Coalición Floresta · Forest & Environmental Law Library

Exp. 07-014812-0007-CO — Logging without management plan or environmental impact studyTala sin plan de manejo y sin estudio de impacto ambiental

case summary Topic: criminal-environmental

Summary

English

This amparo action was filed against the Cordillera Volcánica Central Conservation Area and the Municipality of Sarapiquí for failing to stop unpermitted tree cutting on a forested property. The Constitutional Chamber denied the claim, finding that the authorities had indeed taken action: the Conservation Area documented the violations, filed a criminal complaint, and initiated administrative sanction proceedings; the municipality, upon learning of irregular timber transport, seized the wood and imposed a fine. The ruling distinguishes two statutory scenarios: logging without a management plan on agricultural land without forest cover (Article 27 of the Forestry Law), and logging on forested land, which additionally requires an environmental impact study (Article 18 read together with Article 19 of the same law). The court held there was no actionable omission of fundamental rights and that ordinary criminal and administrative avenues were underway; therefore, amparo was not the proper mechanism to litigate the merits or to supplant the criminal jurisdiction.

Español

El caso aborda un recurso de amparo contra el Área de Conservación Cordillera Volcánica Central y la Municipalidad de Sarapiquí, por no detener una corta de árboles sin permisos en una finca con cobertura boscosa. La Sala Constitucional declaró sin lugar el recurso, al acreditarse que la administración sí realizó actuaciones: el Área de Conservación levantó actas, formuló denuncia penal e inició un procedimiento administrativo sancionatorio, mientras que la Municipalidad, informada del traslado irregular de madera, la decomisó y tramitó una multa. La sentencia distingue dos hipótesis normativas: el aprovechamiento sin plan de manejo en terrenos de uso agropecuario sin bosque (artículo 27 de la Ley Forestal) y la corta en terrenos con bosque que requiere además del plan de manejo, un estudio de impacto ambiental (artículo 18 en relación con el 19 de la misma ley). El tribunal consideró que no hubo omisión lesiva de derechos fundamentales y que las vías ordinarias (penal y administrativa) estaban en curso, por lo que el amparo no era la vía adecuada para discutir el fondo del asunto ni para sustituir a la jurisdicción penal.

Key excerpt

Español (source)
Redacción del extracto: Ana C. Hidalgo. En el caso bajo estudio se encuentra plenamente acreditado que el área de conservación procedió a realizar las actuaciones que estimó procedentes. Ciertamente, luego de comprobada la tala de árboles en el inmueble del señor D.S.L., el Sinac-Minae confeccionó las actas respectivas y de acuerdo con el informe de folios 100 a 105, los hechos fueron puestos en conocimiento del Ministerio Público. A su vez, se inició una investigación administrativa por infracción a la Ley Forestal. En forma paralela, la Municipalidad de Sarapiquí decomisó madera que era transportada sin los permisos, y tramitó lo relativo a la multa respectiva.

English (translation)
Excerpt prepared by Ana C. Hidalgo. In the case under review, it is fully established that the conservation area carried out the actions it deemed appropriate. Indeed, after verifying the tree felling on Mr. D.S.L.’s property, SINAC-MINAE prepared the corresponding reports, and according to the brief at folios 100 to 105, the facts were referred to the Public Prosecutor’s Office. At the same time, an administrative investigation was opened for violation of the Forestry Law. In parallel, the Municipality of Sarapiquí seized timber that was being transported without permits and processed the corresponding fine.

Outcome

Denied

English

The amparo was denied because the respondent authorities did take control actions—including criminal referral and seizure—so no actionable omission of fundamental rights was established.

Español

El recurso de amparo fue declarado sin lugar porque las autoridades demandadas sí realizaron actuaciones de control, denuncia penal y decomiso; no se acreditó omisión lesiva de derechos fundamentales.

Pull quotes

Concept anchors

Art. 18 · Ley 7575
Art. 19 · Ley 7575
Art. 27 · Ley 7575

Keywords

environmental amparoforest harvestingmanagement planenvironmental impact studyland use changeForestry LawSINACtimber seizureenvironmental criminal complaintMunicipality of Sarapiquíamparo ambientalaprovechamiento forestalplan de manejoestudio de impacto ambientalcambio de uso del sueloLey ForestalSINACdecomiso de maderadenuncia penal ambientalMunicipalidad de Sarapiquí

English translation (3,545 chars)

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