Ecotourism in the Santafesinian Chaco – “Conservation and Sustainable Use”
The national and international experience, and the process developed by Fundación Hábitat y Desarrollo with local communities of Santafesinian Chaco in the last 5 years have shown that the solution to environmental, economic, social and cultural problems in rural areas depends on comprehensive sustainable development strategies. The only way that the community consider the conservation of the Chaquenian forest is by finding mechanisms and technologies to generate tangible and equal benefices at a local scale. This project aims to begin a reversion process in deforestation and poverty that characterizes Santefesinian Chaco by a “demonstrative” method (three entrepreneurships operated by their own producers) and by a mechanism that guarantee the replication of successful experiences at a local scale (an extension network operated by producers’ organizations and rural municipalities). Fundación Hábitat y Desarrollo has measured the viability of the project among producer’s organizations, local cooperatives and municipalities and it has found a wide eco in most of them, so it has signed intention agreements with more than 20 producers and cooperatives. Likewise, the project counts with the explicit commitment of the provincial authorities, companies and the media.
Your idea
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Street Address
San Lorenzo 2082
City
Buenos Aires
State/Province
Postal/Zip Code
Country
Argentina
Year innovation began
2007
Geotourism Challenge Addressed by Entrant
Quality of tourism management and impact on the destination
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Indicate sector in which you principally work
Conservation/Preservation organization
Geographic location
Plot your innovation within the Mosaic of Solutions
Main insight addressed
Establish community incentives
Name Your Project
Ecotourism in the Santafesinian Chaco – “Conservation and Sustainable Use”
Describe Your Idea
The national and international experience, and the process developed by Fundación Hábitat y Desarrollo with local communities of Santafesinian Chaco in the last 5 years have shown that the solution to environmental, economic, social and cultural problems in rural areas depends on comprehensive sustainable development strategies. The only way that the community consider the conservation of the Chaquenian forest is by finding mechanisms and technologies to generate tangible and equal benefices at a local scale. This project aims to begin a reversion process in deforestation and poverty that characterizes Santefesinian Chaco by a “demonstrative” method (three entrepreneurships operated by their own producers) and by a mechanism that guarantee the replication of successful experiences at a local scale (an extension network operated by producers’ organizations and rural municipalities). Fundación Hábitat y Desarrollo has measured the viability of the project among producer’s organizations, local cooperatives and municipalities and it has found a wide eco in most of them, so it has signed intention agreements with more than 20 producers and cooperatives. Likewise, the project counts with the explicit commitment of the provincial authorities, companies and the media.
Innovation
What is the goal of your innovation?
Conservation and sustainable use of the native forest and fight against poverty inside the Santafesian Chaco rural communities.
How does your approach support or embody geotourism?
The goal of ecotourism in the Santafesinian Chaco is to improve life’s conditions of communities in the north of Santa Fe (the poorest area in the province) by promoting productive diversification and creation of local value added with base on sustainable use of native forest and other natural resources; by promoting a territorial organizing process of the Santafesinian Chaco. We have developed a conservation and sustainable use of the biodiversity program in the Santafesinian Chaco by promoting a vision where people’s social and economic progress and fight against poverty are associated to the defense of native forest.
Describe your approach in detail. How is it innovative?
Santa Fe has always been a province of agricultural producers with strong prevalence in the production of commodities without value added, and nature was an antinomy of progress. That’s why ecotourism in the Santafesinian Chaco proposes the sustainable use of native forest through tourism, as an incentive for the promotion of conservation and at the same time adding value to the nature. It would be the first community experience in Santa Fe where tourism has a main role to the local development and promote conservation through activities such as flora and wildlife watching, trekking, cycling, photography safaris, and appreciation of the local culture. The project is based on a unique environment in the province, south of the Great American Chaco, second wooded area in America, where it has developed a unique culture in the country, based on forest exploitation and cattle raising in the wilds which stamps particular characteristics –from the architecture point of view to lifestyle.
What types of partnerships or professional development would be most beneficial in spreading your innovation?
