law. The Chamber found the decree does not specifically…
Res. 09493-2016 Sala Constitucional2016 · Sala Constitucional
Reiteración a la Asamblea Legislativa de subsanar omisión en artículo 28 de la Ley Forestal
The Constitutional Chamber addressed a disobedience claim against the Legislative Assembly for failing to comply with ruling 2007-003923, which declared a relative unconstitutional omission in Article 28 of the Forestry Law due to the absence of precautionary measures to ensure environmental protection. The Chamber reiterates the order to the new…
Res. 16362-2015 Sala Constitucional2015 · Sala Constitucional
Administración estatal del patrimonio natural no lesiona autonomía municipal
The Constitutional Chamber rejects on the merits an action of unconstitutionality filed by the mayor of San Rafael de Heredia against Article 13, second paragraph, of the Forestry Law, which assigns the administration of the State's natural heritage to MINAE. The plaintiff argued that this provision violates municipal autonomy guaranteed under Articles 169…
Res. 04619-2013 Sala Constitucional2013 · Sala Constitucional
Constitucionalidad de los permisos para tala de árboles no autóctonos y omisión legislativa
The Constitutional Chamber rejects on the merits an unconstitutionality action against Articles 27 and 28 of Forestry Law No. 7575 and Articles 90 and 91 of its Regulation, which regulate the felling of non-native trees. It reiterates the holding of decision 2007-3923, in which the action was granted solely with respect to the relative omission in Article…
Res. 10570-2012 Sala Constitucional2012 · Sala Constitucional
Constitucionalidad del Decreto 35883-MINAET sobre aprovechamiento de bosques privados
The Constitutional Chamber dismissed the unconstitutionality action against Executive Decree 35883-MINAET, which amended the Forestry Law Regulation. Plaintiffs argued the decree exceeded regulatory power by creating a right to log 10% of forests, eliminating legal requirements, and reducing environmental protection. The Court held the decree merely…
Res. 12716-2012 Sala Constitucional2012 · Sala Constitucional
Anulación de parámetro de pendiente para terrenos de aptitud forestal
The Constitutional Chamber declared unconstitutional Article 2 of Executive Decree 33957-MINAE-MAG, which defined forest-aptitude lands as those with an average slope above 75 % and effective depth of at least 60 cm. The Court accepted the technical objections raised by the Attorney General’s Office, the Ombudsman and the Tropical Science Center, finding…
Res. 02006-2010 Sala Constitucional2010 · Sala Constitucional
Prohibición de acumular incentivos forestales y PSA no viola la Constitución
The Constitutional Chamber dismissed on the merits an unconstitutionality challenge against Article 65 of the Forestry Law Regulation (Decree 25721-MINAE), which forbids simultaneously claiming fiscal incentives and payment for environmental services (PSA). The petitioner argued the restriction created new law, violated the legislative reserve principle,…
Res. 06801-2008 Sala Constitucional2008 · Sala Constitucional
Rechazo de inconstitucionalidad contra artículo 65 del Reglamento a la Ley Forestal
The Constitutional Chamber summarily dismisses an unconstitutionality action against Article 65 of Executive Decree 25721-MINAE, the Forestry Law Regulation. The claimant company argued that the norm exceeded the Executive's regulatory authority by preventing simultaneous access to tax incentives (property tax exemption) and environmental services…
Res. 16975-2008 Sala Constitucional2008 · Sala Constitucional
Decreto de ecoturismo declarado inconstitucional por Sala Constitucional
The Constitutional Chamber ruled Executive Decree 31750-MINAE-TUR unconstitutional in its entirety. The decree regulated ecotourism in forested areas of the maritime-terrestrial zone but was found to violate the right to a healthy environment (Article 50 of the Constitution). The Chamber held that by subjecting State Natural Heritage forests to municipal…
Res. 15443-2008 Sala Constitucional2008 · Sala Constitucional
Inadmisibilidad de acción de inconstitucionalidad contra el artículo 65 del Reglamento de la Ley Forestal por conflicto de mera legalidad
The Constitutional Chamber flatly rejects the unconstitutionality action filed by Charada S.A. against the final paragraph of Article 65 of the Forest Law Regulation. The company argued that this regulatory provision, by prohibiting simultaneous access to fiscal incentives and payment for environmental services, exceeded the Executive Branch's regulatory…
Res. 17650-2008 Sala Constitucional2008 · Sala Constitucional
Anulación de autorización de tala en Playa Espadilla por inconstitucionalidad del Decreto 31750-MINAE-TUR
The Constitutional Chamber granted an amparo against the Ministry of Environment and Energy and annulled resolution R-171-2004-MINAE, which authorized the company Playa Dulce Vida S.A. to cut down 46 trees in Playa Espadilla, Quepos. The decision was based on the prior ruling 2008-16975, which declared unconstitutional Executive Decree 31750-MINAE-TUR, the…
