{ "id": "nexus-ext-1-0034-129505", "citation": "Res. 00174-2009 Tribunal de Casación Contencioso Administrativo y Civil de Hacienda", "section": "nexus_decisions", "doc_type": "court_decision", "title_es": "Competencia del SINAC como administrador de áreas silvestres protegidas y naturaleza jurídica de su Director Ejecutivo", "title_en": "SINAC's Jurisdiction as Administrator of Protected Wild Areas and Legal Nature of its Executive Director", "summary_es": "Este voto de la mayoría del Tribunal de Casación Contencioso Administrativo y Civil de Hacienda, dentro de un proceso de expropiación, resuelve dos cuestiones jurídicas fundamentales. Primero, determina que la administración de todas las áreas silvestres protegidas (parques nacionales, refugios de vida silvestre, reservas forestales, etc.) corresponde al Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación (SINAC), conforme a una interpretación sistemática de las leyes de Parques Nacionales, Conservación de la Vida Silvestre, Forestal, Orgánica del Ambiente y de Biodiversidad. Los cuerpos previos fueron integrados bajo la estructura del SINAC. Segundo, establece que el Director Ejecutivo del SINAC posee naturaleza representante del sistema, a pesar del silencio de la Ley de Biodiversidad. Aplicando supletoriamente el artículo 103.2 de la Ley General de la Administración Pública, se determina que al existir un órgano deliberativo (Consejo Nacional de Áreas de Conservación) y un funcionario ejecutivo (Director Ejecutivo), la representación recae en este último. En consecuencia, el Director Ejecutivo está facultado para recibir la posesión del bien expropiado y para autorizar a un subalterno en dicha diligencia, desestimando el recurso interpuesto.", "summary_en": "This majority vote by the Contentious Administrative and Civil Treasury Appeals Court in an expropriation proceeding resolves two fundamental legal questions. First, it determines that the administration of all protected wild areas (national parks, wildlife refuges, forest reserves, etc.) corresponds to the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC), based on a systematic interpretation of the National Parks, Wildlife Conservation, Forestry, Organic Environmental, and Biodiversity Laws. The previous bodies were integrated under the SINAC structure. Second, it establishes that the Executive Director of SINAC holds representative authority for the system, despite the Biodiversity Law's silence. By supplementarily applying Article 103.2 of the General Public Administration Law, it rules that when a deliberative body (National Council of Conservation Areas) and an executive officer (Executive Director) coexist, representation falls upon the latter. Consequently, the Executive Director is empowered to receive possession of the expropriated property and to authorize a subordinate in that proceeding, rejecting the appeal.", "court_or_agency": "Tribunal de Casación Contencioso Administrativo y Civil de Hacienda", "date": "2009", "year": "2009", "topic_ids": [], "primary_topic_id": null, "es_concept_hints": [ "SINAC", "áreas silvestres protegidas", "expropiación", "personalidad jurídica instrumental", "desconcentración", "órgano colegiado deliberativo", "Ley General de la Administración Pública" ], "concept_anchors": [ { "article": "Art. 22", "law": "Ley 7788" }, { "article": "Art. 23", "law": "Ley 7788" }, { "article": "Art. 24", "law": "Ley 7788" }, { "article": "Art. 25", "law": "Ley 7788" }, { "article": "Art. 26", "law": "Ley 7788" }, { "article": "Art. 28", "law": "Ley 7788" }, { "article": "Art. 103", "law": "Ley 6227" }, { "article": "Art. 89", "law": "Ley 6227" } ], "keywords_es": [ "SINAC", "áreas silvestres protegidas", "expropiación", "Directorio Ejecutivo", "Ley de Biodiversidad", "Ley General de la Administración Pública", "representación legal", "competencia ambiental", "MINAET", "naturaleza jurídica" ], "keywords_en": [ "SINAC", "protected wild areas", "expropriation", "Executive Director", "Biodiversity Law", "General Public Administration Law", "legal representation", "environmental jurisdiction", "MINAET", "legal nature" ], "excerpt_es": "En suma, es incuestionable que la administración de las áreas silvestres protegidas corresponde al Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación, y en ese entenido le corresponde recibir la posesión del bien expropiado en este asunto. [...] Tal y como se desprende de su propia denominación y de sus funciones, tiene naturaleza primordialmente ejecutiva, pero además de ello, es representante, pues, pese a que la Ley de Biodiversidad es omisa en señalar a cuál de estos órganos corresponde la representación del Sistema, resulta aplicable la Ley General de la Administración Pública para definir este aspecto. Ley cuyo numeral 103 párrafo segundo dispone que cuando \"a la par del órgano deliberante haya un gerente o un funcionario ejecutivo, éste tendrá la representación del ente o servicio\".", "excerpt_en": "In sum, it is unquestionable that the administration of protected wild areas corresponds to the National System of Conservation Areas, and it is therefore responsible for receiving possession of the expropriated property in this matter. [...] As follows from its own designation and functions, it has a primarily executive nature, but additionally, it is a representative, because, despite the Biodiversity Law's omission in designating which of these bodies holds representation for the System, the General Public Administration Law is applicable to define this aspect. That Law, in the second paragraph of Article 103, provides that when \"alongside the deliberative body there is a manager or an executive officer, the latter shall represent the entity or service.