by Toby Bloom
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| HSI |
| HSI's Toby Bloom at the start of the trail. |
In the southern coastal zone of Nicaragua, the Rio Escalante Wildlife Refuge-Chacocente is a protected area that covers a land area of 18.5 square miles and a marine area of 23 square miles. Species of flora and fauna that are extinct in other zones of the Nicaraguan Pacific can be seen in the expansive dry tropical forest in the refuge. The refuge is home to the endangered spider monkey, and the beaches within the refuge serve as an important nesting site for the endangered Olive Ridley turtle (CITES Appendix I) and the critically endangered leatherback turtle (CITES Appendix I).
As Director of Wildlife Ecotourism for HSI, my job is to help local communities living in and around the refuge work with NGOs and the government so that everyone gets what they need: the local communities are able to derive income from ecotourism in the refuge, and the government and NGOs are able to protect the amazing animals that live there, as well as the unique ecosystem that serves as their habitat.
HSI, CAFTA-DR, CITES
This project is possible thanks to HSI’s grant from the U.S. State Department to improve compliance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) by the countries involved in the Central America-Dominican Republic-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). Ecotourism is an important part of HSI’s CAFTA-DR CITES program because it offers an economic alternative for local communities that might otherwise engage in activities that are harmful to local endangered species and their habitats. Hunting for food, selling animals for the international pet trade, cutting trees for sale or clearing land for agriculture all have devastating effects on wildlife. Ecotourism gives local communities a non-extractive method for capitalizing on their natural resources.
Perfect Partners
In June of 2008, I made my second visit to Nicaragua while working on this project, and I was pleasantly surprised to see the progress that the community of Loma de Viento (Windy Hill) had made in its pursuit to share the beautiful surroundings with adventuresome ecotourists. Even though Loma de Viento lies in the buffer zone of the refuge, wildlife is still abundant, and I was struck by how protective the community members were of the animals and their habitat. The animals apparently felt so safe that a group of howler monkeys lounged in the trees next to the hut where we were having our first meeting!
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| istockphoto/Wishing Well/David L. Lewis |
| Howler monkeys came down from the trees. |
Not only do the people of Loma de Viento have a wonderful respect for their surroundings, but they are also extremely hard working, and want to spread the message of conservation to school children, backpackers, and any other ecotourists that come to their community. With this kind of dedication, and the fact that most community members live on less than a dollar a day, I know HSI made a great choice in selecting them as partners.
In 2007, HSI gave a grant to our local partner NGO, Asociación Tierra Y Vida (Earth & Life Association), to help the community members of Loma de Viento realize their dream of becoming ecotourism operators. This follow-up visit was to see how the grant was spent, and how we could all work together in the future to continue the project’s development. Even though it was raining cats and dogs, Marcial Umaña, the president of Caminos del Viento (Windy Trails), the community ecotourism cooperative, was eager to take me on the three km hike up the hill to the observation tower they had built.
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| HSI |
| Toby & guides on the tower stairs. |
Wet But Welcoming
While the walk was muddy and wet, I had a wonderful time seeing all the ways Asociación Tierra Y Vida and Caminos del Viento had been able to improve the ecotourist experience with the HSI grant. In addition to big colorful signs announcing the ecotourism services that the cooperative offered, there were beautiful new interpretive signs along the trail which discussed local wildlife, history, and folklore.
As we made our way up the hill, several community members greeted me and ushered me into their homes to show me the guest rooms they were building to accommodate the growing number of ecotourists visiting the refuge. Finally, after a challenging but fun trek to the top of the hill, we were treated to a wonderful view of the coast and the surrounding countryside from the observation tower. It was amazing to see how a little money can go a long way!
Before we headed back down the hill, I had lunch with Carmen Martinez, the director of Tierra Y Vida, and several of the community members. They shared their excitement about being a registered member of the national chamber of tourism, telling stories about the hard work and long hours needed to comply with basic standards and fill out paperwork to achieve this goal. They assured me that it was worth it, and they were looking forward to having their community declared as a private wildlife refuge in the future.
Grants & Goals
HSI recently gave another small grant to Tierra Y Vida to help Loma de Viento continue developing its ecotourism products, with funds going to continued guest room construction and the purchase of important items to have on tours, such as binoculars and ponchos. I hope to return to Loma de Viento in the near future to continue helping them reach their goal.
HSI works with local partners all over Latin American to develop community ecotourism programs that highlight local wildlife and culture. When increased income from ecotourism motivates communities to protect wildlife, everyone wins!
