INDIGENOUS INVOLVEMENT, TOURISM PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FINAL REPORT

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17 October 2011

This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for InternationalDevelopment. It was prepared by the Sea Turtle Conservancy (formerly Caribbean ConservationCorporation) under a Sub-Task Order issued by Chemonics.

USAID PROGRAM FORTHE MANAGEMENT OF

AQUATIC RESOURCESAND ECONOMIC

ALTERNATIVES

Indigenous community members in Ro Caa who participate in the turtlemonitoring and conservation project at a meeting with STC staff at Chiriqu Beach


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ii INDIGENOUS INVOLVEMENT, TOURISM PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS ANDENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FINAL REPORT

INDIGENOUSINVOLVEMENT, TOURISMPRIVATE PARTNERSHIPSAND ENVIRONMENTAL

EDUCATION FINALREPORT

Prime Contract and Task Order No. EPP-I-00-04-00020-00, Order #5Subcontract Number EPP-I-00-04-00020-CCCDeliverable Number 1.13


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INDIGENOUS INVOLVEMENT, TOURISM PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AND iiiENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FINAL REPORT

CONTENTSExecutive Summary ........................................................................................... 4

Community Participation .................................................................................. 4Sea Turtle Monitoring Program in the Comarca Ngbe-Bugl and Bocas del ToroProvince ............................................................................................................... 4Community Participation in National and International Events ............................. 8Training Opportunities for Community Members.................................................. 8Community Participation in Sea Turtle Conservation Management in theComarca Ngbe-Bugl and Bocas del Toro Province ........................................ 10

Tourism Private Partnerships ......................................................................... 11

Environmental Education and Outreach ........................................................ 14

Conclusions and Recommendations ............................................................. 15Conclusions ....................................................................................................... 15Recommendations ............................................................................................. 16

Bibliography ..................................................................................................... 16

Appendices ...................................................................................................... 18Appendix 1 ......................................................................................................... 18Appendix 2 ......................................................................................................... 20Appendix 3 ......................................................................................................... 21Appendix 4 ......................................................................................................... 22


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INDIGENOUS INVOLVEMENT, TOURISM PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS ANDENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FINAL REPORT

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThe objective of this report is to provide a summary of the level of participation ofindigenous community members in sea turtle conservation and monitoringprograms; to review efforts to develop public-private partnerships to generatefunds for sea turtle conservation and protection initiatives from tourist activities,and to detail environmental education and community outreach activitiesconducted by the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) in the Comarca Ngbe-Bugland Bocas del Toro Province, Panama, as part of their activities for the Programfor the Management of Aquatic Resources and Economic Alternatives (MAREA),from 1 September, 2010 30 September, 2011.

This report will update information previously detailed in the following reportssubmitted to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID):

Preliminary Report on Community Participation in Sea Turtle ConservationPrograms in Bocas del Toro, Panama(Sea Turtle Conservancy, 2010).

Progress Report on Indigenous Involvement in Sea Turtle ConservationPrograms in the Comarca Ngbe-Bugl and Bocas del Toro Province, Panama(Sea Turtle Conservancy, 2011 a).

Progress Report on Private Partnerships to Support Sea Turtle TourismActivities in Bocas del Toro Province, Panama(Sea Turtle Conservancy, 2011b).

Progress Report on Environmental Education and Outreach Activities in theComarca Ngbe-Bugl and Bocas del Toro Province, Panama(Sea TurtleConservancy, 2011c).

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATIONSTC and other conservation organizations conducting sea turtle programs in theComarca Ngbe-Bugl and Bocas del Toro Province, Panama have workedclosely with local coastal communities for many years; involving communitymembers in all aspects of the research, monitoring and conservation work beingconducted in the region.

SEA TURTLE MONITORING PROGRAMS IN THE COMARCANGBE-BUGL AND BOCAS DEL TORO PROVINCE

All monitoring activities conducted at Chiriqu Beach during the period 1September, 2010 30 September, 2011 were conducted by members of the twoindigenous communities that are located at either extremity of the nesting beach.


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Figure 1. Beach monitors, seen here collectingbiometric data from a leatherback turtle, are allfrom communities in the Comarca Ngbe-Bugl

As in previous years, STC worked in close collaboration with leaders of theComarca Ngbe-Bugl and members of the local conservation organization,

Association for the Protection of Ngbe-Bugl Natural Resources(APRORENANB) providing updates on the results of the monitoring and

conservation program to community and Comarca leaders, and discussingpotential solutions to continued threats to sea turtles within the Comarca territory.