\"", "outcome": { "label_en": "Denied", "label_es": "Rechazado", "summary_en": "The appeal is denied, upholding that SINAC is the administrator of protected wild areas and that its Executive Director holds legal representation to receive possession of the expropriated property.", "summary_es": "Se declara sin lugar el recurso de apelación, confirmándose que el SINAC es el administrador de las áreas silvestres protegidas y que su Director Ejecutivo tiene la representación legal para recibir la posesión del bien expropiado." }, "pull_quotes": [ { "context": "Considerando III", "quote_en": "In sum, it is unquestionable that the administration of protected wild areas corresponds to the National System of Conservation Areas, and it is therefore responsible for receiving possession of the expropriated property in this matter.", "quote_es": "En suma, es incuestionable que la administración de las áreas silvestres protegidas corresponde al Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación, y en ese entenido le corresponde recibir la posesión del bien expropiado en este asunto." }, { "context": "Considerando IV", "quote_en": "despite the Biodiversity Law's omission in designating which of these bodies holds representation for the System, the General Public Administration Law is applicable to define this aspect. That Law, in the second paragraph of Article 103, provides that when 'alongside the deliberative body there is a manager or an executive officer, the latter shall represent the entity or service.'", "quote_es": "pese a que la Ley de Biodiversidad es omisa en señalar a cuál de estos órganos corresponde la representación del Sistema, resulta aplicable la Ley General de la Administración Pública para definir este aspecto. Ley cuyo numeral 103 párrafo segundo dispone que cuando 'a la par del órgano deliberante haya un gerente o un funcionario ejecutivo, éste tendrá la representación del ente o servicio'." } ], "cites": [], "cited_by": [], "references": { "internal": [ { "target_id": "norm-39796", "kind": "concept_anchor", "label": "Ley 7788 Art. 22" }, { "target_id": "norm-13231", "kind": "concept_anchor", "label": "Ley 6227 Art. 103" } ], "external": [] }, "source_url": "https://nexuspj.poder-judicial.go.cr/document/ext-1-0034-129505", "tier": 2, "_editorial_citation_count": 0, "regulations_by_article": null, "amendments_by_article": null, "dictamen_by_article": null, "concordancias_by_article": null, "afectaciones_by_article": null, "resoluciones_by_article": null, "cited_by_votos": [], "cited_norms": [], "cited_norms_inverted": [ { "doc_id": "norm-12648", "norm_num": "7317", "norm_name": "Ley de Conservación de la Vida Silvestre", "tipo_norma": "Ley", "norm_fecha": "30/10/1992" }, { "doc_id": "norm-27738", "norm_num": "7554", "norm_name": "Ley Orgánica del Ambiente", "tipo_norma": "Ley", "norm_fecha": "04/10/1995" }, { "doc_id": "norm-39796", "norm_num": "7788", "norm_name": "Ley de Biodiversidad", "tipo_norma": "Ley", "norm_fecha": "30/04/1998" }, { "doc_id": "norm-41661", "norm_num": "7575", "norm_name": "Ley Forestal", "tipo_norma": "Ley", "norm_fecha": "13/02/1996" }, { "doc_id": "norm-8216", "norm_num": "6084", "norm_name": "Ley del Servicio de Parques Nacionales", "tipo_norma": "Ley", "norm_fecha": "24/08/1977" } ], "sentencias_relacionadas": [], "temas_y_subtemas": [], "cascade_only": false, "amendment_count": 0, "body_es_text": "“III.-\r\nCompetencia del Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación sobre las Áreas Silvestres\r\nProtegidas. En la Ley\r\nde Creación del Servicio de\r\nParques Nacionales, no.\r\n6084 de 1977, se encomendó al Servicio\r\nde Parques Nacionales la función de desarrollar y administrar los parques nacionales, otorgándole, entre otras atribuciones, velar por la conservación de aquéllos (disposiciones 1 y 3 inciso d). Este órgano inicialmente perteneció al Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería, y luego fue trasladado\r\nal Ministerio de Ambiente y\r\nEnergía, mediante su Ley Orgánica,\r\nno. 7152 de 1990 (modificada a su\r\nvez por la Ley\r\nde Fortalecimiento y Modernización\r\nde las Entidades Públicas del Sector Telecomunicaciones,\r\nno. 8660 del 8 de agosto de 2008, que\r\nreformó el nombre al de Ministerio de Ambiente, Energía y Telecomunicaciones (MINAET). Por otro\r\nlado, la planificación, desarrollo y control de la flora y fauna silvestres se encargó a la Dirección\r\n General de Vida Silvestre, órgano\r\ndel mismo Ministerio, al que se confirió la competencia de administrar los refugios de vida silvestre y humedales (artículos 6 y 7 incisos b) y h) de la Ley de Conservación de la Vida Silvestre, no.