Working Notes from the Second Annual Conference on Ecotourism and
Conservation
Hotel La Quinta, La Ceiba, Honduras
April 17-19, 1996
The following are informal notes taken at the Conference for Ecotourism and
Conservation. This page may be updated in the near future on the Eco Travels
in Latin America web site (http://www.planeta.com) with actual documentation
sent by the speakers.
First, a few thoughts on the event. While I was not the organizer of the
event, I did announce this conference via the Internet and through
professional contacts. Long, long ago (it seems) in November, Tom Ellis and
I fell into a conversation on the Internet - and I can't say I've ever
enjoyed being part of an informal, horizontal network such as much as I have
via this experience. I hadn't heard of the first conference, but I wanted to
be a part of the second.
I come to the field of ecotourism as an environmental writer, yearning for
greater inclusivity in the professional discussion of this topic. Again and
again I find the tour agents talking to tour agents, academics with
academics and government officials with other government officials. Too
often there is a regional focus that excludes the south (I'm living in Miami
and just moved from Austin) while jumping across the border to Latin
America. This conference definitely mixed it up. While attendance from the
Central American tourism secretariats was low (INGUAT sent a
representative), the mixture of North and Central Americans was quite good.
Green Arrow provided a healthy dose of Australian and British participation.
In addition, never have I witnessed an event that could attract both ardent
conservationists and land developers. The discussions involving the value of
mangroves was very interesting. There were roughly 150 people at the
conference - about 15 of whom I had "conversed" with before via email, but
never had the chance to meet... until last week.
What was accomplished: The Environmental Conservation Tourism Association
(ECTA) spearheaded the creation of a scholarship fund for Central American
university students working on issues relating to ecotourism. Look for the
outgrowth of regional networking throughout this year.
Central American community leaders, such as Costa Rica's COOPRENA, made
contact with international tour organizers who want additional information
on booking trips in these areas. What's needed most in the successful
implementation of ecotourism? Clean water (treat it and they will come).
Honduras (and La Ceiba in particular) received extraordinary attention. A
large number of journalists attended the conference, and spent quite a bit
of time outside the conference!
Academics came to the conference and showed an uncommon zeal for connecting
conceptual and practical issues. While the term "ecotourism" was not debated
(thank goodness), it was clear that there were a myriad of interpretations.
I wish I had had the time to attend the Yale forum the week beforehand to
better compare these conferences. I'm growing impatient with academics and
found Leon Watson one of the exceptional exceptions.
The following then are my working notes - quickly transcribed at the
conference on my portable Macintosh laptop. Please note - this is not a
polished story nor is this is a literal transcription; I kept up as best I
could!
Ron Mader
12345 SW 18th Street #417
Miami, FL 33175
Email: ron@txinfinet.com
Web: http://www.planeta.com
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Working Notes from the Second Annual Conference on Ecotourism and
Conservation
"While Costa Rica has been the Switzerland of Central America, Honduras
has been the Albania. Costa Rica gets Mick and Bianca Jagger to protect
the environment, we get Jesse Helms and Ollie North." - Pepe Herrera
April 17
Registration/Welcome
April 18
Yvette Pearson, Eco-Escuela/Honduras Information Network
Welcome... We feel an urgency for tourism sector to unite with local
conservation groups. Eco Escuela was created in 1994 for this purpose.
Students are encouraged to work with local environmental groups. School only
employs qualified Honduran instructors and students stay in local home
stays.
Tom Ellis, Honduras Information Network
Email: poviedo@hondutel.hn
Welcome to the second conference on ecotourism and conservation. Thanks to
our sponsors. Continental always comes through. Workshops in the afternoon:
Internet - Ron Mader (Main Room); Media - Lisa Tabb (Cantina); Private
Sector Involvement in Tourism/Conservation - COOPRENA/Costa Rica
(Restaurant)
Margie Dip, Mayor of La Ceiba
Dear visitors, welcome to La Ceiba, the ever hospitable city of Honduras.
