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Aboriginal tourism and biodiversity

Sylvie Blangy University of Wisconsin Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development program G. Nelson Institute of Environmental Studies Department of Geography.

Sept 26, 2007

Aboriginal tourism presents an important opportunity to protect and conserve not only biodiversity, but also cultural diversity and traditional knowledge

他 Collaborative research on line, using web based technologies & the content of a guide book with 183 initiatives 他 Partnership with 2 Aboriginal communities in Northern Canada, Inuit & Cree 他 Case studies of conservation based tourism

Who am I? A consultant and a researcher in aboriginal tourism 他 Rural Tourism officer in the South of France, 他 Consultant in ecotourism for 15 years, (50 assignements, 40 countries) 他 Instructor, lecturer in 5 Universities in France, Master in Ecotourism, Montpellier 他 Researcher, European Marie Curie fellowship, Carleton University, Ottawa

Where am I based & hosted? At Carleton University in Ottawa

Scientific Advisor; Nancy Doubleday

What am Iindoing in Canada?

Research project Canada Research on aboriginal tourism, conservation of biodiversity, cultural revival & land management In partnership with 2 to 3 communities.

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Cape Dorset, Nunavut Moose Factory Island, Ontario

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Is community based Ecotourism generating new innovative sustainable land and natural resources management strategies and models and helping to preserve and revive local cultures & biodiversity?

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Are indigenous communities influenced and inspired by visions of sustainability in the development of ecotourism related activities in their land management practice, the conservation of the biological diversity and the revival and/or the preservation of their cultural integrity?

The first worldwide guide book on Indigenous tourism 400 community based tourism initiatives were identified in 2005

For the ‘Guide des destinations indigènes’ we selected: – 183 initiatives from 60 countries in 5 continents The book was released in April 2006 – 2000 copies sold – Distributed in French speaking countries, Quebec included

Community based tourism is thriving all other the world

Indigenous People & Biodiversity ¾ IP comprise 5 % of the world’s population ¾ IP embody 80% of world’s cultural diversity ¾ Highest diversity in language spoken. Over 6000, 5000 are indigenous ¾ IP occupy 20% of the world’s land surface ¾ IP nurture 80% of the world’s biodiversity on ancestral lands & territories (hot spot)

Cultural diversity • Haida, Cree, Innu, Canada • Imraguens, Mauritania • Kali’na, French Guyana • Ye’Kuana, Venezuela • Zulu, South Africa • Maasaï, East Africa • Aboriginals, Australia • Quechua, Cofan,Infiernos Bolivia, Ecuador • Bribri, Costa Rica • Maya, Belize.

Book expensive, 30 Euros French speaking audience, Can’t be updated

Connect communities, exchange information, and lessons learnt

A new Web Site: www.sylvie-blangy.org A new web-site is created www.sylvie-blangy.org - to connect the communities so that they could exchange information and the many lessons learned - to promote the various communities -to reach a much broader audience -to upload the English version & update them.

The web master uses a Content Management Systems such as SPIP (spip.net) as the core engine of the website and implements a variety of integrated technologies; either from existing software, or by the creation of new web-based products

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Guide book downloaded on my web site

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Communities located on the Google map

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Forum of discussion between visitors & communities

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Survey (Quickpool)

With the help of a Web Master

opessin@gmail.com

www.spip.net

http://www.google.com/apis/maps/

All the case studies are uploaded & have an English version

Google Maps™ is integrated to provide a visual connection for readers interested in the geographic placement of the communities

The Google Map

http://spip.sylvie-blangy.org/spip.php?page=bigmap&id_rubrique=3

Quickpool: an integrated web based survey • An online edition of the survey composed of closed questions • Online answering of the survey with secure URL access • Automated mailing process that allows to quickly contact hundreds of people with nominative invitations.

• Exportation of all data as a table (Excel or HTML compatible).

• Display of a frame alongside each case study indicating the answers to the survey.

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An interactive Google Map representation of the survey results

An online edition of the survey composed of closed questions

Interactive

Online answering of the survey with secure URL access

Automated mailing process that allows to quickly contact hundreds of people with nominative invitations.

Display of a frame alongside each case study indicating the answers to the survey.

An interactive Google Map representation of the survey results

select a question from the survey and have the results displayed as colored pins see the importance of one answer by the dominant color.

