April 23, 2010

14 Gravel Mining Concessions in Osa’s Rivers = Environmental Disaster for Osa !

The activity and destruction caused from just 1 gravel mining concession in 2009 has caused irreversible damage to The Rio Tigre just 3 minutes North of Puerto Jimenez. Can you believe it, the dredging is only 1-2 km. away from Corcovado National Park. Each of the 14 government approved / pending gravel mining concession are destroying our rivers, stopping the Osa food chain from the bottom up. Killing fish, mangrove habitat, and driving the Whalesharks, Dolphins ,Humpback Whales to peaceful waters where food is abundant. Tourism is already suffering in Dos Brazos because of the dredging.

Next on the River Hit list is - 5 more gravel concessions pending on The Rio Tigre alone.

Plus 2 concessions on The Rio Agujas
4 on Rincon,
1 on Rio Piro in Carate,
1 on Rio Conte
2 on The Barrigones River.

Totaling an additional 28 lineal km of rivers to be dredged in the coming months and the years to come. Communities of Tigre, Gallardo, Dos Brazos, and Canaza will be affected the most as local families suffer to get through each day as dozens of dump trucks fly by schools and local pulperias in a cloud of dust. Who will be buying all this gravel? And why do we need so much of it? Now that our super hwy is almost finished, what will all this gravel be used for ?

Una llamada a la acción

Aviso para los residentes y familias de los Rios -Agujas, Barrigones, Tigre, Rincón, Conte y Piro. Hay 14 solicitudes de concesiones en seis de nuestros ríos aquí para sacar gravas y arenas. Cada concesión de minas de 2 kilómetros de río durante 15 años. Por lo tanto, a unos 28 kilómetros de nuestros ríos cortos (de propiedad de los costarricenses) será "legalmente" despojados de sus grava y arena por las empresas que lo venden de nuevo a nosotros por los altos precios y el beneficio para ellos. Nos quedaremos con los ríos feos que nadie va a querer nadar; ríos casi sin camarones y peces que pescar, la boca de los ríos se llenan de arena y cieno demasiado, tanto que la pesca en el Golfo cerca de la boca del río va a ser terrible, los manglares morirán con todos sus animales y más de corales morirán de ser cubiertas con sedimentos, y vagonetas que pasaran su casa cientos de veces al día, seis días a la semana polvo propagación nosotros y nuestros hijos respiraran.

Sabemos que estas empresas tendrán más que el gobierno permite, porque el gobierno nunca lo examinará para ver si están siguiendo las reglas. Vaya a ver la concesión presentes en el Río Tigre aguas arriba de la carretera. Esta concesión fue sacar solamente 156,000 m3 por año, pero ya han admitido a sacar 432,000 m3 por año de grava y arena! Se suponía que sólo lo utiliza para la mejora de la carretera, pero han estado vendiendo en otros lugares. El gobierno nunca ha inspeccionado esta concesión y el Río Tigre ha sido destruido por más de 2 kilómetros. Vaya a ver el Río Tigre hoy con su familia y decir una oración de perdón a Dios por esta destrucción en nombre del beneficio!

Cuando las concesiones se pueden sacar "control" de nuestros ríos, que tendrán prohibido sacar pequeñas cantidades de grava y arena de los lugares que hemos tomado siempre. ¿Cómo podemos permitir que esto suceda? Cómo podemos detenerla antes que sea demasiado tarde para nosotros y nuestros hijos?

14 Concessions Ready to Destroy the Remaining Rivers on Osa.

These Rivers are located between Rincon and Puerto Jimenez, these pending SETENA mining claims are all along Golfo Dulce’s East side rivers. If you don’t believe these photos and if you need proof yourself, I encourage you to take a drive up The Rio Tigre and witness the horrible site. The Rio Tigre is now dead, no local Costa Ricans swimming on Sunday, no shrimp, no fish, and no recovering coral reefs downstream. Each river basin and eco-system is scheduled to be destroyed one at a time. All in the name of progress and contribution to the completion of our China financed “new super hwy”. If you live on Osa, take a drive up The Tigre, ( upstream from bridge ) and witness the damage yourself. Remember this damage was a caused by only 1 local concession owner abusing the SETENA permit, Marvito has already exceeded his cubic meter allowance x 3 and it appears no governmental agencies are policing and regulating these concessions, giving the owner of the concession the ability to take as much as they want, exceeding depths, widths and lengths, and unlimited amount of materials extracted. Not to mention gouging prices for gravel for local community projects such as schools, sidewalks, and public works projects. The current Monopoly on gravel extraction is not the answer, as it prohibits locals from getting the gravel they need and the price is set by one concession owner as in the example of Marvito.