A total of 25 people from thecommunities of Ro Caa andRo Chiriqu were employed bySTC during the timeframe of thisreport (See Appendix 1);including one field assistant, 12beach monitors (See Figure 1),eight cooks, three security guards

and one boat captain. Of these,eight were women. The majorityof these people were existingemployees of STC, although anew beach monitor was hired inDecember 2010, two in March2011 and one Jun 2011; these people received training in all aspects of themonitoring protocol from STC Research Coordinator (RC), Cristina Ordoez,prior to participating in program activities at the nesting beach.

In addition to the contracted personnel, there were also eight community

members who participated in monitoring activities at Chiriqu Beach (SeeAppendix 2). The majority were high school students from Ro Caa who have aninterest in gaining hands-on experience with sea turtles. These volunteers play akey role in the program; once trained they work alongside the regular beachmonitors and their presence allows extra night patrols to be conducted, soincreasing the number of encounters with nesting females over the course of theseason.

In addition to the activities conducted at Chiriqu Beach, STC also monitors twoother sea turtle nesting beaches within the Comarca Ngbe-Bugl; Escudo deVeraguas Island and Red Beach (Playa Roja). These study sites have a differentmonitoring protocol and so require fewer personnel to conduct program activities;monitoring is carried out over a shorter time period during the year (May thruNovember), and no night patrols are conducted.

At Escudo de Veraguas Island one beach monitor was contracted to conducttrack surveys (See Appendix 1); this man lives on the island, thereby facilitatingthe daily survey protocol and reducing fuel expenses. At Red Beach three peoplefrom the community located at the beach were employed; two men and one


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woman (See Appendix 1). These four people were newly contracted in May2010; they received training and participated in supervised surveys with the RCand Field Assistant (FA), Genaro Castillo, prior to conducting monitoring activitiesunsupervised. The RC and/or FA also provide continual supervision to staff at

these two beaches during site visits very two weeks throughout the monitoringperiod (May November).

Outside the Comarca there were alsoother coastal communities involved insea turtle conservation and monitoringprograms within Bocas del ToroProvince. Since 2010, STC has beenworking with members of the BluffBeach (Playa Bluff) community toconduct conservation activities at this

sea turtle nesting beach on Isla Colon,close to the town of Bocas del Toro.The local community had expressedconcern about the fate of turtles andtheir nests at the beach (there is stillillegal take of both nesting femalesand eggs), and were interested ininitiating a conservation project. In

February 2011, the RC conducted a training course with 15 people, mainlymembers of the community, but also interested ex-pats living close to BluffBeach. Details about the workshop were presented in the report entitled

Progress Report on Environmental Education and Outreach Activities in theComarca Ngbe-Bugl and Bocas del Toro Province, Panama (Sea TurtleConservancy, 2011c). Following the training course nine people from thecommunity were involved in the monitoring and conservation activities (See

Appendix 3, and Figures 2 and 3). These people are all members of thecommunity conservation organization,

Asociacin Natural Bocas Carey(ANABOCA); Bocas Hawksbill

Association was created specifically tosupport sea turtle protection efforts atBluff Beach. The beach monitorsworked as volunteers from FebruaryJuly 2011; from August, they receiveda salary.

At present Bluff Beach is onlyregistered as a Municipal Protectedarea, which provides a very limitedlevel of protection. However, it is the

Figure 2. STC staff with volunteer beachmonitors from Bluff Beach community in

front of the hatchery

Figure 3. A beach monitor checkson leatherback nests in the hatchery

at Bluff Beach


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Figure 4. The Bluff Beach turtle projectcenter and an information sign for

tourists about sea turtles

hope of STC and other interested stakeholder groups that it can awarded ahigher protection category in the near future, and so be listed in the officialregister of protected areas; this would provide for the enforcement of nationallaws that protect sea turtles and their habitats at this important nesting beach.

STC Scientific Director, Dr Emma Harrison, and the RC met with personnel fromthe Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in July 2011; STRI is alsointerested in supporting efforts to have Bluff Beach declared a protected areaand so it was discussed how best to approach the relevant authorities to initiate

the application process.

