Protected Areas in Central America

El Cielo Biosphere Reserve is situated in in the southern part of Tamaulipas state, within the Sierra de Cucharas, a mountain range derived from the Sierra Madre. It protects the northernmost extension of tropical forest and cloud forest and is one of the most ecologically rich and diverse places of Mexico.

The El Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve comprises the Pinacate area, Gran Desierto de Altar and Bahía Adair on the Gulf of California’s border in northeastern Mexico. Geological volcanic formations and diversity of plant associations create its special landscape.

The El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve is the most diverse evergreen cloud forest in Mexico and one of the most important sites for bird migration. Its cloud forest is reported to be one of the most extensive remnants in the country and contains the greatest diversity of tree species in North and Central America.

The Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino World Heritage site is located on the Pacific Coast of the central part of the Baja California Peninsula and is embedded in the much larger El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve, encompassing desert, mountain and coastal/marine ecosystems.

This conservation area in northwestern Costa Rica contains a mosaic of diverse ecosystems from the Pacific shores to the lowland rain forests in the Caribbean basin. It is comprised of four contiguous protected areas, containing important terrestrial and marine-coastal environments and key habitats.

Guanacaste National Park is located in the northern part of Costa Rica and was created to allow a corridor between the dry forest and rain forest areas which many species migrate between seasonally. It is a part of the Area de Conservación Guanacaste World Heritage Site.

Huatulco National Park, also known as Bahias de Huatulco National Park, is a national park of Oaxaca, Mexico. Also a Biosphere Reserve, it is located in the physiographic province of the Sierra Madre del Sur, characterized by bays, cliffs, rocky escarpments and lowland jungle.

Situated off the southeast coast of Mexico, the Isla Cozumel Biosphere Reserve incorporates two Ramsar sites: Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park and Manglares y Humedales del Norte de Isla Cozumel, encompassing richly diverse marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

The Gulf of California in northwestern Mexico was once famously dubbed the "Aquarium of the World." The striking natural beauty of the Sea of Cortez, formed by rugged islands with high cliffs and sandy beaches, contrast with the brilliant reflection from the desert and the surrounding turquoise waters.

The Islas del Golfo de California Biosphere Reserve, with its over 240 islands, is located in northwestern Mexico between the rocky and arid peninsula of Baja California, the vast Sonoran Desert and the abundant mangroves of Sinaloa.