Transfer and development of sustainable tourism in protected areas
SUMMARY
The project aimed to consolidate the roadmap defined from the multidisciplinary work developed by CIEP during the VCE 6000013 (2017-2018) initiative and to improve the social capital indicators raised during that initiative. It incorporated into the scientific field: (1) information gathering through the use of new technologies; an ROV (Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle) for monitoring the distribution and abundance of marine benthic species; CPOD equipment that allows obtaining a record of frequency of temporal occurrence and use of the dolphin habitat and (2) information gathering related to the sighting of cetacean species in the Puyuhuapi Fjord, mainly photo-identification and identification of places with higher probability of sighting. In the area of transfer and linkage: (1) workshops for the development of collaborative skills in the town of Puerto Gaviota, (2) workshops for scientific transfer to the community of Puerto Gaviota and Puerto Cisnes, and in particular in Puerto Cisnes, aimed at training naturalist guides. The workshops incorporated scientific transfer of the information gathered by the project, as well as workshops on different topics of interest related to fjord ecosystems and tourism, together with training in the use of hydrophones, (3) training workshops for the guides and/or tourism enterprises themselves to gather information on cetaceans, and the incorporation of a pilot hydrophone with headphones to listen to live underwater sounds during outings with tourists. The idea is to see the possibility of generating a new tourist product using this technology. In the area of social research: the research of social capital indicators collected in the VCE 6000013 project (in Puerto Gaviota) is extended to the coastal towns near Puerto Cisnes that carry out tourism associated with whale watching (Raúl Marín Balmaceda and Puyuhuapi) together with an ex-post evaluation in Puerto Gaviota.
Patagonian Ecosystems Research Centre
ADDRESS
José de Moraleda N°16, Coyhaique
DESCRIPTION OF RESPONSIBLE ENTITY
CIEP is a regional research center created at the end of 2005 within the framework of the Regional Program of the National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research of Chile (currently the National Agency for Innovation and Development, ANID). Its research focuses on the development and sustainability of Patagonian ecosystems, through scientific research of excellence and relevant to the interests of the community and productive sectors of the Aysén Region.
CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS
mhamame@ciep.cl
NAMES IN CHARGE OF THE PROJECT AND POSITION
- Ph.D © Madeleine Hamamé; Marine Researcher and Director
- Ph.D © Paula Ortiz; Marine Researcher
- Sebastián López; coordinator and field support
- Ph. D. Alvaro Hamamé; assistant director and support for social research.
PROJECT’S NAME
Scientific and technological transfer for training and development of conservation tourism in coastal protected areas.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT INSTITUTIONS
Science-Business Linkage Instrument (Project VCE-80002) of the Regional Program of the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID, formerly CONICYT) and the Patagonian Ecosystems Research Center (CIEP)
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION (Region, Province, Commune)
Region of Aysén, Province of Aysén, Comuna de Cisnes, Puerto Cisnes, Puerto Gaviota
FIELD OF SCIENTIFIC STUDIES INVOLVED
- Benthic Biodiversity
- Cetaceans’ acoustics (dolphins, porpoises)
- Social Sciences
PARTNER INSTITUTIONS
- ASSOCIATED COMPANIES:
- Tourism Cahuelche
- Turismo y Servicios Cisnes Ltda. “Long live the rain”.
- ASSOCIATED SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZATIONS:
- University of Aysén
- Centre for the Study of Regional Development and Public Policy (CEDER), University of Los Lagos
- OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS:
- Puerto Cisnes Chamber of Tourism and Commerce
- A.G. of Nautical Tourism and Conservation of Cetaceans
- Illustrious Municipality of Cisnes
- Puerto Gaviota Tourism Committee
- CONAF
- Planning and Development Division of the Regional Government of Aysén
EXECUTION DATES
- HOME: December 2018
- TERM: March 2020
- DURATION: 15 months
RESULTS IN EDUCATION, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND CULTURAL TRAVEL
- Training of naturalist guides with appreciation of the aquatic and terrestrial heritage.
- Training of local actors in Puerto Cisnes in acoustic recording techniques and a pilot for real-time acoustic recording and issues related to the fjord ecosystem.
- Work with CONAF (National Forestry Corporation) to develop a Management Plan for Magdalena Island National Park (Puerto Gaviota).
- Scientific information available for future COANF management actions in the marine part of Magdalena Island National Park.
- Support to the guides for the installation and use of a mobile application (App) that allows the registration of cetaceans in real time and the subsequent development of a database.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
Consolidate the link between the scientific community and tourism enterprises in the Puerto Gaviota and Puerto Cisnes sectors, through the incorporation of new technologies (hydroacoustics and underwater filming) and participatory workshops for scientific transfer to improve their human capital and strengthen their social capital using a network approach.