STC and the community of Bluff Beachare interested in working together todevelop a sustainable ecotourisminitiative at this site, that will provide analternative economy for the local

community and hopefully raise fundsto support sea turtle conservation andprotection measures in Bocas delToro.

Until recently the monitoring andconservation efforts at Bluff Beachwere being conducted on a purelyvolunteer basis, but it is hoped in thefuture that revenue from eco-tourism

ventures at the site will provide sufficient funds to contract seasonal beach

monitors. During the 2011 nesting season there was collaboration between thebeach monitors and hotel owners at Bluff Beach, to conduct turtle tours; theycalled the hotels to advise them when turtles were encountered on the beachduring patrols, and explained to tourists about the nesting process and the workthey were doing. More than 100 people participated in these tours and they wereinvited to make a voluntary contribution to support the turtle program; the fundscollected were managed by ANABOCA and used to consolidate the organizationin the community and provide an economic incentive to the beach monitors. STCplans to build upon this spirit of cooperation that has been established betweeninterested stakeholder groups at the nesting beach and develop a moreorganized turtle tour program, that will incorporate other key actors, such as hotelowners in Bocas del Toro town, tour agencies and taxi companies.

STC collaborated with project partner Solimar International to provide technicaladvice for the design of information signs for tourists as part of an outreachcampaign for the MAREA Program. The signs, an example of which is shown inFigure 4, were placed at strategic locations at entrances to Bluff Beach, andprovided visitors with guidelines on how to interact with a nesting sea turtle, orhatchlings, if encountered on the beach.


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Figure 5. Silverio Juarezparticipates in the 31

stInternational

Sea Turtle Symposium

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN NATIONAL ANDINTERNATIONAL EVENTS

From 25 27 September, 2010, the SD, RC, FA, and three community members

from the Comarca Ngbe-Bugl and Bocas del Toro Province, were invited toparticipate in the 3rd National Exchange of Experiences between Sea TurtleManagers organized by ANAM, and sponsored by the Mesoamerican BiologicalCorridor (MBC); Arcelio Gonzalez (Long Beach), Huascar Miller (Sixaola Beachand the Zapatilla Cays) and Ruben Santos (Soropta Beach). The objective of theworkshop was to allow community members (predominantly from indigenouscommunities throughout Panama) to share their experiences of sea turtleconservation and monitoring, with presentations and technical advice provided byinvited international sea turtle biologists.

Each of the workshop participants had the

opportunity to speak about their personalexperiences with sea turtles, and how theyhad become involved in their local monitoringor conservation project. During the workshopparticipants also had the opportunity to takepart in a night tour at a nearby olive ridley(Lepidochelys olivacea) nesting beach andprovide feedback to the local communityassociation about their tourist activities.

For the past five years, at least one

indigenous community member working forSTC at Chiriqu Beach has attended theannual International Symposium on Sea TurtleResearch and Conservation. Silverio Juarez, abeach monitor from the community of RoChiriqu who has worked on the turtle projectfor several years, participated in the 2011 symposium, which was held in SanDiego, California, from 10 16 April (See Figure 5). In addition to the mainsymposium events, Mr Juarez also took part in the Meeting of Latin AmericanSea Turtle Experts (Reunin de Especialistas sobre Tortugas Marinas enLatinoamrica - RETOMALA), during which various themes relevant to sea turtle

conservation and monitoring in the region were discussed.

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS

In addition to the training provided by the RC prior their participation in STC seaturtle monitoring and conservation programs in the Comarca Ngbe-Bugl andBocas del Toro Province, several coastal community members also receivedsupplementary training in 2011.


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STC has been running a long-term sea turtle conservationand monitoring program atTortuguero, Costa Rica for over

50 years. A key component ofthis program is the ResearchAssistant Program, whichprovides young biologists andresource managers, with afocus on recruitment from Latin

America and the Caribbean,with the opportunity to gainintensive practical experience insea turtle monitoring andconservation techniques.