Res. 17659-2008 Sala Constitucional2008 · Sala Constitucional
Corta de árboles autorizada mediante decreto inconstitucional anulado
The Constitutional Chamber grants an amparo action against the Ministry of Environment and Energy and the Municipality of Aguirre. The action challenged resolution R-171-2004-MINAE, which authorized the company Playa Dulce Vida S.A. to fell 46 trees at Playa Espadilla, Quepos, for a tourism development. The Chamber had previously annulled as…
Res. 03923-2007 Sala Constitucional2007 · Sala Constitucional
Omisión legislativa sobre medidas precautorias en tala de árboles plantados
The Constitutional Chamber reviewed a constitutional challenge against Articles 27 and 28 of the Forestry Law and Articles 90 and 91 of its Regulation, which allegedly permitted unrestricted felling of non-native trees like cypress. The Chamber found Articles 27, 90, and 91 were not unconstitutional as they require prior authorization for felling.…
Res. 01038-2006 Sala Constitucional2006 · Sala Constitucional
Admisión parcial de acción de inconstitucionalidad contra la Ley Forestal
The Constitutional Chamber examines the admissibility of an unconstitutionality action filed against articles 19(b) and 34 of the Forestry Law (No. 7575). The plaintiff argues that these provisions establish a privileged regime for the State by allowing it to pollute forested land under the pretext of national convenience, thus violating the right to a…
Res. 17126-2006 Sala Constitucional2006 · Sala Constitucional
Constitucionalidad del cambio de uso de suelo en terrenos forestales privados para proyectos de conveniencia nacional
The Constitutional Chamber rejects a challenge to Articles 19(b) and 34 of the Forestry Law, which exceptionally allow tree cutting on private forest land and protected zones for projects declared of national interest. The plaintiff argued these provisions created a state privilege harming the right to a healthy environment, but the Chamber holds that they…
Res. 02473-2004 Sala Constitucional2004 · Sala Constitucional
Principio precautorio obliga a denegar permisos forestales sin estudios científicos
The Constitutional Chamber granted protection to Nicoya residents against forestry permits issued without an ecological diagnosis. The MINAE Subregional Office was authorizing logging despite warnings from its own evaluator about species with reduced or threatened populations. The Chamber reaffirmed the State's duty to safeguard a healthy and ecologically…
Res. 07294-1998 Sala Constitucional1998 · Sala Constitucional
Reducción de la Zona Protectora Tivives sin estudios técnicos
The Constitutional Court declared unconstitutional Article 71 of Forestry Law No. 7575, which had modified the boundaries of Tivives Protected Zone, reducing its area by 14%. The plaintiffs argued that the reduction would cause biodiversity loss, mangrove sedimentation, agricultural frontier expansion, and disintegration of the conservation unit, violating…
Res. 02233-1993 Sala Constitucional1993 · Sala Constitucional
Protección del recurso forestal y exigencia de planes de manejo para permisos en reservas
The Constitutional Chamber annuls a permit granted by the Ministry of Natural Resources to build a road inside the Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, finding it was issued without the Management Plan required by the Forestry Law. The petitioner alleged excessive logging and damage to his property, but the court focuses on the violation of the principle of…
C-093-20222022
Remoción de árboles en derecho de vía sin permiso del MINAE
The Attorney General's Office interprets Article 2 bis of the General Public Roads Law, as amended by Law 9789. It concludes that public entities may remove trees located in legally established right-of-way without prior authorization from MINAE, provided it is for maintenance or improvement works on the existing road network and does not involve protected…
C-014-20102010
Ilegalidad del Art. 65 Reglamento a la Ley Forestal sobre incompatibilidad entre incentivos fiscales y PSA
The Attorney General's Office analyzes whether Art. 65 of the Forestry Law Regulation, which prohibits simultaneously opting for tax incentives and payment for environmental services (PES), is legal. It concludes that this provision is illegal because it imposes a condition not established by the legislature for exemption from the property tax, violating…
C-200-20092009
Permisos de construcción en zonas boscosas o con presencia de ecosistemas frágiles
The PGR examines whether a municipality may grant construction permits on forested land and under what conditions. It concludes that, under Article 19 of the Forestry Law, construction of the listed structures (houses, offices, ecotourism facilities, etc.) is permissible provided the State Forestry Administration (SINAC) authorizes the activity and an…
C-336-20062006
Afectación registral de inmuebles por pago de servicios ambientales