\r\n7317 del 30 de octubre de 1992). La Administración\r\n Forestal del Estado,\r\nconfiada también al MINAET, tiene como\r\nfunción conservar los recursos forestales\r\ndel país, ubicados en reservas forestales, que comprenden terrenos patrimonio natural del Estado y de particulares, cuya administración, en el primer\r\nsupuesto, atañe a esta cartera (ordinales\r\n5, 6 inciso a) y 13 de la Ley Forestal,\r\nno. 7575 del 13 de febrero de 1996). Posteriormente, la Ley Orgánica\r\ndel Ambiente, no. 7554 del 4 de octubre\r\nde 1996, en el canon 32, reconoció la existencia de zonas o circunscripciones dedicadas a proteger y conservar los recursos naturales\r\nen Costa Rica y a mantener un ambiente\r\nsano y ecológicamente equilibrado, las que unificó bajo\r\nla denominación de áreas\r\nsilvestres protegidas, distinguiendo o clasificándolas\r\nen categorías de manejo: a)\r\nreservas forestales, b) zonas protectoras, c) parques nacionales, d) reservas biológicas, e) refugios nacionales de vida silvestre, f) humedales, y g) monumentos naturales. Según los preceptos 32 y 33 de la norma de comentario, su administración corresponde al MINAET, con la salvedad de los monumentos naturales, que por regla\r\ngeneral, están a cargo de las\r\nmunicipalidades respectivas.\r\nMás adelante, la Ley\r\nde Biodiversidad, no. 7788 del 30 de abril de 1998, en el numeral 58, precisó\r\nla noción de áreas silvestres protegidas al disponer que son zonas geográficas delimitadas, constituidas por terrenos, humedales\r\ny porciones de mar, con significado\r\nespecial por sus ecosistemas, la existencia de especies amenazadas, la repercusión en la reproducción y otras necesidades, y por su representación\r\nhistórica y cultural, dedicadas\r\na conservar y proteger la biodiversidad, el suelo, el recurso hídrico, los recursos culturales\r\ny los servicios de los ecosistemas en general. Esta norma legal instituyó dos órganos con personalidad jurídica\r\ninstrumental, la Comisión Nacional\r\npara la\r\n Gestión de la Biodiversidad\r\n(CONAGEBIO) y el Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación (SINAC) para el manejo y conservación de la biodiversidad\r\n(precepto 13). Además de lo\r\nanterior, en el canon 22, al SINAC, conjuntamente con la competencia\r\nen materia de biodiversidad,\r\nse le adicionó la protección\r\ny conservación del uso de cuencas hidrográficas, así como la función\r\nde integrar “las competencias en materia\r\nforestal, vida silvestre, áreas protegidas y el Ministerio de Ambiente y\r\nEnergía, con el fin de dictar políticas, planificar y ejecutar procesos\r\ndirigidos a lograr la sostenibilidad en el manejo de\r\nlos recursos naturales en Costa Rica”. Para ello\r\nse ordenó a la Dirección\r\n General de Vida Silvestre, la Administración\r\n Forestal del Estado\r\ny al Servicio de Parques Nacionales, ejercer sus funciones y competencias como una sola instancia,\r\nmediante la estructura administrativa del Sistema. De lo\r\nanterior se desprende que hasta 1998, la administración y conservación de los parques nacionales, refugios de vida silvestre, reservas forestales del patrimonio natural\r\ndel Estado, y en general de todas\r\nlas áreas silvestres protegidas, estuvo encargada directamente a MINAET, a través de la Dirección General de\r\nVida Silvestre, la\r\n Administración Forestal\r\ndel Estado y el Servicio de\r\nParques Nacionales. Con la Ley\r\nde Biodiversidad estas competencias se confirieron al SINAC, como órgano\r\nadscrito al mismo Ministerio, pero que goza de desconcentración\r\ny personalidad jurídica\r\ninstrumental, en el tanto el legislador\r\ndispuso que aquellas dependencias debían ejercer sus funciones a través de la estructura del último. Mandato que se confirma en la norma 28 de la misma ley, en la que se encarga a las Áreas\r\nde Conservación la aplicación\r\nde las leyes que rigen su\r\nmateria, entre ellas, la Ley de Conservación\r\nde Vida Silvestre, la Ley Forestal, la Ley Orgánica del Ambiente\r\ny la Ley\r\nde Creación del Servicio de\r\nParques Nacionales. En suma, es incuestionable\r\nque la administración de las áreas silvestres\r\nprotegidas corresponde al Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación, y en ese entenido le corresponde\r\nrecibir la posesión del\r\nbien expropiado en este asunto. \n\r\n\r\n\nIV.- Naturaleza\r\nJurídica del Director Ejecutivo\r\ndel Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación. Reclama la apelante que el Director Ejecutivo del SINAC no tiene\r\nrepresentación que le faculte a recibir en posesión bienes inmuebles, y\r\nque por lo tanto no podía autorizar en este caso al licenciado Blanco Araya. El\r\nartículo 23 de la Ley\r\nde Biodiversidad establece la estructura del SINAC, y\r\ndispone que estará conformado por el Consejo Nacional\r\nde Áreas de Conservación, la Secretaría Ejecutiva, las estructuras\r\nadministrativas de las Áreas de Conservación, los consejos regionales de Áreas\r\nde Conservación, y los consejos locales. El Consejo Nacional de Áreas de\r\nConservación es un órgano colegiado y de carácter deliberativo, como\r\nse desprende de los cánones 24 y 25 de la misma norma; conforme a los cuales,\r\nse encuentra integrado por el Ministro del Ambiente y Energía (quien preside),\r\nel Director Ejecutivo del Sistema (que actúa como secretario), el Director\r\nEjecutivo de la\r\n Oficina Técnica de la CONAGEBIO, los\r\ndirectores de cada Área de Conservación, y un representante de cada Consejo\r\nRegional de las Áreas de Conservación (ordinal 24). Sus funciones son “1.-\r\nDefinir la ejecución de las estrategias y políticas tendientes a la\r\nconsolidación y desarrollo del Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación, y\r\nvigilar que se ejecuten. / 2.- Supervisar y fiscalizar la correcta gestión\r\ntécnica y administrativa de las Áreas de Conservación. / 3.