Birthstone of NA company Standard Fruit, which sells the famous Dole
bananas, pineapples. Between Caribbean and Sierra de los Dios mountain
chain. La Ceiba is the third largest city in Honduras.
Home to a booming ecotourism industry, which takes advantage of impossibly
green rainforests, world class white water rivers and an island chain that
is part of the second major barrier reef in the world. La Ceiba is a hub to
travel to the Bay Islands and La Mosquitia.
Margie Scanlon, ECTA
Scholarship program bringing together people dedicated to finding connection
between conservation and tourism. ECTA created a forum for discussion - we
meet in New York and Washington, DC and Philadelphia. It's just a matter of
sharing information; we have some great people involved in our scholarship
program. Jack Schuster is with the University of Guatemala del Valle. New
alliance for tourism and conservation - these people will start the network
to let people know what is happening in Honduras and Guatemala. Purpose is
information exchange. We know that it works from our work with ECTA. It's
not just throwing money at a problem
Lupina McMains
Continental Airlines
Continental - Latin America is important to us and welcome to this beautiful
paradise that you came here to see. This is my second visit to Honduras; I
have seen more of the people and the beauty you have here, as well as in El
Salvador and Guatemala. Continental knows that, and gives more effort to
give you a better service. We support you to make people aware of why
tourists should come to these beautiful countries. We put together a video.
Commitment to ecotourism.
Mike Sahlen
Anthony's Key Resort
great photos
Patrick Downes
Audubon Society
Honduras Tourism - Think there was a lot of excitement in the room when we
had this meeting a year ago. Thought that Honduras was on the brink of
something big. There has been some progress. The scuba diving - a mature
market - is growing, something whose time has come. In terms of nature, we
have been working on product extension to broaden the market, see what kind
of nature will draw. Lot to offer. Infrastructure is improving. From
archaeological perspective - don't know when the Copan museum will open.
Tourism Institute. Misdirection with other countries - hearing interesting
things from Guatemala, joint tourism operations with Honduras. Audubon will
open chapter in the Bay Islands. HTI's Opening of office in Miami will help.
Sorrel Downs
Green Arrow Guide
(GET COPY) Tourism's traditional yardstick of success is the density of the
highly developed resources. Places are ranked up and down on this scale and
judged by first world standards. Once a country is in, it's in. When a
country is out, it's out. Ill-fated Papagayo Project in Costa Rica. Problem
- country profiles - 20 times more for the Yucatan than Honduras
As journalists, we saw Internet as a means to promote places in Central
America that weren't normally written about. Green Arrow receives 170,000
access per month. $50 per page. Front cover ad on most highly accessed
magazine Hotwired, 200,000 accesses per day costs $15,000 for AT&T. Access
on travel index - $15/month. Equalizes travel - small to medium businesses
never had this opportunity for exposure; make up the bulk of new businesses
on the web.
Small ecolodges have ability to advertise to international audience for the
first time. Can communicate afterwards for reservations. Tourists can make
inquiries and book for the call of a local call. Great potential for
customer interaction - to a greater degree than ever before with traditional
media.
Big help for Central America where there are so many lingering doubts.
Reunite ecotourism and conservation - which are divorced using traditional
media. Enjoy the natural resources, not just the small hotels that are built
next to them. By knitting together ecotourism and conservation, they learn
about... become aware of the threats these areas face, solutions...
potential to turn all casual tourists into conservationists.
Single page sites are offramps to a hard sell. Using this as information not
advertising sell. Uniting and promoting the diverse components that travel
can provide. Opportunity to advertise in context, provide a picture of the
whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.
Julie Dutcher
Institute for Marine Science (IMS)
Started in 1990 by Julio Galindo. Promotion and preservation of Roatan's
natural resources through natural education and research. Located in Sandy
Bay. Classroom has video, overhead projectors, colleges come down. Students
come to study the coral reef. Dry lab equipped with microscopes. Wet lab -
flow through sea water system. Several aquariums to isolate organisms.