Two beach monitors from BluffBeach and Soropta (anothersea turtle nesting site in Bocas del Toro Province that has a monitoring programrun by the Endangered Wildlife Trust EWT), participated as Research

Assistants for the 2011 Green Turtle Program at Tortuguero for one month;Aneldo Martn Santos from 13 June 15 July, and Abelardo Beker Baker from 4September 5 October. During their time in Tortuguero they gained considerablefield experience working with nesting green turtles (Chelonia mydas), saw first-hand the established eco-tourism system and also helped conduct environmentaleducation activities in the community. On his return to Bluff Beach, Aneldo held a

meeting with members of thecommunity conservation groupANABOCA, to share his experiencesand highlight activities that might beapplicable to Bluff Beach, specificallyrelating to eco-tourism (See Figure 6).

As part of its activities for year one ofthe MAREA Program, STC ran atraining workshop at Tortuguero inSeptember 2011; the 4-day coursewas designed to build capacity in seaturtle conservation throughout Central

America by providing people workingat sea turtle nesting beaches in theregion with training in standardmonitoring and conservationtechniques.

Figure 6. Aneldo Martn Santos shares his

experiences from Tortuguero withcommunity members at Bluff Beach

Figure 7. Alfred Martn Santos, from BluffBeach, practices nest relocation during

the Tortuguero training workshop


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Several members of coastal communities in the Comarca Ngbe-Bugl andBocas del Toro Province participated in the workshop, including Alfred MartnSantos from Bluff Beach, Genaro Castillo from Ro Caa and Evelin Rivas Novoafrom San San. Workshop participants had an intensive program of theoretical

lectures, practical training sessions (See Figure 7), and supervised beach patrolsduring which they had an opportunity to work with nesting turtles. There werealso additional discussion sessions about environmental education and outreach,tourism and volunteer programs.

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN SEA TURTLE CONSERVATIONMANAGEMENT IN THE COMARCA NGBE-BUGL AND BOCASDEL TORO PROVINCE

Since the start of the sea turtle conservation and monitoring program at ChiriquBeach, STC has worked closely with leaders of the Comarca Ngbe-Bugl to

ensure that there has been local awareness and support for the project. Thissupport was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) thatwas signed in 2006 by representatives of the Comarca, STC and projectpartners, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). This MoU validates the work ofSTC within the Comarca, and also ensures that project findings are shared on aregular basis with Comarca leaders, thus providing a feedback mechanismthrough which any questions about the project can be raised. Further to this end,STC staff are also in regular communication with the local conservation NGO,

Association for the Protection of Ngbe-Bugl Natural Resources(APRORENANB), indeed this organization was one of the first to realize theplight of sea turtles at Chiriqu Beach and to initiate conservation efforts to

protect them. The majority of beach monitors currently employed by STC aremembers of this organization, and so have a vested stake in their localresources.

Conservation management decisions related to the project have also been madein consultation with local community leaders where appropriate; for example, thewife of a known poacher was contracted to work on the project after discussingthe situation with members of the community. There was consensus that sheshould be given the opportunity, on the proviso, obviously, that her husband hadto desist from taking eggs, as she would be receiving a direct economic benefitfrom the conservation project. More recently, community opinion has been

sought to find a solution to the problem of predation of turtle nests by domesticdogs; suggestions proposed by STC staff (such as a veterinary clinic tospay/neuter dogs to reduce the population) were not acceptable to the localcommunities, and so STC has asked Comarca leaders to suggest viablealternatives to the problem that will have local support. Such discussions are onlypossible due to the efforts of STC staff in maintaining open communication withlocal community leaders, and gaining their respect and trust, and by respectingthe manner in which the semi-autonomous indigenous Comarca is governed.


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Future activities proposed by STC as part of the MAREA Program will requireactive participation by community members and Comarca leaders with respect tomanagement decisions pertaining to local natural resources. The development ofa draft sea turtle conservation management plan for Chiriqu Beach and other

key nesting sites in the Comarca will incorporate local opinions on sea turtles,and provide a forum by which different management strategies can be discussed.

The sustained efforts of the STC environmental education and outreachinitiatives, supported by the MAREA Program, have been instrumental in raisingawareness within the Comarca and Bocas del Toro Province of the need toconsider the impacts on sea turtles, other endangered species or vulnerablecoastal habitats when assessing development proposals for the region. Whiletourism development is desired by communities in the Comarca, there is also anincreasing understanding of the potential negative impacts that large-scaleunsustainable development projects could bring, not only to the native flora and

fauna, but also to the indigenous culture and way of life of the local people. STChas been fully supportive of endeavors by Comarca leaders to take an active rolein guiding any management decisions that affect coastal areas, and in particularsea turtles and their key habitats; offering technical advice when requested.