We are working to make public sector get involved through the Secretary of Tourism System, Commerce and Services of Santa Fe province and to set a development policy. The Administration of National Parks offers its experience for planning tourist destinations and the Universidad Nacional del Litorial helps in training on tourist services and environmental education. Fundación Hábitat y Desarrollo will set the guidelines for the sustainable development of the activity together with these organizations and will directly work with local community represented by producers’ groups.
Impact
In one sentence describe what kind of impact, change, or reform your approach is intended to achieve.
To give native forest, through tourism, a tangible value and make it an incentive for its conservation.
Describe the degree of success of your approach to date. Clearly define how you measure quantitative and qualitative impact in terms of how your approach contributes to the sustainability or enhancement of local culture, environment, heritage, or aesthetics? How does your approach minimize negative impacts? 200 words or less
This project aims to begin a reversion process in deforestation and poverty that characterizes Santefesinian Chaco by a “demonstrative” method (three entrepreneurships operated by their own producers) and by a mechanism that guarantee the replication of successful experiences at a local scale (an extension network operated by producers’ organizations and rural municipalities). Fundación Hábitat y Desarrollo has measured the viability of the project among producer’s organizations, local cooperatives and municipalities and it has found a wide eco in most of them, so it has signed intention agreements with more than 20 producers and cooperatives. Likewise, the project counts with the explicit commitment of the provincial authorities, companies and the media. Negative impacts are minimized with the improvement of life’s conditions of the communities in the north of Santa Fe, promoting productive diversification, creation of local value added, sustainable use of native forest and other natural resources; and promoting a territorial organizing process of the Santafesinian Chaco.
How does your program promote traveler enthusiasm, satisfaction, and engagement with the locale?
It does through transfer of technology from public organizations and specialized on sustainable management and use of native forest civil associations to local producers to generate goods and innovative services of high value added. A local network is created to monitor each of those entrepreneurships. This network is constituted by producers’ organizations and municipalities where the entrepreneurships are developed to promote their replication at a local scale. At a provincial scale we create a network to expand the experience, first, through all the Santafesinian Chaco and then through the whole Chaco.
Describe how your innovation helps travelers and local residents better understand the value of the area’s cultural and natural heritage, and educates them on local environmental issues. How do you motivate them to act responsibly in their future travel decisions?
The activities must promote the tourist’s knowledge of the local people through the discovery of their environment, traditions, folklore, gastronomy, and handicrafts. This is possible through the visit of craftsmen and through handicraft courses, routes along the patrimony, tours to local productions of food, music festivals and activities of ecologic interpretation in situ. The project aims to teach the eco-tourist to properly behave with nature and local people and make him use the learning in his everyday life.
In what ways are local residents actively involved in your innovation, including participation and community input? How has the community responded to or benefited from your approach?
Traveler’s satisfaction is guarantee with factors that certificate tourism of quality. It is promoted the eco-building of accommodation, sustainable technologies (clean energy, recovery of rain water, garbage recycling), activities that value cultural and environmental aspects, gastronomy with organic products and human quality of tourism professionals. In many of those activities Fundación Hábitat y Desarrollo has already had proved experience such as in the San Isidro Program and Santa Fe Recycles, and in the creation of the first Urban Reserve co-managed between a university and a NGO.
This Entry is about (Issues)
Sustainability
Is your initiative financially and organizationally sustainable? If not, what is required to make it so? What is the potential demand for your innovation?
Yes, it is once it’s passed the planning period that will help for the diversification of actual productions. It is not the intention to be a basic support of the area. Ecotourism is one of tourism’s tendencies that has had major growth at global scale. In the United States and Europe there is a growing interest on establishing relation with nature and other cultures. Visitors to Argentina have being more interested in the ecotourism activity.
How is your initiative currently financed? If available, provide information on your finances and organization that could help others. Please list: Annual budget, annual revenue generated, size of part-time, full-time and volunteer staff.