The National Forestry Office inquired whether the National Forestry Financing Fund (FONAFIFO) may encumber private properties enrolled in the Environmental Services Payment (PSA) program on the Public Property Registry. The Attorney General’s Office reaffirms the criterion of opinion C-038-2002 and concludes that PSA is a forestry incentive; therefore,…
C-199-20052005
Interpretación del Art. 27 Ley Forestal: permisos de corta en terrenos agropecuarios
The Attorney General's Office analyzes Article 27 of Forestry Law No. 7575, which regulates permits for cutting trees on agricultural land without forest. It concludes that the law establishes a single type of permit: a maximum of three trees per hectare may be cut annually. The difference lies in the competent authority: the Regional Environmental Council…
C-297-20042004
Inconstitucionalidades del Decreto 31750-MINAE-TUR sobre ecoturismo en bosques de la zona marítimo terrestre y administración de dichas áreas
The Attorney General's Office addresses two queries from MINAE. On the first, it concludes that Decree 31750-MINAE-TUR has multiple unconstitutional flaws: it improperly delegates to municipalities the administration and granting of concessions over State Natural Heritage in the maritime-terrestrial zone, violating Forestry Law and Law 6043; it allows tree…
C-323-20042004
Validez del decreto de creación de la Zona Protectora de Tivives frente a la zona de reserva portuaria de Caldera
The Attorney General's Office examines whether Executive Decree 17.023-MAG, which established the Tivives Protective Zone, lost force or validity in light of Law 5582 (Caldera port reserve zone) and its amendments. It holds that the conflict between the law and the decree is one of validity, not repeal. It concludes that, under the principle of normative…
C-339-20042004
Labores de ecoturismo en el artículo 18 de la Ley Forestal
The Attorney General's Office defines 'ecotourism' under Article 18 of Forestry Law No. 7575, distinguishing it from other nature-based tourism by its focus on conservation, environmental education, and local community benefits. It identifies ecological trails, interpretation paths, nature classrooms, and interpretation centers as ecotourism activities.…
C-016-20022002
Alcance de las zonas protectoras y actividades permitidas
This opinion interprets the concept of a protected zone as a category of wild protected area within the State's natural heritage, primarily aimed at soil and water resource protection. The Procuraduría states that, as part of the State's natural heritage, protected zones are subject to a public domain regime—inalienable, unattachable, and…
C-038-20022002
Plazo de contratos por pago de servicios ambientales según Ley Forestal
The Attorney General's Office (PGR) resolves the dispute between FONAFIFO and the Public Registry regarding the duration and registration annotation of environmental services payment (PSA) contracts. It concludes that the minimum 20-year term under Articles 22 and 24 of the Forestry Law applies only to the Forest Conservation Certificate (CCB). For other…
C-234-20022002
Exención del impuesto a bienes inmuebles en reservas forestales y áreas protegidas
This opinion addresses whether the property tax exemption under Article 4(b) of Law 7509 applies only to land or also to buildings within forest reserves or protected areas, and whether the exemption releases owners from formal duties like filing a sworn declaration. The PGR concludes that the non-subjection in Article 4(b) refers only to land, as per the…
C-334-20022002
No son demaniales las áreas de protección del artículo 33 de la Ley Forestal
The Attorney General's Office clarifies that the "protection zones" under Article 33 of the Forestry Law (riparian strips along rivers, creeks, lakes, and aquifer recharge areas) are not part of the State's public domain; rather, they remain private property subject to a social-interest limitation. This limitation only restricts tree cutting, except for…
C-355-20012001
No sujeción tributaria de inmuebles bajo régimen forestal y exenciones de la Ley Forestal
This opinion interprets the scope of the non-subjection to property tax under Article 4(c) of Law 7509 for properties constituting watersheds or declared forest reserve, indigenous reserve, biological reserve, or national park. Under the Regulation, this non-subjection applies only to the land. The incentives granted by Forestry Law 7575 in Articles 22,…
C-266-20002000
Alcances del impuesto forestal sobre madera en troza e importada
The Attorney General's Office interprets Article 42 of Forestry Law No. 7575 in conjunction with Article 53 of the same law and Executive Decree No. 28220-MINAE-H. It concludes that the 3% general forestry tax applies not only to the primary industrialization of roundwood but also to the importation of roundwood, squared, or sawn wood. For primary…
C-061-20002000
Supervivencia del derecho a exenciones del artículo 87 para reforestadores con proyectos aprobados antes de la derogatoria
The Attorney General's Office examines whether reforesters whose projects were approved and registered under Forestry Law No. 7174, but who did not sign the contract before the law was repealed by Law No. 7575 in 1996, retain the right to tax incentives under Article 87. It concludes that the administrative approval act constitutes a consolidated legal…