- Coordinar, en\r\nforma conjuntamente con la\r\n Comisión, la elaboración y actualización de la Estrategia nacional\r\npara la conservación y el uso sostenible de la biodiversidad, la cual deberá\r\nser ampliamente consultada con la sociedad civil y coordinada debidamente con\r\ntodo el sector público, dentro del marco de cada una de las Áreas de\r\nConservación. / 4.- Definir estrategias y políticas relacionadas con la\r\nconsolidación y el desarrollo de las áreas protegidas estatales, así como\r\nsupervisar su manejo. / 5.- Aprobar las estrategias, la estructura de los\r\nórganos administrativos de las áreas protegidas y los planes y presupuestos\r\nanuales de las Áreas de Conservación. / 6.- Recomendar la creación de nuevas\r\náreas protegidas que aumenten su categoría de protección. / 7.- Realizar\r\nauditorias técnicas y administrativas para la vigilancia del buen manejo de las\r\nÁreas de Conservación y sus áreas protegidas. / 8.- Establecer los lineamientos\r\ny directrices para hacer coherentes las estructuras, mecanismos administrativos\r\ny reglamentos de las Áreas de Conservación. / 9.- Nombrar de una terna\r\npropuesta por los consejos regionales, los directores de las Áreas de\r\nConservación. / 10.- Aprobar las solicitudes de concesión indicadas en el\r\nartículo 39 de esta ley. / 11.- Otras funciones necesarias para cumplir con los\r\nobjetivos de esta y otras leyes relacionadas con las funciones del Sistema”\r\n(precepto 25); de ellas se extrae, según se dijo, su carácter deliberativo. Por\r\nsu parte, el Director Ejecutivo tiene a su cargo la ejecución de las\r\ndirectrices y decisiones del Consejo, así como la representación de éste último\r\nen la CONAGEBIO\r\n(disposición 26). Tal y como se desprende de su propia denominación y de sus\r\nfunciones, tiene naturaleza primordialmente ejecutiva, pero además de\r\nello, es representante, pues, pese a que la Ley de Biodiversidad es omisa\r\nen señalar a cuál de estos órganos corresponde la representación del Sistema,\r\nresulta aplicable la Ley\r\n General de la Administración Pública\r\npara definir este aspecto. Ley cuyo numeral 103 párrafo segundo dispone que\r\ncuando “a la par del órgano deliberante haya un gerente o un funcionario\r\nejecutivo, éste tendrá la representación del ente o servicio”. De este modo\r\nel Director del SINAC, además de ser un órgano\r\nejecutivo, también posee naturaleza representante. Así las cosas, no\r\nlleva razón el recurrente en cuanto afirma que el Director no tiene capacidad\r\npara recibir en posesión el bien a expropiar, pues como se dijo, en esta figura\r\nes que recae la representación del Sistema, y es éste, entonces, el llamado a\r\nactuar en nombre del SINAC, como administrador de las\r\náreas silvestres protegidas, en el presente proceso. En esa calidad, el titular\r\nestá facultado para autorizar la participación de su subalterno en la\r\ndiligencia de puesta en posesión, de conformidad con el artículo 89 también de la Ley General de la Administración Pública.”", "body_en_text": "**III.-\nJurisdiction of the National System of Conservation Areas over Protected Wild Areas.** In the Law on the Creation of the National Parks Service, no. 6084 of 1977, the duty of developing and administering national parks was entrusted to the National Parks Service, granting it, among other attributions, the task of ensuring the conservation thereof (provisions 1 and 3 subsection d). This body initially belonged to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, and was later transferred to the Ministry of Environment and Energy, through its Organic Law, no. 7152 of 1990 (amended in turn by the Law on the Strengthening and Modernization of Public Entities in the Telecommunications Sector, no. 8660 of August 8, 2008, which reformed the name to the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Telecommunications (MINAET). On the other hand, the planning, development and control of wild flora and fauna were tasked to the General Directorate of Wildlife, a body of the same Ministry, which was conferred the jurisdiction to administer wildlife refuges (refugios de vida silvestre) and wetlands (Articles 6 and 7 subsections b) and h) of the Wildlife Conservation Law, no. 7317 of October 30, 1992). The State Forestry Administration, also entrusted to MINAET, has the function of conserving the country's forest resources, located in forest reserves (reservas forestales), which comprise lands that are natural heritage of the State and of private individuals, whose administration, in the first case, pertains to this ministry (ordinals 5, 6 subsection a) and 13 of the Forestry Law, no. 7575 of February 13, 1996). Subsequently, the Organic Law of the Environment, no. 7554 of October 4, 1996, in canon 32, recognized the existence of zones or circumscriptions dedicated to protecting and conserving natural resources in Costa Rica and to maintaining a healthy and ecologically balanced environment, which it unified under the denomination of protected wild areas (áreas silvestres protegidas), distinguishing or classifying them into management categories: a) forest reserves, b) protective zones (zonas protectoras), c) national parks, d) biological reserves, e) national wildlife refuges, f) wetlands, and g) natural monuments. According to precepts 32 and 33 of the rule under comment, their administration corresponds to MINAET, with the exception of natural monuments, which, as a general rule, are the responsibility of the respective municipalities.