Located in the marine reserve - collect limited amounts of organisms outside
the reserve. Use the dive boats, can accommodate 24 students. The 24 dive
sites are close to the institute. Visit mangrove habitats - both for student
and adult groups. Health care facility on the premises. Adjacent to the
laboratory is the Roatan museum - one of the best small museums in Central
America. Dolphin shows are educational - focus on the natural abilities.
Does aerial surveys of marine mammals. Also boat surveys - cataloging marine
mammals seen. False killer whales, sperm wales, spotted dolphins, spinner
dolphins, pilot whales and bottle nose dolphins. Rough toothed dolphins.
Hour glass shape on the back. Does some rehabilitation of animals. Turtle
release.
Jerry Mallet
Adventure Travel Society
Next World Congress November 20-24 in Puerto Vallez, Chile. Before that
putting on a Denver to Chile project. Partner - Nancy Hoffman. Very
difficult to put on an event like this. Thanks Continental.
Adventure travel market is going to explode - that's the good news and the
bad news. If we don't protect the cultures and the environment, Generated
$200 billion in the world. There's no question that we're going south.
Critical question is how to you manage it? How do you keep cultures intact?
Adventure of a Lifetime from Colorado to Chile. Big "if" is getting vehicle
sponsor. Spend 6-7 days in each country, do brief introduction to
ecotourism. Not sure we need government support. Qualification - vehicles -
Tom has asked where are the keys. Colorado Trade Office wants this to be the
first adventure tourism trade mission. This will be an advance group for the
conference. Celebrate the outstanding opportunities in all of Latin America,
from the top down. Coverage is worth millions and millions of dollars.
Include local people on how to get back through the media what we're talking
about.
Bridget Stevens
University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada
"Community Development, Environmental Conservation & Economic Growth Through
Tourism" (GET PAPER)
$12 billion generated by ecotourism in 1990. Benefits of Partnerships -
Communities, Private Sector, Government and NGOs. Ecotourism that is
developed through partnerships is a powerful tool for environmental and
economic sustainability. Ecotourism is very new in Honduras, need for
research in all aspects.
Afternoon Workshops
- Internet and Latin American Ecotourism Workshop (Ron Mader)
- other sessions not recorded
April 19, 1996
Leila Solano (cooprena@greenarrow.com)
Costa Rica COOPRENA
Group means the National Network of Cooperatives in Ecotourism. Share with
you our experience in developing responsible tourism, organized by local
communities. We also hope to learn about other similar ventures in Central
America. We want to share our tourism product with people interested in a
different type of ecotourism in Costa Rica. We are proud to be part of a
true type of sustainable development.
Costa Rica is well known as an ecotourism destination. However, our
experience has been that there has been little actual benefits to local
communities in socio-economic benefits. As a result of this problem, many
local agricultural groups have developed local ecotourism. The idea is
different from - in the practice we are developing work with local
communities. Many people talk of involving local communities; this is
created out of local communities.
Ricardo Ayala/Corcovado
The idea of this consortium began about three years ago. Cooperative groups
have had negative impacts on the environment. In our case, we decided to end
destructive processes - in this area - the extraction of gold in the
national parks. The people realized there were other alternatives; the
government proposed they work with ecotourism. Many of the small scales of
the agricultural areas were also having economic difficulties. Six
agricultural areas formed the network to promote ecotourism together.
Three more cooperatives have formed and will join this network. Not just
cooperatives but community groups have formed and have joined this locally
based ecotourism network. One of the basic reasons this consortium exists is
that environmental conservation but to maintain the local communities
equilibrium and to include the whole family in the benefits of ecotourism.
Leon Watson
: See the connection between the local agricultural cooperatives - very
progressive organic producers. Meet individuals one on one. This is one of
the most community-based ecotourism opportunities in Costa Rica. La Fortuna
is made up of locally owned businesses. Three quarters of businesses in
Manuel Antonio are foreign-owned or are expatriates. Difference between
these is the management. The impact of tourism will be on the local
community; this is the development of local responses.
Maya Aguero
FIDE
Foundation for Investment ... committed to supporting industrial
development. Assist foreign companies in acquiring valuable information as
offshore... Find locations, local managers and technical personnel, assist
in financing for training and working capital needs. The economy is in the
process of booming. Industry, tourism and exports of traditional products -
wood, sugar, coffee and bananas. Non-traditional products - shrimp, lobster
and technology.