C-187-20002000
Validez del Decreto Ejecutivo 28220 para el cobro del impuesto forestal
The Attorney General's Office analyzes whether Executive Decree 28220-MINAE-H corrects the omissions identified in opinion C-100-97 regarding the determination of the taxable base for the forestry tax. It concludes that the decree clearly and precisely establishes how to determine such base, repealing previous defective regulations. It examines Articles 42…
C-042-19991999
Alcance de los artículos 33 y 34 de la Ley Forestal sobre áreas de protección
The Attorney General's Office responds to an INVU query regarding the application of Articles 33 and 34 of the Forestry Law. It concludes that protection areas constitute social-interest limitations on property that do not require prior compensation, as they serve an imperative public interest without emptying the core of the right. It states that Article…
C-035-19971997
Aplicación del monto de inversión exigido por el Artículo 70 de la Ley Forestal para residentes inversionistas
The Attorney General’s Office analyzes the temporal application of Article 70 of Forestry Law 7575, which raised the minimum investment for obtaining residence as a forestry investor from $50,000 to $100,000. It concludes that foreigners who filed a complete residence application under the prior regime before the new law took effect retain the right to…
C-100-19971997
Cobro del impuesto forestal sin correcta determinación de la base imponible
The Attorney General's Office analyzes whether the forest tax under Laws 7174 and 7575 may be collected if its taxable base was not properly determined. It concludes that the taxable base is an essential element of the tax; if the regulatory parameters to set the value per cubic meter of standing timber or the market transfer value were not met, the tax is…
C-121-19971997
Ilegalidad de competencias de corta otorgadas a Concejos de Distrito
The Attorney General's Office reviews an agreement by the Puntarenas Municipal Council authorizing District Municipal Councils to process tree-cutting permits. The opinion concludes that the agreement is openly illegal. It notes that Article 191 of the Municipal Code provides an exhaustive list of powers of district councils, and processing tree-cutting…
C-249-19971997
Insuficiencia de la información para perpetua memoria como prueba de posesión para el aprovechamiento forestal
The Attorney General’s Office analyzes whether the Information for Perpetual Memory procedure under Article 897 of the Civil Procedure Code is sufficient to prove decennial possession and obtain forest harvesting permits on unregistered land. It concludes that this procedure is inadequate and legally inappropriate for proving possession because it lacks…
Res. 00052-2025 Tribunal Agrario2025 · Tribunal Agrario
Aprovechamiento de madera de árboles talados en área de protección dentro de propiedad privada
The Agrarian Tribunal heard a summary tree-felling proceeding in which the plaintiff sought authorization to cut down two trees (espavel and alcornoque) located within the protection zone of a stream on her property, due to safety concerns. The lower court authorized the felling of three trees (espavel, melina, and ojoche) based on a MINAE report, but…
Res. 00173-2025 Tribunal Agrario2025 · Tribunal Agrario
Aprovechamiento de madera producto de derribo autorizado judicialmente
The Agrarian Court confirms the authorization to fell two cedar trees due to imminent danger but denies granting direct use of the timber in court because the land is unregistered. The plaintiff possesses an unregistered property acquired via a private sale agreement, which prevents certainty over ownership. The court distinguishes between the felling…
Res. 00359-2025 Tribunal Agrario2025 · Tribunal Agrario
Derribo por riesgo medio de caída: prevalece derecho a la vida sobre protección de árbol en área de quebrada
The Agrarian Tribunal heard a partial appeal by the plaintiff against a lower court ruling that authorized pruning but denied felling of a tree (Tree No. 2) located on her property, near a stream and a home inhabited by elderly adults. The technical report from SINAC rated the fall risk as “medium” with a “probable” likelihood of failure, citing exposed…
Res. 00433-2025 Tribunal Agrario2025 · Tribunal Agrario
Corta de árbol Guapinol por riesgo moderado futuro
The Agrarian Tribunal upholds the ruling ordering the defendant to cut down a Guapinol tree on her property, at the request of her neighbor who claimed danger to her home and passersby. Although the SINAC technical report indicated no imminent risk or current disease, it found the tree’s root collar was buried, compromising future stability due to…
Res. 11485-2025 Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo2025 · Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo
Nulidad de finca inscrita en manglar y zona marítimo terrestre por demanialidad