\n\nFurther on, the Biodiversity Law, no. 7788 of April 30, 1998, in numeral 58, specified the notion of protected wild areas by establishing that they are delimited geographical zones, constituted by lands, wetlands and portions of sea, with special significance due to their ecosystems, the existence of threatened species, the impact on reproduction and other needs, and for their historical and cultural representation, dedicated to conserving and protecting biodiversity, the soil, water resources, cultural resources and ecosystem services in general. This legal rule instituted two bodies with instrumental legal personality, the National Commission for Biodiversity Management (CONAGEBIO) and the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) for the management and conservation of biodiversity (precept 13). In addition to the above, in canon 22, to SINAC, jointly with the jurisdiction in biodiversity matters, was added the protection and conservation of the use of watersheds, as well as the function of integrating \"the competencies in forestry, wildlife, protected areas and the Ministry of Environment and Energy, in order to issue policies, plan and execute processes aimed at achieving sustainability in the management of natural resources in Costa Rica\". For this purpose, the General Directorate of Wildlife, the State Forestry Administration and the National Parks Service were ordered to exercise their functions and competencies as a single entity, through the administrative structure of the System. From the above it follows that until 1998, the administration and conservation of national parks, wildlife refuges, forest reserves that are part of the State's natural heritage, and in general of all the protected wild areas, was directly entrusted to MINAET, through the General Directorate of Wildlife, the State Forestry Administration and the National Parks Service. With the Biodiversity Law, these competencies were conferred upon SINAC, as a body attached to the same Ministry, but which enjoys deconcentration and instrumental legal personality, insofar as the legislator provided that those dependencies had to exercise their functions through the structure of the latter. A mandate that is confirmed in rule 28 of the same law, in which the Conservation Areas are tasked with the application of the laws governing their subject matter, among them, the Wildlife Conservation Law, the Forestry Law, the Organic Law of the Environment and the Law on the Creation of the National Parks Service. In sum, it is unquestionable that the administration of the protected wild areas corresponds to the National System of Conservation Areas, and in that understanding, it is responsible for receiving possession of the expropriated property in this matter.\n\n\n**IV.- Legal Nature of the Executive Director of the National System of Conservation Areas.** The appellant claims that the Executive Director of SINAC does not have the representation that empowers him to receive real estate into possession, and that therefore, he could not authorize Mr. Blanco Araya in this case. Article 23 of the Biodiversity Law establishes the structure of SINAC, and provides that it shall be composed of the National Council of Conservation Areas, the Executive Secretariat, the administrative structures of the Conservation Areas, the regional councils of Conservation Areas, and the local councils. The National Council of Conservation Areas is a collegiate body of a deliberative nature, as follows from canons 24 and 25 of the same rule; according to which, it is composed of the Minister of Environment and Energy (who presides), the Executive Director of the System (who acts as secretary), the Executive Director of the Technical Office of CONAGEBIO, the directors of each Conservation Area, and a representative from each Regional Council of the Conservation Areas (ordinal 24). Its functions are \"1.- To define the execution of strategies and policies aimed at the consolidation and development of the National System of Conservation Areas, and to oversee their execution. / 2.- To supervise and audit the correct technical and administrative management of the Conservation Areas. / 3.- To coordinate, jointly with the Commission, the preparation and updating of the National Strategy for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, which must be widely consulted with civil society and duly coordinated with the entire public sector, within the framework of each of the Conservation Areas. / 4.- To define strategies and policies related to the consolidation and development of state protected areas, as well as to supervise their management. / 5.- To approve the strategies, the structure of the administrative bodies of the protected areas and the annual plans and budgets of the Conservation Areas. / 6.- To recommend the creation of new protected areas that increase their protection category. / 7.- To carry out technical and administrative audits for the oversight of the good management of the Conservation Areas and their protected areas. / 8.- To establish guidelines and directives to make coherent the structures, administrative mechanisms and regulations of the Conservation Areas. / 9.- To appoint, from a list of three candidates proposed by the regional councils, the directors of the Conservation Areas. / 10.- To approve the concession requests indicated in article 39 of this law. / 11.