External promotion department, generating job creation here in Honduras.
Since FIDE was created in 1985, created 40,000 jobs in the zone of San Pedro
Sula. We have 14 industrial parks, that have to comply with environmental
laws. Can import goods in Puerto Cortez for manufacturing tax-
free..Expanded to tourism zone - can import goods tax free for tourism zone.
Can bring boats, planes. FIDE is a stop-over for any of the investors.
Office in San Pedro Sula, soon in La Ceiba. Offices in Miami and Taiwan.
Internet Presence: Honduras Web Explorer http://hondurasweb.com; Email:
fide@hondutel.hn
Pepe Herrera
Cuero y Salado
Fundacion Pico Bonito National Park
Rios Honduras
Ecotourism can promote conservation by providing hard currency, which my
country needs. We have example of Costa Rica that it is generation 500
million a year in ecotourism. The government will be induced to product the
environment. We lack government interest and motivation. But once we start
developing our ecotourism industry and the country starts noticing, they
will come to the conclusion that it is good for the economy to protect the
environment.
Working with the people - motivate them in protecting the habitats.
Environmental areas are in immediate need. In order to induce someone to
protect the environment, they need immediate goals. Cannot promote
conservation unless it means a direct benefit to them. In many instances the
habitats we protect are where the campesinos live. Watersheds. 8,000 food
peaks and mountain, watersheds. These are excellent biological corridors and
great areas for ecotourism. If we protect the watersheds, we will have
potable water, better health, water for export agriculture for the balance
of payments, will prove to the government and to the population.
Had incredible energy crisis in Honduras. Will need 170 million limpiras to
protect watershed of El Cajon. Many years ago no one took care of the
watershed - no awareness, no push for conservation. Crisis almost collapsed
economy of Honduras; still recuperating from it. Economics and
environmentalism go hand in hand. If watershed protected, economy wouldn't
have come close to collapse.
In Cuero y Salado 12 km lowland forest, we work with the people so they seen
an immediate benefit from ecotourism. The legislation - congress issued
decree that park would be run by local people, gave them right to ownership
of the land there. Must prove immediately that the destruction is not good
for anybody and we need to protect environment. Numerous environmental NGOs
in Honduras. Just that the international press doesn't talk much about us.
Stone Container - paper manufacturer came to Honduras, got contract from the
environment to chop up pine forests in La Mosquitia. Signed agreement, we
utilized allies and obtained scientific information about the company -
about to go broke. Worst rating for economic stability. Proved that the
government not to sign 40-year contract. In Costa Rica they went in and
planted it, going to pay $43/hectare a year. We threw them out - it was a
victory and made Honduran environmental organizations confident to say we
can do it professionally, technically and scientific.
No one is interested in Honduras. Our foundation has started buying critical
lank - areas where it floods - 40% of our funds are generated from
ecotourism. Not a solution to everything, but in a country don't have luxury
to ask for many alternatives. Ecotourism is owned mostly by locals. Honduras
doesn't have great investment climate, but it worked in our favor. Forced
locals to invest in tourism. Owned wholly or partially. Dollars you pay stay
here, generating benefits for the Honduran economy.
Hope to learn from mistakes - not letting ecotourism destroy the culture,
not to dominate the culture. Ecotourism is the greatest partial solution in
the world. The government is well-traveled, but cannot grasp. Outside lists
Rio Cangregal. Previously published article on La Mosquitia in Belize. No
skiing in Honduras. We are getting better known in a positive way. Very hard
to convince government. "This backpacker has a VISA Gold"
Bonair chose ecotourism over oil refining as its future. transformed into
Cinderella of its once prosperous neighbors. Need information on examples of
ecotourism success. Honduras dying to put 1.8 million refinery in the
Trujillo Bay. Put a refinery there, ecotourists won't go there. Refineries
are automation, refineries cause cancer, contaminate things - only generate
employment during the building stage. We have to prove to them with hard-
core financial data. Want to go the way of Bonaire, not the way of Curacao.
