This country regrew its lost forest. Can the world learn from it?

Photos: Paradise restored: how Costa Rica saved its biodiversity

Costa Rica's lush rainforests are home to hundreds of rare species. Endangered great green macaws, with wingspans of up to 90 centimeters, raucously fly through the canopies.

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Photos: Paradise restored: how Costa Rica saved its biodiversity

But the country has not always been a safe haven for wildlife. During the late 20th century, Costa Rica suffered from rampant deforestation, losing between a half and a third of its forest cover.

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Photos: Paradise restored: how Costa Rica saved its biodiversity

A huge political and social effort helped to bring it back from the brink. Today almost 60% of Costa Rica's land is once again covered in rich forest.

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Photos: Paradise restored: how Costa Rica saved its biodiversity

Renowned for its wildlife, the country is home to around half a million plant and animal species.

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Photos: Paradise restored: how Costa Rica saved its biodiversity

Of the 300 plus known species of hummingbird worldwide, at least 50 can be found in Costa Rica. The tiny birds hover and dart from flower to flower, drinking nectar through their long, narrow beaks.

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