The initiative takes 15 moths for its launch and to be under way. The total cost is $226,230 ($118,880 donated by Fondo para las Américas), the rest is generated by the Foundation. Besides specific funds, we have to positive consider the technology transfer of INTA (National Institute of Agricultural Technology), the University, National Parks, Tourism and Environment of the province, other international organizations such as Direction Departementale de la Jeunesse et des Sports (DDJS) that grants the award "Envie d'agir _ Defi Jeune" for young initiatives and where a French intern has applied. Involved staff from the foundation: Director: Fernando Ardura, specialist on bioregional planning and protected area planning. Consultants: Javier Álvarez, specialist on biodiversity appreciation and agrarian economy; Ernesto Gamboa, specialist on ecotourism and rural tourism. Volunteer: Vincent Duret, specialist on sustainable tourism and territorial development.
What is your plan to expand your approach? Please indicate where/how you would like to grow or enhance your innovation, or have others do so.
The plans to expand the project will be:
? Short-term: Owners or tenants or base cooperatives of the three entrepreneurships that will be part of the local network of extension, monitoring and training to generate the transfer of technology and replication of the model in the influence area (using the average regional pattern, between 300 and 400 producers).
? Midium-term: Producers that replicate the model, new job positions in the communities and municipalities that will lead the process.
What are the main barriers you encounter in managing, implementing, or replicating your innovation? What barriers keep your program from having greater impact?
After the successful example begins, the barriers start to disappear because the main barrier today is the skepticism of many of the actors, especially in the government in relation with the potential of the activity even though there are clear signs of a sustain growth in the country and in Santa Fe. That’s why there’s a lot of work to be done at institutional scale. It was possible the recategorization of tourism inside government’s organization charts; the active participation of Santa Fe in the Tourist Coastal Board of the Secretary of Tourism; and the presence at national fairs where it’s being acknowledged Santa Fe as an emerging destination
The Story
Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers' marketing material.
I have a bachelor in Tourism from the Univsersidad Nacional del Litoral. I’m vice-president and founder of the Cámara de Empresarios Turísticos that belongs to the Stock Market of Santa Fe; Director of the Sustainable Tourism Group of the Fundación Hábitat y Desarrollo; former president and founder of the Asociación de Profesionales de Turismo de Santa Fe and I’m registered at the Registro de Idóneos en Turismo of the National Secretary of Tourism.
What is the origin of your innovation? Tell your story.
I was born in Venezuela but I grew up in Argentina. I inherit my passion for this activity from my father. All my life I believed in Tourism as a transformation tool to bring people together that can knock down prejudices and false stereotypes. It was my calling although people believed that my interest in tourist development had to do with spending a good time. But the truth is other. At the age of 23 I received my diploma as Superior Technician on Tourism. Together with other professionals we founded the Asociación Santafesina de Profesionales en Turismo (Satafesinian Association of Professionals on Tourism) and during my administration it was created the Autarkic Body of Mixed Tourism. Then I was part of the founder commission of Cámara de Empresarios Turísticos, where I am vice-president. This was inside the heart of the Stock Market of Santa Fe. To include tourism as a productive activity it was not a minor step. As time went by, it has become a relevant activity and I feel responsible and part of that. It’s a true challenge to promote the activity in one of the areas with more potential –and more forgotten– in a province that has not traditionally been touristy.
Please write an overview of your project. This text will appear when people scroll over the icon for your entry on the Google map located on the competition homepage.
The national and international experience, and the process developed by Fundación Hábitat y Desarrollo with local communities of Santafesinian Chaco in the last 5 years have shown that the solution to environmental, economic, social and cultural problems in rural areas depends on comprehensive sustainable development strategies. The only way that the community consider the conservation of the Chaquenian forest is by finding mechanisms and technologies to generate tangible and equal benefices at a local scale. This project aims to begin a reversion process in deforestation and poverty that characterizes Santefesinian Chaco by a “demonstrative” method (three entrepreneurships operated by their own producers) and by a mechanism that guarantee the replication of successful experiences at a local scale (an extension network operated by producers’ organizations and rural municipalities). Fundación Hábitat y Desarrollo has measured the viability of the project among producer’s organizations, local cooperatives and municipalities and it has found a wide eco in most of them, so it has signed intention agreements with more than 20 producers and cooperatives. Likewise, the project counts with the explicit commitment of the provincial authorities, companies and the media.
