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Felicidades a Dr. Dan Janzen

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The impact of Dr. Janzen's work on the sciences is recognized worldwide. (Photo: https://impactdestinations.com)

On March 19, 2020, Dr. Daniel Janzen will receive the highest distinction from the University of Costa Rica, a Doctor Honoris Causa, or honorary doctorate. This title will be given “in recognition of his career as an ecologist and naturalist, as well as for his contributions to the conservation of tropical ecosystems in different parts of the world.” In the article (here, in Spanish) announcing this award, the University of Costa Rica writes that Dr. Janzen has, under the premise that “to be able to read biodiversity is an indispensable requirement to learning how to conserve it,” developed an innovative vision for the conservation and management of protected areas. He has been a fundamental figure in the promotion of integrating surrounding societies into the management and conservation of protected areas, a concept he calls “biodevelopment.” His vision can be seen especially in the Área de Conservación Guanacaste, which is one of the most successful tropical forest reserves in the world. He has more than 500 scientific publications to his name, the article adds, including the most complete study of Costa Rican biodiversity, “Costa Rican Natural History.” The University Council says that Dr. Janzen’s contributions “from teaching, research and social action, are transcendental not only for Costa Rica, but also for the conservation of world biodiversity.”