PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY-BASED ECOTOURISM IN UAXACTÚN,

GUATEMALA

Advisors: Joan NassauerIvette Perfecto

Group members:Marina AlvarezLorcan FrenchClaudette JuskaCynthia KoenigDaisuke Shoka

Gregg Shopoff

Our Client: Wildlife Conservation Society

(WCS)The Wildlife Conservation

Society traces its origin to April 26th, 1895 making it one of the first conservation organizations in the United States. Since 1997, WCS has supported the village of Uaxactún’s efforts to attain and manage an 835 km² forest concession.

Uaxactún, Guatemala

Maya Biosphere Reserve (MBR)

Maya Biosphere Reserve (MBR), established in 1990 to protect approximately 16,000 km² of Guatemalan forest.  The MBR, the largest protected area in Mesoamerica, is home to more than 95 species of mammals and 400 species of birds.

Community in Uaxactún

• The Uaxactún community has expressed a strong interest in developing their capacity to offer sustainable ecotourism trips to tourists

• Uaxactenecos are interested in pursuing a community-based strategy for ecotourism development

• Uaxactún’s Management and Conservation Organization (OMYC) will be a supporting leader in the community for our project

Community-based Sustainable Ecotourism

Three components:–Cultural–Socio-economic–Environmental

Xate nursery

Chicle harvesting

Typical home

Our Goals and Objectives

GoalTo integrate the focus of WCS with the

needs of the Uaxactún community to develop a plan for sustainable ecotourism development.

ObjectivesTo assess the current environmental,

cultural, and economic feasibility of ecotourism in Uaxactun

Produce recommendations and site plans to guide future ecotourism development

Cultural: Analysis of Community Priorities

Research Question:• What are the community’s

preferences regarding ecotourism, and how can the community of Uaxactún plan for tourism development to ensure that it is occurring on their own terms?

Method:• Polls, workshops (including

“mental map” session) and open-ended interviews

Socio-economic: Analysis of Tourism

Research Question:• According to tourists in the Petén

region, how can Uaxactún best develop its ecotourism infrastructure?

Method:• Choice experiment survey method

to conduct a non-market valuation analysis

• Surveys will be used to rank the preferences of potential tourists for the relevant attributes of ecotourism that would bring them to Uaxactún

Environmental:

Research Question:• Assess the physical constraints

and opportunities for trail and tourism development within the landscape surrounding :– Sensitivity based on features such

as soil, slope, proximity to water features, and habitat connectivity

– Opportunities based on research of case studies

• Use local guides to ground truth

Environmental Analysis: Constraints and Opportunities

Design of Tourism Infrastructure

• Collect rank and incorporate all results from environmental, community and tourist analyses

• Identify the appropriate character and extent of ecotourism development

• Vary the weights of these preferences using GIS to explore different options

• Conduct a tourist carrying capacity analysis of each proposed trail network

Environmental:

Outcome• Products include:

– Analysis of the attitudes and perceptions of community members regarding ecotourism,

– Appropriate level of ecotourism development that balances the community expectations and economic feasibility of ecotourism with the environmental constraints of the landscape surrounding Uaxactún

• Graphics illustrating trail networks and site designs

• Recommendations and other materials created by our Group will serve as a guide for development for both the community and WCS

Schedule

• PHASE 1 – Research Planning April – May, 2005• PHASE 2 – Field Research June – August, 2005• PHASE 3 – Analyzing

Research September-December, 2005• PHASE 4 – Report Findings January – April, 2006

Item Cost

TRAVEL $7,500

Food / Lodging $2,500

Project expenses $16,600

TOTAL $26,600

Source Requested

Received

International Institute $10,000 $10,000

Dangermund Fellowship $10,000 pending

Rackham Discretionary Funds

$7,500 pending

EFA Funding $5,000 pending

TOTAL $32,500 $10,000

Budget

Questions?