- Other functions necessary to fulfill the objectives of this and other laws related to the functions of the System\" (precept 25); from these, as stated, its deliberative character is extracted. For its part, the Executive Director is in charge of executing the guidelines and decisions of the Council, as well as representing the latter in CONAGEBIO (provision 26). As follows from its own denomination and its functions, it has a primarily executive nature, but in addition to this, it is a representative, because, despite the fact that the Biodiversity Law is silent on indicating which of these bodies corresponds to the representation of the System, the General Law of Public Administration is applicable to define this aspect. A Law whose numeral 103, second paragraph, provides that when \"alongside the deliberative body there is a manager or an executive official, the latter shall have the representation of the entity or service\". In this way, the Director of SINAC, besides being an executive body, also possesses a representative nature. Thus, the appellant is not correct in asserting that the Director lacks the capacity to receive the property to be expropriated into possession, because as stated, it is in this figure that the representation of the System resides, and it is this person, then, who is called to act on behalf of SINAC, as administrator of the protected wild areas, in the present proceeding. In that capacity, the office holder is empowered to authorize the participation of his subordinate in the possession transfer proceeding, in accordance with article 89 also of the General Law of Public Administration.\n\nFrom the foregoing, it follows that until 1998, the administration and conservation of national parks (parques nacionales), wildlife refuges (refugios de vida silvestre), forest reserves (reservas forestales) of the State's natural heritage (patrimonio natural del Estado), and in general all protected wilderness areas (áreas silvestres protegidas), was directly entrusted to MINAET, through the General Directorate of Wildlife (Dirección General de Vida Silvestre), the State Forestry Administration (Administración Forestal del Estado) and the National Parks Service (Servicio de Parques Nacionales). With the Biodiversity Law (Ley de Biodiversidad), these powers were conferred upon SINAC, as a body attached to the same Ministry, but which enjoys deconcentration (desconcentración) and instrumental legal personality (personalidad jurídica instrumental), insofar as the legislator provided that those dependencies should exercise their functions through the structure of the latter. A mandate that is confirmed in Article 28 of the same law, in which the Conservation Areas (Áreas de Conservación) are entrusted with the application of the laws governing their subject matter, among them, the Wildlife Conservation Law (Ley de Conservación de Vida Silvestre), the Forestry Law (Ley Forestal), the Organic Law of the Environment (Ley Orgánica del Ambiente) and the Law Creating the National Parks Service (Ley de Creación del Servicio de Parques Nacionales). In sum, it is unquestionable that the administration of the protected wilderness areas corresponds to the National System of Conservation Areas (Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación), and in that sense it is responsible for receiving possession of the expropriated property in this matter.\n\n**IV.- Legal Nature (Naturaleza Jurídica) of the Executive Director of the National System of Conservation Areas**. The appellant claims that the Executive Director of SINAC does not have representation that empowers him to receive possession of real estate, and that therefore he could not authorize Mr. Blanco Araya in this case. Article 23 of the Biodiversity Law establishes the structure of SINAC, and provides that it shall be composed of the National Council of Conservation Areas (Consejo Nacional de Áreas de Conservación), the Executive Secretariat (Secretaría Ejecutiva), the administrative structures of the Conservation Areas, the regional councils of Conservation Areas, and the local councils. The **National Council of Conservation Areas** is a **collegiate and deliberative body (órgano colegiado y de carácter deliberativo)**, as can be inferred from canons 24 and 25 of the same regulation; pursuant to which, it is composed of the Minister of Environment and Energy (who presides), the Executive Director of the System (who acts as secretary), the Executive Director of the Technical Office (Oficina Técnica) of CONAGEBIO, the directors of each Conservation Area, and one representative from each Regional Council of the Conservation Areas (subsection 24). Its functions are: “*1.- To define the execution of the strategies and policies aimed at the consolidation and development of the National System of Conservation Areas, and to monitor their execution. / 2.- To supervise and oversee the correct technical and administrative management of the Conservation Areas. / 3.- To coordinate, jointly with the Commission, the drafting and updating of the national Strategy for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, which must be widely consulted with civil society and duly coordinated with the entire public sector, within the framework of each of the Conservation Areas. / 4.- To define strategies and policies related to the consolidation and development of state protected areas, as well as to supervise their management. / 5.