Land Use Study
A research project at Cloudbridge Nature Reserve in Costa Rica
"In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, we will understand only what we are taught."
Bada Dioum, Senegalese conservationist

Summary:
  • Purposes
  • Methods
  • Interpretation


Land Use at Cloudbridge and Vicinity
by Jessica Schwartz

Objective 1: Identify current land use along the Rio Chirripo Pacifico

Land use is defined as:
  • Primary forest (1o) – undisturbed virgin forest,
  • Secondary forest (2o) – previously disturbed area that has regrown and developed a canopy.
  • Successional growth (SG) – previously disturbed area that has been allowed to regrow naturally (n) or has been planted (p), no canopy has developed.
  • Pasture (P) – active (a) or inactive (ia) grassland for cattle, horses, etc.
  • Agriculture (A) – cultivated land for commercial production, either shaded (s) or unshaded (us).
  • Residential (R) – area with one or more houses, buildings, including private gardens (g).
  • Non-residential (NR) – area with one or more buildings used for non-residential purposes such as a restaurant, hotel, school.

 
Methods:

The first data point will be Water Monitoring Site #1 at the edge of the Chirripo National Park, and the last will be at Water Monitoring Site #9 at the edge of Chimerol. Data points will be at 100-meter intervals along both North and South sides of the River, and approximately 100 meters from the waters edge to take into account the 50-meter riparian zone. It should be noted if this undisturbed zone is not present.

At each data point the following information should be recorded:
  • Latitude/Longitude and Elevation using a GPS unit. (Elevation should only be recorded if there are 3 satellites available.)
  • Land Use type (see definitions above), use capitalized abbreviations in parenthesis for land use and lowercase abbreviations for comments.

 Initial results:

