In zones where little or no primary forest remains, begin protection by acquiring, through the public or private sector, significant positions in the existing secondary forest, as determined by technical rating.

Incorporate ecological elements and criteria in the logging permit evaluation system, which would prevent logging in fragile areas, such as actual or potential biological corridors.

Promote natural or assisted reforestation using native species, proposing special arrangements and species that reproduce the natural structure of the area before intervention.

Promote alternative uses of private forests to minimize their exclusive use for logging, which is known to have a high environmental cost. Some possible activities identified are the sustainable collection of seeds, scientific research, ecotourism under certain conditions, environmental and other education.

Develop the process of environmental education to restrict the use of agricultural practices that are destructive or that seriously affect biodiversity (e.g. burning).

Support the management of public and private institutions that try to stop the persistent conversion of forests.

Explore options with fewer adverse effects on biodiversity and alternatives to massive irrigation, when major hydraulic projects are planned. Also examine alternatives to irrigation as a solution to the economic and social development problems of the countries and the San Juan River Basin. Emphasize efficient use of local resources, implementation of appropriate and environmentally sound technologies, and minimize the environmental impact of economic activity, in particular farming.

Discourage the use of water resources from the Indio, Maíz and Tortuguero rivers, whose waters have the quality to maintain the biodiversity of the Grand Biological Reserve of the Indio-Maíz, in Nicaragua and to protect Tortuguero in Costa Rica.

Expedite the solution of problems of transient farming (particularly inside and around the protected areas) by relocating these people to areas with suitable farming potential.

Establish a solid methodological and environmentally appropriate framework for extracting materials from the beds of rivers and streams.

Draw up a list of rivers and streams where the extraction of construction materials is allowed (requiring permits and imposing regulations to organize the resource base so that it does not impact on all the watercourses and bodies in the basin).

Support strengthening and institutional capacity building (technical, human, and financial) of those organizations responsible for the control and management of wildlife.

Support the publication of a directory of exotic species present in the basin, which defines and explains the environmental problems and risks that these species pose or represent for the basin and support the process of educating the population. It is particularly important to inform policy makers and governments of this problem.

Develop a plan to control erosion problems and address their causes in the areas identified as critical or highly susceptible.

Support the elaboration of a "map of aquatic routes" in the basin, with an accompanying operating manual specifying areas where motorboats should not circulate, fuelling points, prohibited activities (dumping of oil and fuel into the river and other useful information for boat operators, like markers and navigation safety information).

Promote the development of production activities with a low environmental impact, particularly in zones adjacent to protected areas (inside and outside buffer zones).

Promote and support environmental restoration as a socially desirable activity for the sustainable development of the region.