- To approve the strategies, the structure of the administrative bodies of the protected areas, and the annual plans and budgets of the Conservation Areas. / 6.- To recommend the creation of new protected areas that increase their protection category. / 7.- To carry out technical and administrative audits for the oversight of the proper management of the Conservation Areas and their protected areas. / 8.- To establish the guidelines and directives to make coherent the structures, administrative mechanisms and regulations of the Conservation Areas. / 9.- To appoint the directors of the Conservation Areas from a shortlist of three candidates proposed by the regional councils. / 10.- To approve the concession applications indicated in Article 39 of this law. / 11.- Other functions necessary to fulfill the objectives of this and other laws related to the functions of the System*” (precept 25); from these, as stated, its deliberative character is extracted. For its part, the **Executive Director** is in charge of executing the guidelines and decisions of the Council, as well as representing the latter in CONAGEBIO (provision 26). As can be inferred from its own denomination and its functions, it has a **primarily executive nature**, but in addition to that, it is a **representative**, because, although the Biodiversity Law is silent regarding which of these bodies corresponds to the representation of the System, the General Law of Public Administration (Ley General de la Administración Pública) is applicable to define this aspect. Law whose numeral 103, second paragraph, provides that when “*alongside the deliberative body there is a manager or an executive official, the latter shall have the representation of the entity or service*”. In this way, the Director of SINAC, in addition to being an executive body, also possesses a **representative nature**. Thus, the appellant is incorrect in asserting that the Director does not have the capacity to receive possession of the property to be expropriated, because as stated, it is in this figure that the representation of the System rests, and it is he, then, who is called to act on behalf of SINAC, as administrator of the protected wilderness areas, in the present proceeding. In that capacity, the officeholder is empowered to authorize the participation of his subordinate in the possession-granting proceeding, in accordance with Article 89 also of the General Law of Public Administration.”\n\nThe State Forest Administration (Administración Forestal del Estado), also entrusted to MINAET, has the function of conserving the country’s forest resources, located in forest reserves, which comprise lands that are part of the State's natural heritage and those of private individuals, whose administration, in the first case, pertains to this ministry (clauses 5, 6 (a), and 13 of the Forest Law (Ley Forestal), No. 7575 of February 13, 1996). Subsequently, the Organic Law of the Environment (Ley Orgánica del Ambiente), No. 7554 of October 4, 1996, in canon 32, recognized the existence of areas or circumscriptions dedicated to protecting and conserving natural resources in Costa Rica and to maintaining a healthy and ecologically balanced environment, which it unified under the designation of **wild protected areas (áreas silvestres protegidas)**, distinguishing or classifying them into management categories: a) forest reserves, b) protected zones, c) national parks, d) biological reserves, e) national wildlife refuges, f) wetlands, and g) natural monuments. According to precepts 32 and 33 of the aforementioned regulation, their administration corresponds to MINAET, with the exception of natural monuments, which, as a general rule, are in charge of the respective municipalities. Later, the Biodiversity Law (Ley de Biodiversidad), No. 7788 of April 30, 1998, in numeral 58, clarified the notion of wild protected areas by establishing that they are delimited geographic zones, constituted by lands, wetlands, and portions of sea, with special significance for their ecosystems, the existence of threatened species, their impact on reproduction and other needs, and for their historical and cultural representation, dedicated to conserving and protecting biodiversity, the soil, water resources (recurso hídrico), cultural resources, and ecosystem services in general. This legal norm established two bodies with instrumental legal personality, the National Commission for the Management of Biodiversity (CONAGEBIO) and the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) for the management and conservation of biodiversity (precept 13). In addition to the foregoing, in canon 22, the function of protecting and conserving the use of hydrographic basins was added to SINAC, jointly with its competence in biodiversity matters, as well as the function of integrating “the competencies in forestry, wildlife, protected areas, and the Ministry of Environment and Energy, in order to dictate policies, plan, and execute processes aimed at achieving sustainability in the management of natural resources in Costa Rica.” For this purpose, the General Directorate of Wildlife, the State Forest Administration, and the National Parks Service were ordered to exercise their functions and competencies as a single instance, through the administrative structure of the System. From the foregoing it follows that until 1998, the