In Bocas del Toro Province, STC has also been involved in consultation withindigenous community members, local government officials, conservationorganizations and business owners at Bluff Beach, during the establishment ofsea turtle conservation and monitoring activities at this important nesting site. Ithas been important for STC that there has been consensus from differentstakeholder groups, and adequate opportunity for local opinion to be expressed

during the on-going process. Continued dialogue with key actors at this site iscritical for the future development of ecotourism activities, which could benefit thelocal community by providing alternative income opportunities, and also generatea sustainable source of funding for turtle conservation efforts.

TOURISM PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPSOne of the principal aims of the MAREA Program is to provide coastalcommunities with viable economic alternatives, to reduce the need to continue touse vulnerable marine resources in an unsustainable manner, such as the fishingof sea turtles, or the collection of turtle eggs.

STC has considerable experience in the development of tourism activities relatedto sea turtles, from more than 50 years working at Tortuguero. STC has beenactively involved in helping to shift local attitudes towards sustainable tourism,away from the historical consumption of sea turtles and their eggs. STC hopes touse the experiences from Tortuguero to help develop similar tourism programs inBocas del Toro; an area that is a popular tourist destination but that offers noorganized turtle-related tours. The area is subject to continuing development;


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putting added pressure on fragile coastal habitats and endangered species suchas sea turtles, and so there is a genuine immediate need to properly managetourist activities, to ensure that any potential negative impacts are minimized.

One of the objectives of STC is to develop a system by which tourists canprovide financial support for sea turtle conservation initiatives and protectionefforts in Bocas del Toro, similar to the funding mechanism that supports theTurtle Spotter Program (TSP) in Tortuguero. The sale of informative brochuresand stickers to tourists covers the expenses of the TSP, the system by whichtours are coordinated on the nesting beach.

Bluff Beach was selected as a potential study site to develop sea turtleecotourism activities in Bocas del Toro Province for several reason; firstly, it isrelatively accessible from Bocas town, as it does not involve a boat journey, butcan be reached by road within 30 minutes. Also, there is a small indigenous

community living close to the beach; they have shown interest in protecting theirnatural resources, including sea turtles, with the creation of the communityassociation ANABOCA, and in 2011 local residents were involved in sea turtlemonitoring and conservation activities under the supervision of STC staff. Theyare also keen to develop small-scale sustainable tourism projects, with the goalof directly benefitting community members.

STC has also held meetings with other interested stakeholders including officialsfrom the municipality of Bocas del Toro, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute(STRI) and Bocas Alliance (Alianza Bocas) to discuss a possible managementplan for Bluff Beach; with the specific goal of having the area recognized on the

official list of protected areas of ANAM.The lack of a dedicated member of staff who could work on building relationshipswith local businesses meant that little progress was made in developing private-public partnerships. However, as detailed in the Progress Report on PrivatePartnerships to Support Sea Turtle Tourism Activities in Bocas del ToroProvince, Panama(Sea Turtle Conservancy, 2011b), STC has focused its effortsduring 2010-2011 on identifying key figures in the Bluff Beach community to trainto be beach monitors.

The first steps towards approaching local businesses in Bocas del Toro for

financial support to improve sea turtle protection efforts were taken during aworkshop entitled Regional Workshop: Tourism and Sea Turtle Conservationorganized by Solimar International, project partners in the MAREA Program. TheRC and her assistant Tatiana Rojas participated in this activity, held on 6-7 April,2011, during which ideas and options for the development of sea turtle tourismactivities were discussed with representatives from NGOs (STC, WIDECASTand local NGO AAMVECONA), the Bocas Sustainable Tourism Alliance (BSTA),


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a local organization that was developed as part of a previous USAID project inBocas del Toro and Bocas Alliance (Alianza Bocas), as well as local residents.

The SD and RC were also invited to participate in a meeting of the BSTA in July,

2011 (See Figure 8). The meeting provided STC with an opportunity to talk aboutthe potential for the development of sea turtle tourism in Bocas del Toro, and therole that local businesses can play in helping to ensure that tourist activities aredeveloped to be sustainable, and also how partnerships with key local actorscould provide support for sea turtle conservation and protection initiatives. TheBSTA suggested that STC staff give a presentation at a future meeting to providemore details about these proposed projects.

