Protected Areas in Central/North America

Chirripó National Park is named for its most prominent feature, Cerro Chirripó, the highest mountain in Costa Rica. Five ecosytems found in the park include lowland tropical wet forest, premontane tropical wet forest, lower montane wet forest, montane wet forest and subalpine wet forest (páramo).

Ometepe Island is located in southwest Nicaragua, formed by two volcanoes rising out of Lake Nicargua. It is the lake's largest island. The two imposing volcanoes, Maderas and Concepcion, define its topography. The island was designated a Biosphere Reserve in 2010.

Palo Verde National Park contains much of the area of the valley of the Tempisque River in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica. The park protects one of the most endangered ecosystems. It is one of the last remaining tropical dry rain forests that once covered most of Central America.

Located in the northwest of the Mexican state of Tabasco, the Pantanos de Centla Biosphere Reserve is one of the most important wetlands in what used to be Mesoamerica due to its abundance of aquatic plants and the amount of fresh water it receives from the Grijalva and Usumacinta rivers.

Piedras Blancas National Park is located in the Puntarenas Province of southern Costa Rica. It protects over 34,595 acres of evergreen primary forest, indigenous plants and wildlife. The park is home to a number of rare tropical trees and is the habitat for many species of birds, reptiles and mammals.

The archaeological site of Palenque, in the Mexican state of Chiapas, is one of the most outstanding Classic period sites of the Maya area. Palenque is an incomparable achievement of Mayan art and illustrates one of the most significant achievements of mankind in the American continent.

Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park spans over 34,000 acres and helps protect both montane forests and dwarf cloud forests. Rincón de la Vieja Volcano, an active andesitic complex volcano, is set within the park and is one of six active Costa Rican volcanoes.

Located on the watershed of the Río Plátano, the reserve is one of the few remnants of tropical rain forest in Central America. With an abundant, varied plant and wildlife within its mountainous landscape, over 2,000 indigenous people have preserved their traditional way of life.

The Río San Juan Biosphere Reserve is composed of seven protected areas. It covers an important variety of ecosystems representative of tropical humid forests and wetlands, tidal marsh, coastal lagoons and estuaries which are important shelters for rare or threatened animals and plants.

The San Marcos de Colón Biosphere Reserve is situated close to the border with Nicaragua, in the Honduran department of Choluteca, at an altitude varying between 1,600 and 5,600 ft. It exhibits a rich biological diversity that include several species of endemic fauna.