The Central Volcanic Range is a beautiful area of over 650,000 hectares in central Costa Rica that boasts a wide biological diversity and is home to 54% of the country's population. In this Biosphere Reserve, you can find volcanoes, watersheds, and a wide variety of wildlife that surprises both locals and visitors.
In recognition of its biodiversity, contribution to sustainability, and impact on human well-being and development, UNESCO designated this paradise territory as a Biosphere Reserve in 1988.
Its immensity is such that the challenge of caring for and preserving this site of such importance for the region can only be assumed by someone as great as the reserve itself. That person is Meryll Arias, a 36-year-old woman from the province of Heredia and the youngest of a family of one brother and three sisters.
She studied Forest Engineering at the National University of Costa Rica and obtained a master's degree in "Climate Change and Environmental Auditing" in 2021. "I always say that I am a proud product of my country's public education," she said with emotion.
Through her own merit, she has taken charge and worked very hard and lovingly for the environment. Her work has always been accompanied by great teams of people, and she has crossed paths with the right people at the right time. However, as a woman, assuming the conservation area was not easy.
In her position, she has seen how a woman is judged differently in her work in a field usually led by men. "I have heard the expression -oh, she is a woman, let's try, let's see what she does-. As if being a woman meant that you already have a magic wand under your arm to solve everything."
Getting to where she is today was not easy. That is why she motivates girls and adolescents to fulfill their dreams. "Enjoy the journey, because sometimes you are so focused on the goal that you do not enjoy the process, and part of the process is self-awareness. It is defining your strengths, the things you need to improve, and not getting discouraged."
As for her leadership in a Biosphere Reserve, Meryll has highlighted how Costa Rican regulations have fostered an environment of cooperation to carry out the management of Biosphere Reserves.
"Assertive communication among the actors involved has worked very well in Costa Rica. In our country, we have a very novel issue that since 2017, a decree has regulated the issue of Biosphere Reserves. So, the decree establishes a multitude of actors, and many sectors are involved in the management of Biosphere Reserves. It is an issue that even other countries in the region are studying," she pointed out.
As the director of the Central Conservation Area, her most important goal is to ensure that the staff works motivated and has the minimum conditions to work. In the Biosphere Reserves context, she is very interested in the work of the Local MaB Committees.
The Local MaB Committees are formed by a group of people from different sectors who work together to manage and promote territories designated as biosphere reserves. They are an advisory and coordination body of the Man and the Biosphere Program, which includes representatives from the government, non-governmental organizations, academia, civil society, and reserve managers in the country.
"This is another innovative figure that we have in the biosphere reserves of Costa Rica, and I am interested in people who are part of these committees to continue participating actively and empower themselves with the governance platform. Biosphere Reserves are a platform for people and for people to get involved," she added.
In November 2021, news broke during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) that made headlines worldwide. The newspapers on their front pages announced a historic milestone: Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Panama signed a declaration committing to the sustainable management of the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor.
Representing the Ministry of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica (MINAE) on Costa Rica's National MAB Committee, Meryll has been part of coordinating this initiative that encompasses four UNESCO World Heritage marine sites and one Biosphere Reserve: Cocos Island National Park, Galapagos National Park and Marine Reserve, Malpelo Flora and Fauna Sanctuary, and Coiba National Park. As such, it would become the world's largest transboundary marine biosphere reserve.
"It would be a sui generis reserve because there are no transboundary marine reserves in the region. It is a completely innovative initiative that would demonstrate the coordination capacity between four countries with independent sovereignty and different governance," she exclaimed excitedly.
Meryll stated that this project would strengthen the model represented by biosphere reserves: conservation, development, and logistical support. Furthermore, she emphasized that this corridor is crucial for the conservation of marine resources that function as a carbon sink and a key tool in the fight against climate change.
The most important thing
Despite its successes, its journey, and the significant contribution it has made so far to environmental conservation in Costa Rica, there is only one footprint that she hopes to leave on people: she wants to be remembered as a good person."
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