1. Reforestation Projects: Areas without forest are established as priorities for the execution of reforestation projects based on the following criteria:
a). Sites that present a high productive potential for the development of forest plantations, with the exception of land-use capacity classes VII and VIII (Methodology for the Determination of the Land-Use Capacity of Costa Rica, Executive Decree No. 23214-MAG-MIRENEM).
b). For reforestation projects with species contained in the bans decrees and threatened or endangered species (Decree No. 25663-MINAE and Decree No. 25700-MINAE), the entire country is established as a priority.
c). For reforestation projects established in the protection areas according to Article No. 33 of the Forest Law No. 7575, the entire country will be considered a priority.
d). Sites where there is a high potential for plantation blocks, giving special priority to projects that use improved genetic material.
e). Areas where reforestation projects financed through incentives were carried out and that have complied with the approved management plans and the validity period may be included.
2. Forest Protection and Forest Protection in Conservation Gaps Projects: Areas with the following criteria are established as priorities for the execution of forest protection projects:
a). Private lands located within the conservation gaps identified by (Proposal of Territorial Planning for the conservation of biodiversity in Costa Rica (GRÚAS II), shall be priorities:
- As priority 1, conservation gaps on private lands within Protected Wild Areas (ASP).
- As priority 2, conservation gaps on private lands within Biological Corridors.
- As priority 3, conservation gaps on private lands outside ASP and Biological Corridors.
b). Private lands within ASP and outside conservation gaps.
c). Private lands within Biological Corridors and outside conservation gaps.
d). Lands located within the Indigenous Territories of the country.
e). Protection projects on properties that have subscribed to payment for environmental services contracts in previous years, on the condition that they comply with the provisions of the Manual of Administrative Procedures published in Resolution 01-2009 in La Gaceta 46 of Friday, March 6, 2009. The validity of the new contracts shall begin the day after the expiration date of the previous contract.
f). Properties that have contracts under the Forest Management PSA modality and that submit a pre-application to enter the forest protection modality, provided they comply with the other requirements established in the cited Manual and their validity period ends in the same year the new pre-application is submitted.
g). Privately owned properties located within protected wild areas that have not yet been purchased or expropriated by the State.
h). Sites with forest located in districts with a Social Development Index (IDS) of less than 40% according to the determination made by MIDEPLAN (2007).
3. Water Resource Protection Projects: Areas with the following criteria are established as priorities for the execution of forest protection projects:
a). Private lands with forest within the basin where the environmental service of water protection is generated, located in zones of importance for the proven sustainability of the water regime, in accordance with the criteria defined in the National Plans and Programs on this matter, as established in Article 14 of Executive Decree No. 32868-MINAE, published in La Gaceta No. 21, of January 30, 2006 (Fee for the Concept of Water Use).
b). Private lands with forest located in the areas of water importance identified by the Department of Water and FONAFIFO, or other MINAE(*) bodies.
(*)(Thus amended its name by Article 11 of Law "Transfer of the Telecommunications sector from the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Telecommunications to the Ministry of Science and Technology, No. 9046 of June 25, 2012) c). Forest areas whose main function is the protection of the water resource, considered of interest for rural aqueducts, Aqueduct and Sewer projects, and public service companies, which must be supported by a certification issued by the administrator of the respective aqueduct.
4. Establishment of Forest Trees in Agroforestry Systems (SAF) Projects: Areas without forest with the following criteria are established as priorities for the execution of projects for the establishment of trees in SAF:
a). Lands with land-use capacity VI, V, IV, III in their order of priority, as stipulated by the Methodology for the Determination of the Land-Use Capacity in Costa Rica, Executive Decree No. 23214-MAG-MIRENEM.
b). Areas under specific agreements with FONAFIFO.
c). Priority will be given to projects processed by organizations that have a current agreement with FONAFIFO.
5. Natural Regeneration Projects: Areas without forest with the following criteria are established as priorities for the execution of natural regeneration projects:
a). Natural regeneration projects on pastures and grasslands, which may only be carried out in areas defined as Kyoto lands or others that recognize an additional payment for the carbon credits that FONAFIFO can commercialize, and that were deforested before December 31, 1989.
b). Natural regeneration projects with productive potential on sites with at least one year of abandonment and free of grazing.
In each of the Subregional Offices of SINAC and Regional Offices of FONAFIFO, an updated map with the priority areas shall be maintained to locate the farms that apply to the Payment for Environmental Services Program under the different modalities.