With this third edition guide, New Mexico-based biologist, educator, and biological resource consultant Franke hopes to entice visitors to get off the beaten track to enjoy some of the less-visited locations in Costa Rica's national system of parks and preserves--and encourage their preservation in the process. Based on 20-plus years of visiting and working in the region, Franke provides guidelines for trip preparation, an overview of the tropical forest, a look at Costa Rica's conservation history, and the ethics of ecotourism, followed by sections covering the 46 parks found within the country's four regions. Included are park descriptions, locations and directions, visitor facilities, and detailed descriptions of trails and river routes within the parks. The 1999 second edition has been updated throughout to incorporate new information from the past ten years, including changing eco-travel concerns. Illustrated with b&w and color photographs and maps. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)