On 24 August the RC was also invitedto participate in a meeting of theBocas del Toro Initiative for Culture

and the Environment (IniciativaBocatorea para la Cultura y elAmbiente INBOCA). This newinitiative of Fundacion NATURA aimsto seek funding to support projects inthe Bocas del Toro region, specificallycommunity projects or those dedicatedto protecting the cultural heritage andnatural resources of the area. STCparticipated in the meeting, with thegoal of developing links with INBOCA,

a potential funding source for seaturtle programs in Bocas del Toro. During this meeting the RC held an informalmeeting with Mr Arcadio Aguilar, the representative of the Comarca Tourism

Authority (Autoridad de Turismo Comarcal), during which they spoke about plansfor tourism within the Comarca and proposed a visit to Ro Caa to hold a publicmeeting for communities throughout the Comarca to discuss public opinion ontourism options.

During the course of this project, STC has also utilized its popular on-line seaturtle migration tracking and education program, the Tour de Turtles, to formpartnerships with private companies, which generated direct financial support forsea turtle conservation and educational activities in Panama. For the 2011 Tourde Turtles, STC recruited financial sponsorships amounting to more than$15,000 from several businesses for use in program activities in Bocas del Toro.It is hoped that the Tour de Turtles event can be further developed in 2012 togenerate more funds to support conservation, protection and education activitiesin the region.

Figure 8. STC staff participated in ameeting of the BSTA in July 2011


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Figure 9. Students talk to STC staff duringan education event organized by STC

and STRI in April 2011

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ANDOUTREACH

Details of the environmental education and outreach activities conducted from 1September, 20101 April, 2011 are detailed in the Progress Report onEnvironmental Education and Outreach Activities in the Comarca Ngbe-Bugland Bocas del Toro Province, Panama(Sea Turtle Conservancy, 2011c). Thefollowing, therefore, is a summary of activities conducted from 1 April 30September, 2011; where possible the number of people involved in the activity isdocumented. A total of 11 environmental education and outreach activities wereconducted in 2010 and 2011, reaching more than 200 people, primarily students.

On 27 April, 2011, STC staff andMargarita Roa (staff member withEWT), gave a talk to 26 studentsfrom the National University ofPanama (Universidad Nacional dePanam - UNP), and 12 studentsfrom the Bet-el high school (SeeFigure 9). This was an activitywhich is organized each year bySTC and STRI. During thepresentation they spoke about theimportance of different key habitatsfor various life stages of sea turtles

in Bocas del Toro Province and theComarca Ngbe-Bugl. They talked to the students about the different sea turtleprojects being undertaken in the region, to emphasize the importance of theareas natural resources and the need to protect them.

From 1 3 July, 2011 STC staff participated in the annual Environmental Fairorganized by STRI. During this event they presented posters with informationabout STCs sea turtle projects to students and the general public. It wasestimated that more than 100 people came to the stand, to read the posters andask questions about sea turtles. For the younger children there were paintingsessions, and various games related to sea turtles. The RC also gave a talkentitled Sea Turtle Conservation in Bocas del Toro; the future is in our hands;this was attended by 15 children and adults, including a group of students andteachers from the Panama Maritime University (Universidad Martima dePanama), who expressed interest in the sea turtle monitoring and conservationactivities being conducted by STC.

Eight students from the UNP participated in program activities from 2 10 July,2011 to gain first-hand experience about sea turtle monitoring and conservation


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efforts. They visited Soropta Beach and Chiriqu Beach and took part in tracksurveys and night time beach patrols. During their visit Celio Morales (beachmonitor at Chiriqu Beach) and the RC gave a short training session to explainthe different activities. The students expressed an interest in receiving more in-

depth training with the aim of establishing a similar research and monitoringprogram in their province.