Data Point Latitude (N) Longitude (W) Elevation (km) Accuracy (m) N/S Rio Chirripo Data Location Comments
1 09.28.475 83.33.991 1.74 8 N p rock at edge of rip zone and pasture, top border with park, waterfall visible from above, approximately parallel to park marker
2 09.28.478 83.34.025 1.71 6 N p barbed wire fence in lower corner at bottom of pasture, rip zone intact
3 09.28.468 83.34.056 1.68 7 mid river rc midpoint of river just downstream from covered bridge, taken at large rock closest to bridge 
4 09.28.481 83.34.042 1.7 5 N tm runs straight line from 001 and 002, marks entrance to bridge and property boundary with Cloudbridge, right of way to cldbridge north, taken from top of gate, rip zone not intact due to bridge
5 09.28.491 83.34.061 1.69 4 N tm trail follows river as it curves to the north, this marks a slight drop in elevation and a more N direction. Makes a border with succesional pasture that starts just over barbed wire fence at 002 and ends with rip zone and with side of the trail. 
6 09.28.514 83.34.061 1.67 13 N tm marks trail path, at edge of rip zone which falls down to river, border of sg land, low accuracy. 
7 09.28.568 83.34.119 1.69 12 N ru Rio Uran, mid river point, just below the suspension bridge, the trail from 006 follows the Chirripo and then crosses the Rio uran, besides the trail the entire area between 006 and 007 is rip zone. Less of a data point, more for orientation.
8 09.28.494 83.34.056 1.7 11 N tm on trail midpoint btw 004 and 005 fills in curve of trail, rip present
9 09.28.547 83.34.033 1.75 5 N te intersection of pasture, sg, and rip, swarming biting bees
10 09.28.602 83.34.009 1.77 9 N te at small stream, borders pasture above, rip zone below, saw a hawk, walked further along path but could not get to Rio Uran.
11 09.28.469 83.34.048 1.7 8 S tm South side of covered bridge, rip zone broken for trail, intact east and west of point
12 09.28.454 83.34.031 1.71 14 S tm trail point further east of bridge, all rip zone
13 09.28.441 83.34.035 1.72 5 S tm further uphill along trail, veg has not changed, trail zig zags
14 09.28.436 83.34.027 1.73 6 S tm further uphill along trail, rip on all sides, at entrance to SE river trail that Victor needs to cut
15 09.28.437 83.34.040 1.74 6 S tm rip edge, above is pasture, below and to the east is rip zone
16 09.28.434 83.34.056 1.74 7 S tr gate at river trail, pasture above, sg with planted trees (plantation) below
17 09.28.436 83.34.081 1.74 15 S tm path along main trail below is plantation, above is pasture, taken below a cypress tree
18 09.28.429 83.34.110 1.74 7 S tm main trail below is plantation, above is pasture, larger cypress above trail marks spot
19 09.28.422 83.34.140 1.74 13 S trd at entrance to ridge trail, plantation below, succesional above
20 09.28.442 83.34.053 1.73 7 S sgp in plantation, at edge of rip zone, fence to entrance of trail is visible. Drops off sharply below this point
21 09.28.448 83.34.060 1.73 7 S tr further along river trail, exactly at rip edge, cypress is visible from main trail
22 09.28.455 83.34.085 1.73 14 S tr further along river trail, exactly at rip edge, 2nd cypress is visible 
23 09.28.472 83.34.093 1.73 10 S tr on river trail, rip zone thinner, still sheer drop, point lines up with tree #507 MZ, and with 2 dead stumps uphill
24 09.28.476 83.34.121 1.72 5 S tr entrance to ridge trail is visible with cecropia in line, on spot just before trail drops into rip zone
25 09.28.409 83.34.176 1.74 5 S tm at nursery hut below is plantation, on main trail
26 09.28.396 83.34.187 1.73 8 S tm on main trail at bend past hut, where do plantings stop?
27 09.28.397 83.34.202 1.73 11 S tm on main trail looks like plantings have stopped, sg below mostly open meadow
28 09.28.526 83.34.166 1.67 12 mid river rc confluence of Rio Uran and Rio Chirripo
29 09.28.488 83.34.205 1.68 9 S tr edge of rip zone on river trail, sg with plantings above
30 09.28.475 83.34.210 1.67 6 S tr edge of rip zone on river trail, sg with plantings above
31 09.28.461 83.34.218 1.67 7 S sgp no longer on river trail, following thin rip zone, plantings everywhere, mostly grass
32 09.28.441 83.34.234 1.66 7 S sgp off river trail, following rip zone, lots of plantings mostly grass
33 09.28.435 83.34.253 1.66 8 S sgp off trail, at a edge of rip zone, sg plantings, cloudbridge falls visible 
34 09.28.423 83.34.270 1.65 9 S sgp off trail at rip edge, sg plantings, scattered larger trees
35 09.28.412 83.34.293 1.57 10 S tr trail switches back towards river opens into sg meadow no plantings visible
36 09.28.418 83.34.286 1.57 13 S tr continued switchback close to river at exit of private trail, 1st bench visible, amazing view of falls 2 ft away
37 09.28.410 83.34.322 1.64 10 S tr end of river trail before it switches into rip zone and climbs, edge of meadow
38 09.28.421 83.34.315 1.64 6 S tr following trail east, edge of rip zone and meadow
39 09.28.431 83.34.300 1.64 4 S tr closest point to 036, edge of rip zone and meadow, on trail
40 09.28.438 83.34.220 1.67 4 S tmn between 030 and 031 on entrance to maintence trail 
41 09.28.424 83.34.219 1.68 5 S tmn on maintence trail, plantings on all sides
42 09.28.409 83.34.229 1.68 5 S tmn on maintence trail, plantings on all sides, not that steep, short trail to main from river
43 09.28.388 83.34.243 1.69 7 S tmn on maintence trail, steepness increases, plantings above and below
44 09.28.370 83.34.278 1.69 6 S tmn at intersection of maintence trail and main trail 
45 09.28.485 83.34.110 1.72 8 S tr on river trail after switchback, surrounded by sg with large riparian trees, median sg zone. 
46 09.28.494 83.34.104 1.71 6 S tr at edge of rip zone and sg plantings on trail 
47 09.28.503 83.34.092 1.7 7 S tr at edge of rip zone on river trail, really close to river
48 09.28.511 83.34.127 1.69 9 S tr at edge of rip zone and sg plantings, middle of trail, recorded data, unmarked in gps b/c of lost signal, 049 data points for 048
49 09.28.511 83.34.147 1.69 6 S tr on trail at viewpoint of confluence and edge of sg plantings.
50 09.28.512 83.34.170 1.68 6 S tr right at watersedge on river trail sg above
51 09.28.239 83.34.006 1.93 7 S trd ridge trail at forest edge
52 09.28.271 83.34.043 1.9 6 S trd ridge trail about 100m downhill at old fence line
53 09.28.303 83.34.075 1.88 4 S trd ridge trail about 200 m downhill
54 09.28.334 83.34.128 1.82 5 S  trd ridge trail at poro/bench 
55 09.28.386 83.34.102 1.76 6 S trd ridge trail at riparian oasis
56 09.28.412 83.34.142 1.74 5 S trd bottom of ridge trail
57 09.28.374 83.34.286 1.7 6 S tm on main trail just west of maintence trail, at eastern border of riparian area
58 09.28.345 83.34.274 1.67 11 S tm main trail at stream
59 09.28.351 83.34.294 1.69 6 S tm main trail, gully to West of stream on south side of trail, riparian to east of gully
60 09.28.359 83.34.312 1.71 7 S tm main trail, W of stream and gully, at W corner of rip zone. Riparian N and E of trail. Pasture/sg to S. 
61 09.28.363 83.34.343 1.69 8 S tm main trail at bench, river trail exit
62 09.28.363 83.34.400 1.65 8 S tm main trail at strangler fig, mature forest N of trail, younger forest (sg?)to S
63 09.28.365 83.34.516 1.62 7 S tm main trail E end of Amanzimtoti, with sg and garden, sg young forest from W to E
64 09.28.354 83.34.568 1.59 7 S tm main trail early sg with plantings to N, early sg without plantings to south
65 09.28.353 83.34.603 1.55 10 S tm main trail at pacifica gate, pasture above, gardens below
66 09.28.358 83.34.576 1.56 10 S tm main trail ~100 m further East, SG above, possible pasture, gardens below
67 09.28.366 83.34.546 1.57 9 S tm main trail ~100 m further East, SG above, gardens below at barbed fence with trail 
68 09.28.363 83.34.521 1.59 9 S tm main trail gardens below 2ndary forest above
69 09.28.362 83.34.506 1.6 7 S tm main trail 2ndary above and below
70 09.28.361 83.34.495 1.61 11 S tm main trail 2ndary above, rip zone below
71 09.28.370 83.34.464 1.61 10 S tm on main trail rip zone below 2ndary above pacifica falls below
72 09.28.342 83.34.623 1.6 7 S tm on main trail west of pacifica falls gate
73 09.28.333 83.34.639 1.59 7 S tm on main trail west of pacifica falls, on small bridge before casa
74 09.28.376 83.34.540 1.58 11 S rc about 10 m above the river  on the am trail ,decreased elevation by 10 m, pt on river, all sg no plantings
75 09.28.380 83.34.578 1.58 7 S rc about 10 m above water at pacifica falls, changed elevation < 10 m pt on river
76 09.28.361 83.34.582 1.59 8 S tamz on pacificia falls trail at sign rip below sg plantings above
77 09.28.356 83.34.593 1.58 7 S tamz at pacifica trail at sign rip below sg plantings above
78