Clicking on this pin displays the comments I have selected the most significant over the map questions relevant to your program

The motivations • Raise awareness: reach the international community – Land claims – Conflicts with logging or mining companies

• Improve the well being of community members – Jobs, employments – New source of income – Support development & conservation projects

• Develop cross cultural exchanges – Share knowledge, – Get to know other cultures

For 21% of the communities, tourism was initiated as a way to manage biodiversity and resources

The benefits Support community projects – schools, clinics, wells, cooperatives…)

Contribute to the conservation of biodiversity – Encrease in protected areas (reserves, conservancies) – Ecological restoration – Restocking, reintroduction of threatened species Bring pride to the community – Cultural revival – Art work enhanced (totem carving, jewelery, basket making…)

– Traditional ceremonies revived (potlach, healing sessions)

For 70%, tourism finances conservation projects

38% have ownership of the totality of their land

72% consider they are located in a biodiversity hot spot

52% are carrying out an ecological restoration project

1/3 has conducted a restocking program

50% are hosting a research program & working with scientists

64% run their accomodation in a environmentally friendly way

Cree Village Ecolodge, Moose Factory; Ontario

Ouje Bougoumou Ecovillage, Quebec

Furniture at the Cree Village Ecolodge

68% all speak their native language

What kind of projects are supported by tourism revenues?

Schools

Women cooperatives

Ecological restoration projects

Blue Aras: Pantanal, Brazil

Baboon Sanctuary in BĂŠlize

Research, Scientific projects Ecovolonteer program In Bolivia

Community Baboon Sanctuary in Belize • • • • • • • •

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Founded in February of 1985 Initiated by Robert Horwich, to conserve one of the last healthy populations of the endangered Black Howler monkey Includes seven villages populated mainly by Creole families, stretch approximately 20 miles along the banks of the Belize River.

Each owner pledged 1) to keep the forests intact alongside the Belie River, 2) to preserve fruit trees and other trees important to the howler monkeys on his or her rural lands, and 3) to keep the trees and vegetation along property lines, creating an aerial corridor for the monkeys to travel from one property to another.

Large farms alongside the river’s edge, offers canoe trips, horse riding, monkey viewing, bird watching, and relaxing in thatch-roofed cabanas.

CBS benefits both people and wildlife. ecotourism has brought a new way of life – a blending of the old and the new.

It has diverted the urban sprawl of nearby Belize City, creating an oasis of rural, tropical paradise, and providing jobs and opportunities for the local Creole farmers and their children for years to come.

A pageant story: celebrating youth & conservation

“the annual April celebration of the Miss CBS Pageant! The crowning of a local, high-school age “queen of conservation” represented the importance of the Community Baboon Sanctuary in the lives of these rural people.” Gail Lash

Saami, reinder herders; North Sweden Sami

Reinder Herders

Climate Change. Early frost. Reindeers had to be fed in the winter time. Saami people turn to tourism

Per-Nils Paivio, BrittMarie Labba start a tourism business

They host visitors in traditional Kota and Lavvu

We all go Salmon fishing with Per-Nils I learn how to make Saami shoes & hats

Soline is our ambassador She has a lot of friends She goes to the Saami school

Jean-Louis & Per-Nils catch reindeers

We learn how to mark reindeers in the coral

We are invited to take part in public meetings

Huaorani community in Ecuador

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Hunter & gatherers peoples Amazonia, tropical forest, old growth Conflicts with oil companies Organise guided tours in partnership with TROPIC, a travel agency to raise pubic awareness Group of aboriginal guides

Diversity of landscapes & ecosystems

Desert Namibia

Cliffs, Burkina Faso

Toundra Canada

Himalayan mountains

The Andes, Bolivia

The Amazonian, Brazil

Diversity of accommodations

Kota, Sami, Northern Sweden Gers, Kyrgyztan

Tipi Cri, Canada

Gers, Mongolia

Homestays, Guesthouses, Bed & Breakfast, Host Villages

Baboon Sanctuary homestays in Belize

Amadiba Guesthouses in South Africa

Host Village network, Doudou in Burkina Faso

Ecolodge in Ecuador & Bolivia

Diversity of activities: Sharing daily activities

Cattle raising, cooking, gardening, farming

Fishing, hunting, trapping, berry picking

Art work, handicraft making

Itineraries, treks, migration routes, theme (silk, salt) roads

events, ceremonies, gatherings