Simulating land-use decisions in the La Amistad Biosphere Reserve buffer zone in Costa Rica and Panama

We describe development of a preliminary model that integrates ecological, economic, and social factors affecting land-use decisions in the buffer zone of the La Amistad Biosphere Reserve in Costa Rica and Panama. The model simulates potential shifts in the distribution of land among six alternative uses and the resulting impacts on the finances of rural families living within the buffer zone over the next decade.