From 14 18 September STC participated with an information stand at theInternational Festival of the Sea (Feria Internacional del Mar); posters about thework of the organization in the Comarca and Bocas del Toro province were ondisplay and the RC was on hand to answer questions. During this event the RCalso had an opportunity to speak informally with the Director of the TechnologicalUniversity of Panama (Universidad Tecnolgica de Panam) and a professorfrom their Changuinola campus to discuss the possibility of having studentgroups participate in conservation and monitoring activities in 2012. U

On 20 September, 2011, Canal Telemetro, a national television channel inPanama, visited Ro Caa to interview local students and residents about the factthat the community is renowned for showing concern about the natural resourcesin the area, and for being actively involved in a sea turtle conservation project.The FA was interviewed for the program, and spoke about the importance ofconserving critically endangered sea turtles, and the key role that localcommunity members play in the protecting their natural resources.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

CONCLUSIONS1. The continued involvement of local people from coastal communities in

program activities is vital to ensure the continued success of STCs work inBocas del Toro. STC remains committed to building local capacity in theregion, and raising awareness about the global importance of the area forseveral endangered sea turtle species.

2. The successful establishment of partnerships to raise money for sea turtleconservation and protection efforts through tourism has been restricted by thelack of a dedicated staff member to liaise with local businesses.

3. Bluff Beach has been identified as a potential site for the future development

of sea turtle tourism activities in the Bocas del Toro Province for a couple ofkey reasons; 1) its relative ease of accessibility from Bocas town and 2) thekeen interest demonstrated by members of the small indigenous communityclose to the nesting beach in protecting their natural resources, anddeveloping small-scale tourism projects that would benefit the community.


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RECOMMENDATIONS

1. STC will continue to work with indigenous communities within the ComarcaNgbe-Bugl and Bocas del Toro Province, to actively involve interestedcommunity members in sea turtle programs in the region. The objective is tofoster a conservation ethic among local people to ensure the long-termsurvival, not only of sea turtle populations but also other endangered naturalresources.

2. Ensure active participation of indigenous community members and Comarcaleaders in the development of draft sea turtle conservation managementplans, and eco-tourism activities in the region.

3. It is important to contract an additional STC staff member to focus on buildingalliances to create public-private partnerships that can support sea turtletourism activities.

4. Work with local tourism operators and stakeholder groups to develop asustainable eco-tourism model for Bluff Beach, and devise a fundingmechanism to support sea turtle conservation and protection efforts in theregion.

5. Expand the Tour de Turtles program as a strategy for developing public-private partnerships that will provide additional funding for sea turtleconservation initiatives.

6. Environmental education and outreach are key to the success of anyconservation program, and STC will continue to develop an educationalprogram for students in coastal communities in the Comarca Ngbe-Bugland Bocas del Toro Province, to raise awareness, particularly among theyounger generation, about threats to sea turtles, their habitats and otherendangered species in the region.

7. Training and capacity building programs should be developed, to provideinformation to officials from government enforcement agencies responsible forenforcing national and international laws pertaining to sea turtles.

8. Working with project partners such as Solimar International, and usingproducts developed for the MAREA Program STC aims to build capacity inthe area, not only in sea turtle research and monitoring techniques, but alsoto help local communities develop possible ecotourism models that would

promote the conservation of threatened sea turtles, and also generateincome.

BIBLIOGRAPHYSea Turtle Conservancy, 2010. Preliminary Report on Community Participationin Sea Turtle Conservation Programs in Bocas del Toro, Panama .Unpublished


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report submitted to USAID. Pp.23.

Sea Turtle Conservancy, 2011a. Progress Report on Indigenous Involvement inSea Turtle Conservation Programs in the Comarca Ngbe-Bugl and Bocas del

Toro Province, Panama. Unpublished report submitted to USAID. Pp.15.

Sea Turtle Conservancy, 2011b. Progress Report on Private Partnerships toSupport Sea Turtle Tourism Activities in Bocas del Toro Province, Panama.Unpublished report submitted to USAID. Pp.11.

Sea Turtle Conservancy, 2011c. Progress Report on Environmental Educationand Outreach Activities in the Comarca Ngbe-Bugl and Bocas del ToroProvince, Panama.Unpublished report submitted to USAID. Pp.16.


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APPENDICESAPPENDIX 1. LIST OF INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY MEMBERSEMPLOYED BY SEA TURTLE CONSERVANCY FROM 1SEPTEMBER, 2010 30 SEPTEMBER, 2011.