PROJECT’S PRESENTATION
From this link you can access the presentation in PDF version for viewing and / or download:
BENEFICIARIES, PARTNERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, AND HOW THEY PARTICIPATE IN THE PROJECT
BENEFICIARIES
- Puerto Gaviota Tourism and Community Committee,
- Group of Nautical Tourism and Conservation of Cetaceans,
- Tourism Companies of Puerto Cisnes
PARTNERS
- Ph.D. Mariana González; Technology Manager, University of Aysén
- Dr. Gabriel Inostroza; tourism advisor, Universidad Austral de Chile
- MSc. Gonzalo Frei; advisor on the development of collaborative skills, Alberto Hurtado University.
- Ph.D. Susannah Buchan; scientific advisor, acoustic area, Universidad de Concepción
- Ph.D. Andrés Marín; methodologist in the area of networks and social capital, Universidad de Los Lagos
- Adrián Escobar Castillo; Head of the Planning and Development Section, CONAF
- Carlos Hochstetter; Head of the Department of Protected Wildlife Areas, CONAF
- Ph.D. Robert McCulloch; in charge of paleo-climate and paleo-geography workshop, CIEP
- Ph.D. Alejandra Lafon; in charge of nature photography workshop
- MSc. Pía Santelices; part of the project’s Regional Coordination Committee, in charge of coastal zoning, Regional Government of Aysén.
RESULTS FOR SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE
- Increased scientific knowledge of the benthic ecosystem (distribution and relative abundance of benthic species) of Magdalena Island National Park and Puyuhuapi Fjord.
- Increase in the knowledge of cetacean species (species identification, frequency of occurrence in an annual cycle, acoustic record) in the Puyuhuapi Fjord.
- Generation of social capital indicators for coastal localities that carry out tourism associated with cetacean sightings (Marín Balmaceda and Puyuhuapi) and Pto Gaviota (ex post).
NEWS ABOUT THE INITIATIVE
- http://www.ciep.cl/noticias/993/ciep-se-adjudica-proyecto-de-continuidad-ciencia-empresa-de-conicyt
- http://www.ciep.cl/noticias/1031/ciep-comienza-a-desarrollar-proyecto-ciencia-empresa-en-la-region
- http://www.ciep.cl/noticias/1079/ciep-y-comunidad-de-puerto-cisnes-trabajan-por-el-turismo-en-areas-costeras-protegidas
- http://www.ciep.cl/noticias/1073/ciep-capacita-a-operadores-turisticos-de-puerto-cisnes-en-tecnicas-de-registro-acustico
DEVELOPMENTED ACTIVITIES
Scientific area:
- March 2019, January and March 2020: Field campaigns in the Puyuhuapi Fjord Use of ROV (Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle) to monitor the distribution and abundance of marine benthic species
- August 2019: Workshop associated with the identification of conservation objects in conjunction with CONAF.
- October 2019 to March 2020: Photo-identification and density estimation of dolphins in Puyuhuapi Fjord.
- October 2019 to June 2020. Installation and maintenance of CPOD.
- February and March 2020: Survey of social capital information in Puerto Cisnes, R.M. Balmaceda, Puyuhuapi and Puerto Gaviota (ex post).
Scope of transfer and linkage:
- August 2019: Scientific transfer workshops on cetacean acoustics, regulations, municipal ordinances and fjord geology.
- October 2019 and March 2020: Collaborative skills development workshops in the town of Puerto Gaviota.
- October 2019: Workshop “Sustainable development of nautical tourism” in Puerto Cisnes.
- December 2019: Nature photography workshop.
- January 2020: Theoretical-practical workshop associated to the hydrophone delivery to the Nautical Tourism and Cetaceans Conservation A.G.
- January 2020: Workshop “Sustainable development of marine ecotourism: management criteria and good environmental practices” in Puerto Gaviota
RESOURCES MADE AVAILABLE TO PARTNER INSTITUTIONS FOR THE PROJECT
- Human Resources:
- MSc. Madeleine Hamamé
- Dr. Alvaro Hamamé
- MSc Paula Ortiz
- Sebastian Lopez
- Ph.D. Robert McCulloch
- Travel:
- Trucks, fuel, driver.
- Technical and logistic assistance:
- Contribution of human resources
- Training:
- Scientific transfer workshops in the following topics; paleo-climate, cetacean acoustics, tourism, nature photography
- Training in the use and handling of hydrophones for tour operators.
- Preparation of dissemination materials: no
- Purchase of equipment: Portable hydrophone with earphones delivered to A.G. for nautical tourism and cetacean conservation for use as a new tourist product.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES REQUIRED FOR THE PROJECT AND SPECIFIC ACTIONS
El CIEP ha facilitado robot submarino (ROV) para filmaciones y equipos que permiten grabar vocalizaciones de cetáceos como los hidrófonos de arrastre y equipo de detección acústica de registro continuo llamado CPOD, además del trabajo de buzos profesionales para el anclaje de equipos y toma de muestras.