administration and conservation of national parks, wildlife refuges, forest reserves of the State's natural heritage, and in general all wild protected areas, was directly entrusted to MINAET, through the General Directorate of Wildlife, the State Forest Administration, and the National Parks Service. With the Biodiversity Law, these competencies were conferred upon SINAC, as a body attached to the same Ministry, but which enjoys deconcentration and instrumental legal personality, insofar as the legislator provided that those dependencies must exercise their functions through the latter’s structure. A mandate that is confirmed in norm 28 of the same law, in which the Conservation Areas are entrusted with the application of the laws governing their subject matter, among them, the Wildlife Conservation Law, the Forest Law, the Organic Law of the Environment, and the Law Creating the National Parks Service. In sum, it is unquestionable that the administration of wild protected areas corresponds to the National System of Conservation Areas, and in that sense, it is incumbent upon it to receive possession of the expropriated property in this matter.\n\n**IV.- Legal Nature (Naturaleza Jurídica) of the Executive Director (Director Ejecutivo) of the National System of Conservation Areas.** The appellant claims that the Executive Director of SINAC does not have the capacity to receive real property into possession, and therefore could not authorize attorney Blanco Araya in this case. Article 23 of the Biodiversity Law establishes the structure of SINAC and provides that it shall be composed of the National Council of Conservation Areas, the Executive Secretariat, the administrative structures of the Conservation Areas, the regional councils of Conservation Areas, and the local councils. The **National Council of Conservation Areas** is a **collegiate and deliberative body**, as follows from canons 24 and 25 of the same norm; according to which, it is composed of the Minister of Environment and Energy (who presides), the Executive Director of the System (who acts as secretary), the Executive Director of the Technical Office of CONAGEBIO, the directors of each Conservation Area, and a representative from each Regional Council of the Conservation Areas (clause 24). Its functions are “*1.- Define the execution of strategies and policies aimed at the consolidation and development of the National System of Conservation Areas, and oversee their execution. / 2.- Supervise and audit the correct technical and administrative management of the Conservation Areas. / 3.- Coordinate, jointly with the Commission, the preparation and updating of the national Strategy for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, which must be widely consulted with civil society and duly coordinated with the entire public sector, within the framework of each of the Conservation Areas. / 4.- Define strategies and policies related to the consolidation and development of state protected areas, as well as supervise their management. / 5.- Approve the strategies, the structure of the administrative bodies of the protected areas, and the annual plans and budgets of the Conservation Areas. / 6.- Recommend the creation of new protected areas that increase their protection category. / 7.- Conduct technical and administrative audits for the oversight of the good management of the Conservation Areas and their protected areas. / 8.- Establish the guidelines and directives to make the structures, administrative mechanisms, and regulations of the Conservation Areas coherent. / 9.- Appoint the directors of the Conservation Areas from a shortlist proposed by the regional councils. / 10.- Approve the concession requests indicated in article 39 of this law. / 11.- Other functions necessary to fulfill the objectives of this and other laws related to the functions of the System*” (precept 25); from these, its deliberative character is extracted, as was stated. For its part, the **Executive Director** is in charge of executing the directives and decisions of the Council, as well as representing the latter in CONAGEBIO (provision 26). As follows from its own denomination and its functions, it has **primarily executive nature**, but in addition to that, it is a **representative**, for, although the Biodiversity Law is silent on which of these bodies corresponds to the representation of the System, the General Law of Public Administration (Ley General de la Administración Pública) is applicable to define this aspect. A law whose numeral 103, second paragraph, provides that when “*alongside the deliberative body there is a manager or an executive officer, the latter shall have the representation of the entity or service*”. In this way, the Director of SINAC, besides being an executive body, also possesses **representative nature**. Thus, the appellant is not correct in asserting that the Director lacks the capacity to receive the property to be expropriated into possession, for as stated, it is in this figure that the representation of the System resides, and it is this, then, which is called upon to act in the name of SINAC, as administrator of the wild protected areas, in the present proceeding. In that capacity, the titleholder is empowered to authorize the participation of their subordinate in the possession delivery proceeding, in accordance with article 89 also of the General Law of Public Administration." }