We have infrastructure, five international airports, "best roads in Central
America." While Costa Rica has been the Switzerland of Central America,
Honduras has been the Albania. Costa Rica gets Mick and Bianca Jagger to
protect the environment, we get Jesse Helms and Ollie North.
Hy McEnery
Sub Ocean Safety
Recap: Fishermen used to lobster hunting at 30-40 feet, now going to 150
feet. Getting bends. Coming up paralyzed. Working its way down the coast.
Problem with getting the filter and the capacitor.
Problem - killing and maiming of people and culture by technologically-
advanced people. In the US there are 3,000 commercial divers, in Mosquitia,
there are over 6,000 commercial divers. In worldview, this is a major
problem. Emerging scuba technologies and primitive people. Identical
atrocities are happening around the world.
Offer medical aid to the divers and education. We are at the cutting edge of
the financial situation. Moderate economic policy and developing
partnerships with local communities and NGOs to guarantee positive future.
Have support from hyperberic medical community.
Starting lobster fishing seasons Petition to Honduran government with
requirements - diver physicals, mandated safety equipment, diving watches
and ban on egg-bearing females.
Irma Brady
Bay Islands Conservation Association (BICA)
Main office on Roatan. Objectives to protect fragile ecosytems of the Bay
Islands, promote economic sustainable development through wise use and
management of island natural resources. To create awareness throughout the
Bay Islands and to promote community involvement. To conserve and restore
the island's representative habitats and rare and endangered species.
Impacts - slash and burn agriculture for houses, for pasture. Road
construction is causing same problem. Soils wash into the lagoons and
coastal areas. Sand removal is a problem that exists. Dredging and filling -
this creates silts in the water that eventually kills the reefs. Impacts
from divers standing or touching corals. Lot of photographers had models sat
in the fan or touched the reef. Nationals don't know the fragility of the
reef, or they pick it to take home as a souvenir.
Fisheries are now reduced, mainly because of inappropriate fishing
techniques outside of the marine reserve - with nets and speargun fishing.
Anchors are a problem. Divers installing more buoys. To reduce negative
impacts, BICA working with groups, government and business. Signs have been
posted on highly visited beaches with diving etiquette.
Advances: Training teachers from the Honduran mainland. Have little
knowledge of marine resources. With help from marine park, teach them how to
snorkel so they can understand how fragile a resource this is.
Ongoing garbage collection program with Roatan. through project proposal
presented to institute of tourism and USAID. Provide salary to driver; city
provides fuel. Taken to municipal dump.
Yellow-head bird will be nominated as island bird to promote the message
that environmental conservation is needed for everyone's protection. Need
additional funds for this program.
Investigating studies on the Green Iguana for local hunters as a source of
protein. Objective is how to manage the system from hatching to commercial
distribution. Similar project exists on the south coast of Honduras.
Roatan Sewage Disposal - uses septic systems build out of concrete. Expect
there is bleaching. Honduran government will invest $17 million for island,
most will be used for sanitation and to provide government with basic
infrastructure needed for tourism.
National Networks: REDES - Red Ecologista Hondurena for Desarollo
Sostenible. All the North Coast groups under the REDES umbrella. Executing
small programs with them. Main source of funding $20,000 is from Canadian
government. Part of Paseo Pantera project - Now creating management plan
with Wildlife Conservation Society; now alliances with help from Fundacion
Vida (Sandy Bay, Turtle Bay), bird program with Rare Center to execute the
programs - one year, $90,000 campaign.
Afternoon Workshops
- not recorded
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For More Information
Contact Tom Ellis via email at poviedo@hondutel.hn.
See also the list of participants.
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--Ron E. Mader, Publisher El Planeta Platica: Eco Travels in Latin America WWW http://www.planeta.com Ron@txinfinet.com ------------------------------------------------------------ InfiNet - an online community for progressive information BBS 512.462.0633 Telnet: shakti.txinfinet.com 3000 WWW http://www.greenbuilder.com