Name Position Gender

Employment history

Startdate

EndDate

Genaro Castillo Field Assistant CB Male Sep 2010 To date

Maximo Baker Beach Monitor CB Male Sep 2010 To date

Martin Quintero Beach Monitor CB Male Sep 2010 To date

Jesus Maria Tugri Beach Monitor CB Male Sep 2010 To date

Celio Morales Beach Monitor CB Male Sep 2010 To date

Rogelio Serrano Beach Monitor CB Male Sep 2010 To date

Silverio Juarez Beach Monitor CB Male Sep 2010 To date

Ramon Beker Beach Monitor CB Male Sep 2010 Dec 2010

Paulino Abrego Beach Monitor CB Male Sep 2010 Nov 2010

Ramiro Smith Beach Monitor CB Male Dec 2010 Dec 2010

Jose Smith Beach Monitor CB Male Mar 2011 To date

Bartolo Moran Beach Monitor CB Male Mar 2011 May 2011

Benicio Abrego Beach Monitor CB Male Jun 2011 To date

Mauricio Jose Beach Monitor EdV MaleSep 2010

Ago 2011

Nov 2010

To date

CB = Chiriqu Beach; EdV = Escudo de Veraguas Island; RB = Red Beach


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APPENDIX 1. CONTINUED

CB = Chiriqu Beach; EdV = Escudo de Veraguas Island; RB = Red Beach


Employment history

Startdate

EndDate

Roberto Bernard Beach Monitor RB MaleSep 2010

Jun 2011

Nov 2010

To date

Francisco Machado Beach Monitor RB MaleSep 2010

Jul 2011

Oct 2010

To date

Guillermina Santos Beach Monitor RB Female Sep 2010 Oct 2010

Dionicio Beker Boat Captain Male Sep 2010 To date

Viviana Morales Cook CB Female Sep 2010 To date

Fermina Baker Cook CB Female Sep 2010 To date

Angela Morales Cook CB Female Sep 2010 To date

Fermina Martinez Cook CB Female Sep 2010 To date

Betita Abrego Cook CB Female Sep 2010 Nov 2010

Delfina Aguilar Cook CB Female Sep 2010 Nov 2010

Angelica Abrego Cook CB Female Feb 2011 To date

Celia Abrego Cook CB Female Feb 2011 To date

Orlando Palacio Guard CB Male Sep 2010 Nov 2010

Cilvio Muoz Guard CB Male Feb 2011 Jul 2011

Edilio Smith Guard CB Male Ago 2011 To date


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APPENDIX 2. LIST OF COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS WHOREGULARLY PARTICIPATE IN MONITORING ACTIVITIES ATCHIRIQU BEACH.

Name Gender Community

Salvador Baker Male Ro Caa

Bruno Grenald Male Ro Caa

Pancho Quintero Male Ro Caa

Alexis Baker Male Ro Caa

Cornelio Muoz Male Ro Caa

Wilfredo Baker Male Ro Caa

Miguel Abrego Male Middle BeachRamiro Smith Male Middle Beach


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APPENDIX 3. LIST OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS PARTICIPATINGIN SEA TURTLE MONITORING ACTIVITIES AT BLUFF BEACH, 15FEBRUARY 30 SEPTEMBER, 2011.

1 Participated as a volunteer until July 2011, after which they received a salary


Participation inmonitoring activities

Startdate

End

Date

Damian Bejarano Beach Monitor Male Feb 2011 To date

Alfred Martn Santos1 Beach Monitor Male Feb 2011 To date

Aneldo Martn Santos1 Beach Monitor Male Feb 2011 To date

Aron Martin Beach Monitor Male Feb 2011 To date

Dianilza Martin Beach Monitor Female Feb 2011 To date

Gabriel Martin Beach Monitor Male Feb 2011 To date

Emerito Pablo Beach Monitor Male Feb 2011 To date

Ruperto Pablo Beach Monitor Male Feb 2011 To date

Nivaldo Taylor Beach Monitor Male Feb 2011 To date


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INDIGENOUS INVOLVEMENT, TOURISM PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AND22

APPENDIX 4. LIST OF STUDENTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OFPANAMA WHO PARTICIPATED IN PROGRAM ACTIVITIES FROM2 11 JULY, 2011.

Name GenderDaysi Ayarza Female

Margarita vila FemaleKarina Cano FemaleYina Carter Female

Kenia Castaeda FemalePatricia Collymore FemaleAna Raquel Lewis Female

Catherine Ruiz Female

Documents

INDIGENOUS INVOLVEMENT, TOURISM PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FINAL REPORT