Analysis of the consequences of the socio-environmental conflict and its current impact on the degradation of coastal marine ecosystems. The case of Puerto Escondido in Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica, as experiences of struggle and sustainable alternatives.

The Osa Peninsula is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world, holding 2.5 percent of the world's biodiversity. Although there are currently various protected areas, Osa Conservation Areas (ACOSA), this does not mean that the region's resources have not historically been exploited. This presentation will outline the results of a socioeconomic and environmental assessment of the community of Puerto Escondido, within the canton of Puerto Jiménez, as part of the FOCAL-PJ initiative's community strengthening and environmental protection efforts.

This area is geographically characterized by mangroves, with a large coastal front where rivers flow into the sea, and formations such as estuaries and beaches. Wetlands are among the ecosystems most affected by climate change and human activity, where they are replaced by monocultures and livestock farming.(Quesada, 2017). These oil palm monocultures resulted from a boom in the 1970s when they were introduced to the region (Mack-Rivas, 2019). These activities, along with urban development, have led to the destruction of the region's original natural environment, as well as harmful effects on humans, such as floods due to ecosystem changes. 

Among the attempts to exploit resources is the case of the company Osa Productos Forestal, a transnational company that sought to exploit timber and foster urbanization, eventually dominating much of the land in the area. Additionally, the completion of the Southern Inter-American Highway, while it allowed greater land access to the region, also paved the way for more companies to venture into the agricultural sector, causing intense conflicts over land use. 

Through of sociohistorical interviews, the experiences of the community were investigated, where for over 50 years, they have faced attempts to exploit natural resources and urbanization projects. Various studies have supported the impact and importance of government intervention in the conservation of the area (Lenin, 2017). By censuses and workshops in this participatory research, the current state of the locality has been diagnosed to understand its needs and issues, and how these relate to environmental degradation. Together, the research not only investigates the socio-historical attacks on the region's ecosystems, but also examines how, to this day, local people continue practices that may harm the ecosystem in order to generate economic sustenance.

In this community of over 100 households, waste management, employment options, infrastructure, land use, and other aspects have been analyzed. This is in addition to the actions taken by the FOCAL-PJ team across the rest of the peninsula, where projects such as rural tourism, artisanal fishing, and community linkages have been strengthened, improving the socio-ecological well-being. In the case of Puerto Escondido, it has been identified that the lack of employment and the absence of community organization are the main issues they face, with one of the consequences being the degradation of the coastal marine ecosystems.

The results of this research aim not only to generate a historical record of the community and strengthen local identity but also to present a series of proposals for sustainable productive alternatives to current practices.