Corredor Fronterizo Costa Rica – Nicaragua National Wildlife Refuge was created on February 15th, 1194 to give protection to the forest, as well as to recuperate it from past degeneration, since in this area logging the forest reduced  it to critical levels.
It crosses the entire range of life zones, from Pacific Coastal, rainforest and mountains, to the Caribbean coastal zone, which extends as a biological corridor of 2,000m wide along the border with Nicaragua, from Punta Castilla, in the Caribbean, to Salinas Bay on the Pacific. It is an important biological corridor that connects the Tortuguero Conservation Area with the Maquenque and Tamborcito wetlands, the Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge, El Jardin and Cureña Forest Reserves and the Guanacaste Conservation Area. This refuge, partially disturbed, includes beaches, dry forests, wetlands, rain forests and coastal lagoons, so the refuge has a big number of research programs of different disciplines.
Corredor Fronterizo Costa Rica – Nicaragua National Wildlife Refuge has a large variety of ecosystems such as tropical broadleaf forests, tropical moist broadleaf forests, Central American Atlantic moist forests and tropical dry broadleaf of the Central America Pacific region. Similarly, this area has the highest biodiversity indices for trees and shrubs, with endemic species such as Capparis pittieri, Dussia macrophyllata, Costa Rican Sclerolobium and Vochysia allenii.
With its variety of ecosystems, Corredor Fronterizo Costa Rica – Nicaragua National Wildlife Refuge has a great variety of wildlife with large populations of jaguars, deers, coyotes and peccaries, as well as wading and waders birds. On the other hand, in the San Juan River the Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) and two species of sawfish (Pristis pectinata and Pristis perotteti) are easily observed, while in the Remolinos and Caño Tambor  sector, in the same river, are the most important populations of manatees (Trichechus manatus) and garfish (Belone belone).
This zone hosts many research projects of the varying disciplines, as well as university monitoring programs. For more information on research projects in the area, contact MINAE.
There are no public facilities in Corredor Fronterizo Costa Rica – Nicaragua Wildlife Refuge. Other Costa Rica Parks near the northern borderlands include Cano Negro National Wildlife Refuge, Guanacaste National Park, Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge and Tortuguero National Park.
Location: extends along the border with Nicaragua, from the Pacific Coast to the Caribbean Coast in Costa Rica
Size: 59,276 ha (146,000 acres)
The Pacuare Matina Forest Reserve was created on March 23rd, 1973 to protect the lowland primary forests of the central Caribbean coastal region, where sea turtles come to nest on the beach. The reserve is located between the mouths of the rivers Pacuare and Matina, including the Madre de Dios  Estuary and which is also crossed by the Tortuguero canals.
Pacuare Matina Forest Reserve is an important sea turtle nesting site of the leatherback turtle as well as green and hawksbill turtles. As well, the reserve also has many river turtles. The leatherbacks come ashore here from March through June, and the green turtles from June through September. Both of these turtles are endangered due to poaching for meat and eggs, as also because of the destruction of their natural habitat due to land development along the coast line.
The reserve has hundreds of acres of pristine lowland rainforest and six kilometers of deserted beaches, so it is rich in wildlife, with a wide variety of monkeys, more than 250 species of birds, and an exotic flora; but its special mission has been to protect the critically endangered Leatherback Turtles.
In 1994 a volunteer turtle protection program was established at the Pacuare Matina Forest Reserve and is made up of volunteers and students. Visitors are welcome and upon arrival are given an orientation and invited to participate in the night patrol of walking the beaches to make sure poachers are not taking the turtles or the eggs. Visitors can stay at the very rustic lodge located on the property.
There are no public facilities at the Pacuare Matina Forest Reserve. Other nearby Costa Rica parks includes Tortuguero National Park, Dr. Archie Carr Wildlife Refuge, Limoncito Wildlife Refuge, Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge and Cahuita National Park.
Getting there:
From San Jose, take the highway to Limon and in about 2 hours, turn off near a village named Matina and go about 30 minutes through very scenic route of banana plantations to La Trocha, located along the Tortuguero canals. Boat from the lodge picks you up and then it is a 20 min ride to the reserve.
Location: between Tortuguero canals and the Caribbean Sea, about 25 km north of the Atlantic port city of Limon, Costa Rica.
Matina GPS Coordinates: 10°04’17.09″N, 83°17’18.26″W
Size: 476 ha (1176 acres)
Telephone: 2234-5890
Website: www.turtleprotection.org
The Limoncito Wildlife Refuge was created on April 26th, 1994 to protect migratory bird species in the lowlands, flooded forests and  palm forests of the central Caribbean coastal region. It is located at the mouth of the Limoncito River, just south of the Limon port in Costa Rica.
The Limoncito Wildlife Refuge has great recreational potential, covered mainly in holillo palm (Raphia taedigera). Also, the refuge has a very beautiful beach, although it has big waves, surrounded with coconut palms (Cocos nucifera). Best access to the Limoncito beach area is by walking south from Limon, a path along the beach from Limón.
There are no public facilities at Limoncito Wildlife Refuge. Other nearby parks include Tortuguero National Park, Cahuita National Park and Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge.
Getting there:
From San Jose, take Highway 32, also known as the Guapiles Highway, that connects the Caribbean region to the rest of the country. Drive along the Braullio Carrillo Highway and reach Limon in just two and a half hours.
Location: south of Limón city, Costa Rica.
Limon GPS Coordinates: 9°59’28.26″N, 83°02’0.30″W
Size: 1,056 ha (2,790 acres)
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