The Administrative Litigation Court upholds the State's claim against Grupo Eminova del Pacífico S.A., declaring the nullity of the registration of property [Valor 002], plan [Valor 003], because it includes mangrove and maritime-terrestrial zone lands, which are inalienable and imprescriptible public domain assets. The court rejects the defendant's…
Res. 01079-2024 Sala Primera de la Corte2024 · Sala Primera de la Corte
Improcedencia de indemnización en limitaciones a propiedad por zona de protección de naciente
The First Chamber summarily dismisses the cassation appeal due to lack of proper legal argumentation. The plaintiff sought compensation for property restrictions resulting from a water-spring protection zone that prevented construction. The Administrative Court denied the claim, holding that environmental restrictions are legitimate, of public order, and…
Res. 00008-2024 Tribunal Agrario2024 · Tribunal Agrario
Autorización de aprovechamiento de árbol derribado por peligrosidad
The Agrarian Tribunal hears an appeal in a summary proceeding for the felling of a cedar tree located on a property in Nicoya, Guanacaste. The plaintiff, owner of the property, sought judicial authorization to cut down the tree because it posed a danger, and also requested the right to use the timber to offset the costs of felling. The lower court…
Res. 00522-2024 Tribunal Agrario2024 · Tribunal Agrario
Aprovechamiento de madera por derribo en área de protección
The Agrarian Court heard a summary proceeding for the felling of a cedar tree on private property, located within a river protection area. The plaintiff sought authorization to fell the dangerous tree and to use the resulting timber. The trial court authorized the felling but denied timber use, requiring administrative proceedings before MINAE. The…
Res. 00532-2024 Tribunal Agrario2024 · Tribunal Agrario
Aprovechamiento de madera tras derribo autorizado en propiedad privada
The Agrarian Court hears an appeal against a ruling that authorized the felling of two trees (guanacaste and rain tree) due to their dangerous state but referred the request to use the resulting timber to MINAE. The Court partially overturns the decision and authorizes the plaintiff to use the timber, finding that the trees are located on his property and…
Res. 00627-2024 Tribunal Agrario2024 · Tribunal Agrario
Se revoca aprobación de rectificación de medida por falta de posesión ecológica
The Agrarian Tribunal overturns the lower court's ruling that had approved a possessory information proceeding to rectify the boundaries of a property located 100% within the Río Navarro and Río Sombrero Protected Zone, a state-owned protected wild area forming part of the Natural Heritage of the State. The lower court approved the rectification despite…
Res. 03682-2024 Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo2024 · Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo
Paralización cautelar de condominio en zona boscosa en Manuel Antonio
The Contentious-Administrative Tribunal, Second Judicial Circuit of San José, partially grants a precautionary measure requested by a citizen against the State, SINAC, the Municipality of Quepos, and the developer Vista Paradise MA SRL S.R.L., to suspend construction of the Condominio Residencial Vista Islas project in Manuel Antonio, Quepos. The court…
Res. 00354-2024 Tribunal de Apelación de Sentencia Penal de Cartago2024 · Tribunal de Apelación de Sentencia Penal de Cartago
Restitución del bosque puede ordenarse pese a absolutoria penal
The Criminal Sentence Appeals Court of Cartago upholds a judgment that acquitted the defendant of land-use change but ordered him to submit a forest restoration plan and refrain from planting coffee in a forested area. The Chamber holds that restoration of the forest to its previous state is permissible even without a criminal conviction, under Article…
Res. 00167-2023 Sala Tercera de la Corte2023 · Sala Tercera de la Corte
Obligatoriedad de portar guía de transporte y certificado de origen al movilizar madera
The Criminal Cassation Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice admits for substantive review a cassation appeal filed by the Public Prosecutor's Office. The prosecution challenges an acquittal issued by the Santa Cruz Court of Appeals, which upheld the acquittal of a defendant for illegal mobilisation and illegal acquisition of forest products. The appeals…
Res. 04939-2023 Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo2023 · Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo
Improcedencia de PSA en terrenos del Patrimonio Natural del Estado
The Administrative Court dismisses a private individual’s claim seeking ratification of possession over an unregistered property and an order for INDER to authorize its enrollment in the Sustainable Biodiversity Fund. The land lies entirely within the Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve and constitutes State Natural Heritage under articles 13, 14 and 15 of the…
Res. 00134-2022 Tribunal Agrario2022 · Tribunal Agrario
Derecho al aprovechamiento de madera de árbol en zona de protección