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Comments
Solamente cuando las comunidades rurales obtengan beneficios directos de practicas distintas al desmonte y el avance de nonocultivos, podrán resistir el avance voraz de los neo empresarios adictos a los glifosatos y otros venenos.
Este proyecto, basado en el desarrollo de ejemplos con orientación al ecoturismo, el turismo activo y educativo puede servir de disparador para multiplicar la experiencia.
Mucha suerte!!
Ce projet va permettre de fournir un outil de développement à ces communautés rurales afin de permettre, à long terme, la conservation de l'environnement et une amélioration durable des conditions de vie.
Il va etre le moteur d'une économie communautaire source de bénéfices directs pour les habitants tout en valorisant les ressources du territoire. Ce projet est donc trés important pour le Chaco Santafecino et peut servir de vitrine pour multiplier les initiatives axées sur le développement durable dans la région.
Avec tout mon soutient, bonne chance
LA UNICA MANERA DE LOGRAR ALGO SATISFACTORIO PARA TODAS LAS PARTES ES MEDIANTE EL DESARROLLO DE UN PROYECTO SUSTENTABLE, DEBIDAMENTE PENSADO Y DIRIGIDO POR PERSONAS TITULADAS Y SENSIBLES A LA NECESIDADES DEL LUGAR.
EXITOS EN EL PROGRAMA "Ecoturismo en el Chaco Santafesino "Conservación y Uso Sustentable"
Considerando que las exigencias de los turistas se inclinan hacia un turismo comprometido y participativo con respecto a los intereses ambientales y socioculturales, la sustentabilidad se convierte en condición indispensable de éxito en el contexto de competitividad del sector turístico.
Por eso los propietarios rurales (pequeños propietarios, granjeros o comunidades dedicadas a la agricultura en tierras comunales) pueden obtener ingresos adicionales del turismo, ya sea directa o indirectamente.
El turismo puede estimular una gestión más sustentable del suelo proporcionando una nueva fuente de ingresos (como alternativa a las prácticas no sustentables como la agricultura de quemas o la tala de árboles) y puede animar a los propietarios de las tierras a conservar la vida salvaje o producir alimentación orgánica, por su valor para los visitantes.
Este proyecto innovador para la zona del Chaco Santafecino puede impulsar una dinámica a toda la región y fomentar nuevas actividades sustentables en ella.
Mucha suerte en eso
DESDE MI HUMILDE LUGAR Y COMO ESTUDIANTE DE LA CARRERA DE GUIA EN TURISMO ESTOY MUY ENTUSIASMADA QUE SE PUEDA LLEVAR A CABO ESTE PROYECTO POR EL BIEN DE MI GENTE Y SU TIERRA. ADELANTE!!!
I would congratulate these people working for an innovative use of biodiversity. This area had has a very dramatic environment change the last 100 years; and the preassure of soy farmers to convert forest lands is still important.
En cuanto a este proyecto me parece muy interesante, porque los autores, proponen algunas cuestiones importantes, en primer lugar, defender el medio ambiente, no alterar la naturaleza y contribuir con la ecologia, el segundo punto es que se puede generar un ingreso, una fuente laboral, para los campesinos de la zona. Y aparte este proyecto se puede extender a toda la zona de influencia del Chaco Santafesino, con lo que se lograria un movimiento y un desarrollo turistico no explotado hasta el momento en la zona. Suerte y sigan asi, que es un proyecto muy bueno. Abrazos
me parece que todos deberíamos apoyar este proyecto porque es muy importante para la región.
En mi humilde opinión este proyecto es lo que necesita la region hace mucho tiempo
Comparto el comentario, la región del Norte es una zona olvidada por todos los gobiernos, una zona que requiere apoyo y colaboración y sobre todo ideas nuevas...La reactivación no solo hay que esperarla del campo sino con el campo y con este fabuloso proyecto que habriría nuevos horizontes de inversión.
SUerte!!!
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