Proccedings:  PIRT Dinner and Discussion Series

COMMUNITY-BASED ECOTOURISM AND MARINE CONSERVATION; A CASE STUDY FROM BELIZE

Wednesday October 8, 2003

PRESENTED BY:  OCEANIC SOCIETY

 

The Oceanic Society was PIRT's nominee for the 2003 Conde Nast Ecotourism award.  Birgit Winning, director of OS presented a colorful slide show and led a discussion about the Oceanic Society mission of wildlife conservation and the community-based tourism programs, wildlife tours and volunteer programs they offer.  She featured a case study of their community-based ecotourism programs in Belize. 

Below is an overview of the excellent work that OS is undertaking, followed by a summary of presentation highlights. You can contact their San Francisco office at (415) 441-1106 or their website is: www.oceanicsociety.org. 

Oceanic Society

Established in 1969 as a non-profit conservation organization, the Oceanic Society's primary mission is to protect marine wildlife and oceanic biodiversity through an integrated program of scientific research, environmental education and volunteerism.  The Society collaborates with local communities in conservation initiatives, and promotes sustainable economies as an alternative to those that are destructive to wildlife and natural habitats. 

Conservation Approach

 The Oceanic Society (OS) combines several initiates to achieve a single goal.

*Conduct scientific research as a basis for policy development

*Promote environmental education 

*Develop community-based sustainable economies

*Collaborate with and strengthen local grass roots organizations
 

Ecotourism Approach

 The Oceanic Society’s specialty is combining research and community-based ecotourism initiatives to achieve specific conservation objectives.  Working directly with local grass roots organizations and traditional stakeholders, the Society develops conservation projects in support of the local community as well as the global science and conservation communities.

 Suriname Profile:  OS works with the Suriname organization Stinasu to develop and implement research projects and public awareness initiatives regarding wild fauna and flora and their habitats,  and to develop compatible community-based ecotourism programs.  Working with the local Amerindian community, a solar based ecotourism lodge was established  to help protect the nesting sites of three species of endangered and threatened sea turtles from poachers by offering  an ecologically sustainable alternative for traditional users.  As part of the initiative,  Oceanic Society developed a volunteer-supported sea turtle monitoring project, and provided technical support and training. At Kaboeri Creek, working in cooperation with a local Amerindian organization, OS funded and provided technical support for the development of an ecotourism plan as part of an initiative to protect endangered giant otters and riverine biodiversity.

 Belize Profile:  OS  operates a research center and field station at Turneffe Atoll, Belize, to  help develop and implement an Integrated Conservation Management Plan.  The initiative includes a resource management plan based on sound science that includes sustainable development for local stakeholders.  The specific conservation goal is the establishment of a Biosphere Reserve.  Working with local stakeholders and agencies such as the Fishermen’s Cooperative and grass roots conservation groups, OS is conducting a suite of research projects on key indicator species,  developing a sustainable economic alternative for local stakeholders, and providing an economic justification for conservation. 

 Midway Atoll Profile:  In cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, OS developed the first ecotourism program for Midway Atoll, and initiated a series of service and volunteer projects to assist with restoring biological diversity and conserving  historic and natural resources.

 Oceanic Society has published its own code of ecotourism ethics and follows standard ecotourism principles. 

 

COMMUNITY-BASED ECOTOURISM AND MARINE CONSERVATION; A CASE STUDY FROM BELIZE

Highlights of Presentation

* Community based programs started with their whale watching activities

* From the beginning they get the local community involved in any OS research and conservation activities

* OS feels community involvement is essential for a successful conservation effort

* Community involvement means more than a token consulting of residents after the fact. 

* Usually locals invite OS to help with a conservation effort versus OS telling locals what to do. 

* They develop an action plan which incorporates local input and is approved by local entities

* They have three projects in Belize

* At Turneffe Atoll the goal is the development and implementation of an Integrated Conservation Management Plan

* They started their efforts with local fishermen and sought their input as to what was needed for conservation.

*  Most fishermen felt the need to protect the area, both for their livelihood but also for the future.

* The OS business model is to have ecotourists and volunteers help OS conservation efforts through their contributions of labor and trip fees.  OS provide basic comfortable accommodations and meals, spends less on high levels of comfort, pampering and flashy marketing and more on education, hands-on learning and service.  Overhead is kept to a minimum.  They plow all proceeds back into conservation.

* OS employs local residents at their research station and feels a great deal of responsibility to keep them gainfully employed.  It is critical to incorporate locals into the workforce everywhere. They pay above the average wage in the region.

* However, it is a challenge to manage the employment expectations of locals

* Their guests have a strong interest in protecting ocean resources for the future and they seem very satisfied with OS programs.