The Agrarian Tribunal resolved an appeal within a summary proceeding for the felling of a cedar tree located on private property within a river's protection zone. The plaintiff sought authorization to cut the tree and harvest the resulting timber. The lower court authorized the cutting but conditioned timber exploitation on a separate request to the…
Res. 00158-2022 Tribunal Agrario2022 · Tribunal Agrario
Aprovechamiento de madera de árboles talados en área de protección por derribo preventivo
The Agrarian Tribunal hears an appeal against a lower court ruling that authorized the felling of dangerous trees located in the protection zone of an intermittent stream on private property but failed to decide on the landowner's right to use the resulting timber. The plaintiff expressly requested authorization to use the timber to offset the high cost of…
Res. 00795-2021 Sala Primera de la Corte2021 · Sala Primera de la Corte
Responsabilidad por custodia de madera decomisada según Art. 54 Ley Forestal
The First Chamber of the Supreme Court upholds the lower court decision declaring a damages claim inadmissible. The plaintiff sued SINAC officials and the State for the deterioration and loss of timber seized for alleged illegal logging. The Chamber finds that under Article 54 of the Forestry Law, officials acted as police authority and were legally…
Res. 00177-2021 Tribunal Agrario2021 · Tribunal Agrario
Aprovechamiento de madera por derribo de árboles en área de protección
The Agrarian Tribunal reviewed a summary interdiction proceeding that authorized the felling of three trees (one cenizaro and two melina) located in a water protection zone within the plaintiff's private property due to imminent risk of collapse. The lower court authorized the cutting but ordered the wood to be donated to the local school board and…
Res. 00198-2021 Tribunal Agrario2021 · Tribunal Agrario
Aprovechamiento de madera de árbol derribado en zona de protección hídrica
The Agrarian Court reviews a ruling that ordered the felling of a cedar tree due to imminent danger but denied the owner the right to use the timber because the tree was located in a water protection zone. The majority revokes that denial and recognizes the plaintiff's right to use the timber, subject to legal permits, considering that the tree is part of…
Res. 00637-2021 Tribunal Agrario2021 · Tribunal Agrario
Aprovechamiento de madera de árbol derribado en zona de protección de río
The plaintiff sought the felling of several trees (espavel and almendro) on her property, citing imminent risk to health and human life. The Agrarian Court authorized the cutting but ordered that the timber from the tree located in the river protection zone be donated to the nearest school's Education Board. The plaintiff appealed only the disposition of…
Res. 00720-2021 Tribunal Agrario2021 · Tribunal Agrario
Aprovechamiento de madera por derribo de árboles en área de protección dentro de propiedad privada
The Agrarian Tribunal decided a summary tree-removal proceeding involving two trees (pochote and cenízaro) located in the protection zone of a stream on the plaintiff company's registered property. The removal was authorized at first instance due to imminent danger to the dwelling and people, based on a technical report from SINAC. The company appealed the…
Res. 02604-2020 Sala Primera de la Corte2020 · Sala Primera de la Corte
Resolución contractual de pago por servicios ambientales por tala ilegal
The First Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice dismisses the cassation appeal filed by Juan Mauricio Mora Cruz against the judgment of the Administrative Litigation Court, which had dismissed his claim. The claim sought annulment of several administrative acts by MINAE and FONAFIFO that unilaterally terminated a payment for environmental services…
Res. 00304-2020 Tribunal Agrario2020 · Tribunal Agrario
Aprovechamiento de madera de árboles peligrosos en zona de protección
The Agrarian Tribunal hears an appeal against a judgment that, in a summary felling proceeding, authorized the cutting of two bitter cedar trees located in the protection zone of a stream on private property, but granted the use of the timber to the local Education Board. The plaintiff, owner of the land, appealed arguing that under Articles 505 and 506 of…
Res. 00069-2020 Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo Sección V2020 · Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo Sección V
Nulidad de adjudicación de parcela con bosque y nacientes
The Administrative Contentious Tribunal, Section V, reviews the claim of the Cuarros de Tárcoles Water Association against INDER and a private individual, seeking nullification of the adjudication of a parcel containing forest and two water springs. The ruling concludes the parcel is State Natural Heritage, as prior to the 1997 adjudication there was…
Res. 00023-2020 Tribunal de Casación Contencioso Administrativo y Civil de Hacienda2020 · Tribunal de Casación Contencioso Administrativo y Civil de Hacienda
Suspensión de regente forestal por certificar sistema agroforestal inexistente