When Will Osa’s Environmental Battles ever end,and don’t they get it ?

It’s actually stated in Costa Rica laws that continued dredging is good for the ecology of our rivers. Who’s runnin this 3 ring circus ? USA, China ? Maybe all 3 countries or maybe non of them? Hard to say. Costa Rica's Foreign relations with USA and China will continue to fuel our new environmental battles as we struggle to keep Osa preserved.

What this means to you and your family if you live near these rivers.

Qué podemos hacer ahora?

- Pase la noticia y habla con sus familias, vecinos, amigos, líderes comunitarios, pescadores y otros agentes a organizar y tomar medidas de inmediato.

- Exprese su opinión a su asociación local de Desorollo saber de su descontento y temores.

- La Asociación Desorollo de Puerto Jiménez tiene una aplicación para extraer el Agujas. Apolle a ellos.

- Habla con los concesionario Porfirio Vindas Picado sobre sus preocupaciones. El quiere minar el Rio Agujas para beneficio.

- Pregúntele a Walter Morales por qué necesita tres concesiones en nuestros ríos. Sí, tres!

- Muchos agricultores informe de 7-12 metros de arena y grava de un metro o dos por debajo de los pastizales plana lado este de las montañas. Para construir sus casas y nuestras escuelas, ahorrar dinero mediante la excavación de grava y arena en sus propias propiedades!

- Apoyar un esfuerzo organizado para cambiar le ley para permitir que nosotros legalmente cavar en busca de grava y arena en nuestras propiedades.

- Limitar la destrucción. Sólo las tres concesiones no, catorce: una en el Rincón, uno en el Barrigones o Agua y otra en el Tigre.

As stewards of Osa, It’s our responsibility to protect local communities from abusive big business, and preserve our flora and Fauna. In short - Save Osa Rivers! Protect the Pura in our Vida!

What Can You and Your Family Do ?

Forward this newsletter to everybody in your e-mail, database, facebook, twitter, and other social networks. Talk to environmental conservation leaders. Neighbors and community leaders. Get informed and Get Involved!

Put up posters at small stores in your community.
Contact your local community leaders at your Desorollo Association, schools, churches, and at Pulperias. Many people say Getting Ticos involved is the only way to stop these crimes.
See for yourself - Go Visit the Río Tigre, just north of the bridge and see the destruction of the first concession granted. Voice your opinion to local community organizations and government to only allow 2-3 Gravel Concessions on The Osa( not 14 of them !)

Other Sustainable Ideas and Potential Solutions – Dig a hole, get your sand and gravel materials from under your own farm, and leave our rivers alone. Save $ on concrete construction projects by digging a pit /hole in your own backyard, When you have enough gravel and sand, make a lake, plant trees around your lake, raise Tilapa fish. It’s your gravel, don’t let the government and big business sell it back to you for 10X it’s worth. This idea also reduces dust,gasoline fumes in your community and puts $$ in your pocket, potentially the only truly the only way to reduce our footprints on Osa.

Voice your opinion to limit gravel mining to 3 permits for the entire Osa Peninsula, and leave our other rivers alone. Ecology of your river and community destroyed during the first year and 100’s and 1000’s of trucks driving through your community 7 days per week, just like Tigre. Dust and respiratory problems for you and your family and no more river swimming with your family and friends.

Costa Rica locals and foreigners will be denied free access to gravel and materials to make concrete with. No More Fishing in the mouths of the rivers for Costarricenses or Ex Pats. The mouth of the Rio Tigre is an example of this as over 87% of the fish populations and species have already vanished.

Many Farmers Report 7-12 meters of Sand and Gravel Below the Pasture Land.

Use less concrete and build with Teak, Melina and Bambu like many of us do. Most importantly - Voice your opinion to limit gravel mining to 3 permits for the entire Osa Peninsula, and leave the other rivers alone. Save Osa! /*Protect the Pura in our