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Contact:
Brad Nahill
Manager
Ocean Conservancy
7227 SW Linette Way
Beaverton, OR
Tel: +246/418-0990
Fax: +246/418-0990
bnahill@oceanconservancy.org
www.seeturtles.org
Recommended by:
Sustainable Travel International
http://www.sustainabletravelinternational.org/
info@sustainabletravelinternational.org
Type of destination:
Beach
Able to accommodate:
Families
Gay/lesbian
Seniors
Singles
Singles with children
Volunteers
Description of the area:
Ocean Conservancy’s SEE Turtles program links people with sea turtle sites in ways that directly support efforts to protect sea turtles. Ocean Conservancy is working with three Costa Rican organizations (WIDECAST Latin America, Save the Turtles of Parismina, and Amigos de la Osa) to protect critical nesting habitat for leatherback, green, hawksbill, and olive ridley sea
turtles. All of our partners are working to solidify existing projects, expand their work to new beaches or species, and educate local residents on the importance of protecting sea turtles and other natural resources in their area. Visitors to these sites will participate in nightly nesting beach walks and see first-hand how researchers study and protect sea turtles and their eggs. Locations include the South Caribbean (Cahuita National Park and Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge), Parismina, and the Osa Peninsula.
Available activities:
Eco/nature/wildlife
Educational, research, volunteering
Scuba diving/snorkeling
Tours
Visits to conservation projects
Walking/hiking
How to get there:
The two South Caribbean sites are accessible by normal car and bus routes.
Parismina must be reached by a short boat ride and the Osa Peninsula is most commonly accessed by domestic flights through can be accessed by a long car drive. Sites are accessible year round, though most sites are only active during turtle season, which depends upon the site and species present.
Making a difference:
While a few turtle sites have benefited from modest, tightly monitored tourism programs, most turtle conservation sites, though interested, have not been able to take advantage of this strategy. The two biggest reasons that local and regional groups have not been able to tap this market are the lack of resources to either: 1) conduct outreach to the tourism market; or 2) build the necessary capacity to handle tourism. The heavy majority of turtle conservation groups around the world are small-budget groups working with few resources.
SEE Turtles will strengthen the international network of sea turtle conservation organizations by filling the gaps in market access and capacity building. To fill the gap in market access, we are developing relationships with international tour operators to include sea turtle conservation activities and educating key constituencies through our website, media outreach, and other key venues. We are supporting capacity building efforts by providing mini-grants, sharing knowledge on the necessary components of a tourism strategy, and connecting partners with resources that can help to build capacity. In addition, we are helping to improve how tourists, operators, and conservation organizations manage turtle viewing through the development and dissemination of a best practices guide.
General rates:
Additional comments: Generally, beach walks cost $15-25 pp. However, we are initially promoting all-inclusive group tours managed by outside tour operator that range from $1,600 to $1,900 per person, including all ground costs (food, lodging, transport, guides, activities, and a donation to local conservation efforts) but not including airfare.
Date this information was provided: September 2008