The ruling of the Contentious-Administrative Cassation Court examines the legality of a three-month suspension imposed by the College of Agronomists on a forestry engineer and regent. The plaintiff had certified the existence of an agroforestry system on a property in Osa, Puntarenas, to authorize a logging plan for 25 trees. However, SINAC inspections…
Res. 00081-2010 Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo Sección VIII2010 · Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo Sección VIII
Concesión minera: denegatoria de remoción boscosa no genera responsabilidad por lucro cesante
The Administrative Litigation Tribunal, Section VIII, dismissed the claim of Servicios de Maquinaria Mora de Fraijanes S.A. against the State for damages arising from SINAC's refusal to authorize forest cover removal within a mining concession. The court held that the denial was a lawful, normal act grounded in Article 19 of the Forestry Law, which…
Res. 00019-2009 Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo Sección X2009 · Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo Sección X
Responsabilidad ambiental por omisión de propietario en bosque primario
The Administrative Appeals Court (Sección X) upholds the Environmental Administrative Tribunal (TAA) ruling that fined owners of a primary forest property in Osa for environmental damage caused by a third party. The plaintiffs, owners of 134 hectares of forest, failed to adequately monitor their land, enabling Ronny Monge Castro to illegally fell trees and…
Res. 00075-2008 Tribunal Agrario2008 · Tribunal Agrario
Extracción de madera propia tras vencimiento de contrato de arrendamiento forestal
The Agrarian Tribunal heard an appeal from a defendant in an ordinary proceeding where the plaintiff reforestation company claimed ownership of timber planted on the defendant's land under a lease agreement. The 13-year lease had expired, but uncut timber remained. The Tribunal rejected the nullity claim alleging procedural inconsistency, as the lease's…
Resolución 6152025
Manual Operativo del Programa de Pago por Servicios Ecosistémicos Marino Costeros en Bosques de Mangle
This operational manual establishes procedures for the Payment for Marine-Coastal Ecosystem Services Program in Mangrove Forests, issued by MINAE. It regulates entry, beneficiary selection, obligations, grounds for non-compliance, and distribution of payments for associations of mollusk harvesters engaged in sustainable harvesting, breeding, repopulation,…
Resolución 1352024
Programa PSA: distribución y montos 2024
This ministerial resolution sets spending limits, hectare distribution, and payment amounts for the Payment for Environmental Services (PSA) Program for 2024. It defines two main modalities: Forest Cover Recovery (reforestation with fast- and medium-growth species, short-rotation plantations, natural regeneration, and agroforestry systems) and Forest Cover…
Resolución 3192024
Límite de gasto PSA para contratos 2024-2025
This ministerial resolution sets the spending limit for the National Forest Finance Fund (FONAFIFO) for payment for environmental services (PSA) contracts to be signed in the 2024-2025 period, under the forest cover maintenance modality (forest protection activity). It establishes the number of hectares to be financed and the per-hectare payment amounts…
Resolución 5032024
Manual de PSA en Bosques de Mangle
Resolution R-503-2024-MINAE issues and authorizes the Operating Manual for a pilot plan for payment for environmental or ecosystem services (PES) in mangrove forests, pursuant to the amendment of Article 62 of the Forestry Law Regulations (Decree 44558-MINAE). The manual establishes the procedure for organized shellfish-harvesting associations in the Gulf…
Resolución 5702024
Límite de gasto y montos para el Pago por Servicios Ambientales 2025-2026
This ministerial resolution sets the expenditure limit for the National Forestry Financing Fund (FONAFIFO) for the Payment for Environmental Services (PES) Program in the 2025-2026 period, based on a budget of ₡10,951,682,406. It specifies the activities to be funded: Forest Cover Recovery (reforestation with fast- and medium-growth species, agroforestry…
Resolución 0102019
Resolución 010-2019-MINAE — Límite de gasto y montos de pago del Programa de PSA 2019
This ministerial resolution sets the spending limit and determines the activities to be financed by the National Forest Financing Fund (Fonafifo) under the Payment for Environmental Services (PSA) Program for 2019, with a budget of ¢3,570,042,934. Two main modalities are defined: Forest Cover Recovery (reforestation, natural regeneration, and agroforestry…
Resolución 1672019
Reforma a la Resolución 010-2019-MINAE sobre PSA
This Resolution amends Resolution 010-2019-MINAE, which authorized activities and payment amounts under the Payment for Environmental Services (PSA) Program for 2019. It introduces technical and financial adjustments: it incorporates minimum reference values for diameter and height to verify growth in reforestation and block agroforestry systems, with…
Resolución 0332019
Plan General de Manejo de la Reserva Forestal Golfo Dulce
