Quercus costaricensis

Historically, this species was at risk from deforestation and selective harvest for timber, firewood and charcoal. Today, most of the remaining populations are in well protected national forests. Currently, Quercus costaricensis is not being commercially exploited for timber because trees from lower elevations are used primarily instead (Kappelle et al. 2000). There was rapid deforestation of montane forests where Q. costaricensis grows in the 1940s-1970s to build an Inter-American highway and start farms, but that deforestation has decreased considerably (Holz 2004). When deforestation does occur, Q. costaricensis does not dominate the forest until the mature forest phase. Additionally, it takes a long time for the species abundance to recover due to the low temperatures on the mountains (Kappelle 1993). Illegal logging and repurposing of land for agricultural uses are still threats, but overall the region is well protected (Powell et al. 2018). The two biggest threats to existing populations are anthropogenic wildfires, climate change and landslides. Wildfires have been documented in La Amistad National Park at increasing rates and severity. Studies have shown that more than 4,000 ha of oak forest were burned in the Chirripo area of La Amistad National Park just in the years 1975-2005 (Esquivel-Garrote 2010). Following wildfires, Quercus species populations take decades to recover or never recover at all (Esquivel-Garrote 2010). Climate change is a serious threat to the montane cloud forests of Central America (Kappelle 2006), which is the exclusive habitat of Q. costaricensis. Due to the higher elevational range requirement of this species (it is one of the few tree species that reaches the tree line with the paramo) it is particularly susceptible to climate change.