The document APPROVES and ISSUES this General Management Plan by the National Council of Conservation Areas, in accordance with Biodiversity Law 7788. It establishes the conservation objectives of the Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, including the protection of forest and water resources, and organizes the territory according to its carrying capacity. It…
Resolución 03162017
Reforma al Programa PSA: Plantaciones Forestales con Turnos de Rotación Reducidos
This resolution amends Resolution No. 0541-2016-MINAE to incorporate a new sub-activity within the Payment for Environmental Services (PES) Program called Short-Rotation Forest Plantations (PFTRR). Given the decline in interest in traditional reforestation, it creates a scheme allowing producers to harvest in shorter periods using efficient silvicultural…
Resolución 1172017
Plan General de Manejo del Parque Nacional Barbilla
This resolution by the National Council of Conservation Areas (CONAC) approves and formalizes the General Management Plan (PGM) for Barbilla National Park for the period 2016-2026, in accordance with SINAC procedures. The PGM is the technical planning instrument that guides the management of this protected wild area toward the conservation of its…
Resolución 4202017
Límite de gasto y montos del PSA 2018
This resolution by the Minister of Environment and Energy sets the 2018 spending limit for the National Forest Financing Fund (Fonafifo) allocated to new contracts under the Payment for Environmental Services (PES) Program. It defines the eligible modalities (forest cover recovery and maintenance), the maximum hectares and trees per activity…
Resolución 1152017
Código de Prácticas de los Estándares de Sostenibilidad para el Manejo de los Bosques Secundarios
Resolution R-SINAC-CONAC-115-2017 establishes the Code of Practice to implement the Sustainability Standards for Secondary Forest Management in Costa Rica, issued by the National Council of Conservation Areas (CONAC) of SINAC-MINAE. It defines technical and legal procedures for silvicultural management of secondary forests, including its definition,…
Resolución 0392017
Plan General de Manejo Zona Protectora Río Tiribí
This management plan, approved by the National Council of Conservation Areas (CONAC) through Resolution R-SINAC-CONAC-039-2018, establishes the management framework for the Tiribí River Protected Zone, created by decree in 1976 in the Central Volcanic Mountain Range. The document sets conservation objectives focused on protecting water resources,…
Resolución 4132016
Resolución sobre límites de gasto y montos de PSA 2016
This ministerial resolution by the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) sets spending limits for the National Forest Financing Fund (FONAFIFO) under the Payment for Environmental Services (PSA) Program for 2016. It defines the eligible activities and payment amounts per hectare or per tree across modalities: reforestation (by species growth rate),…
Resolución 5412016
Establecimiento de límites de gasto y montos de pago del PSA 2017
This ministerial resolution from MINAE, R-541-2016-MINAE, sets for 2017 the spending limit of the National Forest Financing Fund (Fonafifo) under the Payment for Environmental Services (PES) Program, detailing the activities to be financed, the quantities of hectares or trees per activity, and the payment amounts per unit. The modalities include Forest…
Resolución 032014
Especies autorizadas para sistemas agroforestales en ACOSA
This administrative resolution from the Osa Conservation Area (ACOSA) amends the 2003 directive defining the forest species authorized for issuing certificates of origin in agroforestry systems (natural regeneration and planted trees) and forest plantations within that conservation area. It operates within the framework of state forest control requiring a…
Resolución 092012
Plan General de Manejo de la Zona Protectora Cerros de la Carpintera
Resolution R-SINAC-CONAC-09-2012 approves and issues the General Management Plan for the Cerros de la Carpintera Protected Zone (ZPCC), a wild protected area created by Executive Decree in 1976 in the Greater Metropolitan Area. The plan is the technical guiding instrument for the management of its natural and cultural resources, drafted with participation…
Resolución 2732011
Resolución DG-OF-273-2011 — Período de recepción de solicitudes PSA 2012
This resolution from the National Forest Financing Fund (FONAFIFO) sets the official deadlines for individuals and legal entities to submit applications to enter the Payment for Environmental Services (PES) Program for the year 2012. Different dates are defined depending on the modality: for Forest Protection, from February 1 to March 2, 2012; for…
Resolución 0421999
Manual de Procedimientos para el Pago de Servicios Ambientales
This resolution constitutes the Procedures Manual for the Payment of Environmental Services (PES), jointly issued by MINAE, SINAC, and FONAFIFO. It establishes the technical and administrative procedures to access payments for environmental services generated by forests and forest plantations, in accordance with Forestry Law No. 7575. It defines priority…