scholarly journals Sustainable Community-run Development: Experiences from the ADIO Project in Ostional, Costa Rica

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Katja Klopfer
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Olive Ridley ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Conservation Projects

<p>In the face of the current global sustainability challenge, seeking out and strengthening sustainable alternative methods for community development has become an urgent task for development professionals and academics. In order to explore one of such alternatives, in this thesis I draw on research conducted with the Associación de Desarollo Integral de Ostional (ADIO). Located on Costa Rica’s rural Pacific coast, ADIO was initiated by the local community of Ostional and resulted in the Project of Sustainable Use, Conservation and Management of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle in 1987. Co-managed by the University of Costa Rica (UCR) and the Ministry of Natural Resources (MINAE), ADIO practices conservation and scientifically monitors the management of the Olive Ridley sea turtle species. Surplus eggs from the turtle arribadas (the mass nesting’s of sea turtles) at the optional beach are being legally harvested and marketed by ADIO. This project has successfully contributed to the protection of the Olive Ridley turtle population whilst returning socio-economic benefits into the community. The aim of this research is to gain a better understanding of ADIO’s work and the significance of ADIO to the local community. My research draws on the experiences of community members to identify their perception of the benefits of ADIO to their own community, and unpack areas in need of improvement. Qualitative data were collected from community members through: semi structured interviews, participant observation, a reflective workshop, a questionnaire and field notes. The findings of this research identify key elements for the success of ADIO, and demonstrate the benefit of this Project toward the sustainability of the local community. This research demonstrates that socio-economic benefits can be gained through appropriate community participation in sustainable conservation projects, which can further enhance the desire of the local community to be better stewards of natural resources. This thesis seeks to contribute in some small way to an existing body of knowledge on the topics of sustainability, community-run conservation, and development.</p>

scholarly journals Sustainable Community-run Development: Experiences from the ADIO Project in Ostional, Costa Rica

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Katja Klopfer
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Olive Ridley ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Conservation Projects

<p>In the face of the current global sustainability challenge, seeking out and strengthening sustainable alternative methods for community development has become an urgent task for development professionals and academics. In order to explore one of such alternatives, in this thesis I draw on research conducted with the Associación de Desarollo Integral de Ostional (ADIO). Located on Costa Rica’s rural Pacific coast, ADIO was initiated by the local community of Ostional and resulted in the Project of Sustainable Use, Conservation and Management of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle in 1987. Co-managed by the University of Costa Rica (UCR) and the Ministry of Natural Resources (MINAE), ADIO practices conservation and scientifically monitors the management of the Olive Ridley sea turtle species. Surplus eggs from the turtle arribadas (the mass nesting’s of sea turtles) at the optional beach are being legally harvested and marketed by ADIO. This project has successfully contributed to the protection of the Olive Ridley turtle population whilst returning socio-economic benefits into the community. The aim of this research is to gain a better understanding of ADIO’s work and the significance of ADIO to the local community. My research draws on the experiences of community members to identify their perception of the benefits of ADIO to their own community, and unpack areas in need of improvement. Qualitative data were collected from community members through: semi structured interviews, participant observation, a reflective workshop, a questionnaire and field notes. The findings of this research identify key elements for the success of ADIO, and demonstrate the benefit of this Project toward the sustainability of the local community. This research demonstrates that socio-economic benefits can be gained through appropriate community participation in sustainable conservation projects, which can further enhance the desire of the local community to be better stewards of natural resources. This thesis seeks to contribute in some small way to an existing body of knowledge on the topics of sustainability, community-run conservation, and development.</p>

scholarly journals Sea turtles support sustainable livelihoods at Ostional, Costa Rica

Oryx ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mallika Sardeshpande ◽  
Douglas MacMillan
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Sustainable Livelihoods ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Environmental Conservation ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Olive Ridley ◽  
Nesting Site

AbstractOstional in Costa Rica is the second largest nesting site of the olive ridley sea turtle Lepidochelys olivacea, which is categorized as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. In Ostional the local community helps maintain the nesting site and collects olive ridley eggs for consumption and trade within Costa Rica. Since its inception in 1987 the egg harvesting project has integrated sea turtle conservation with community development. We assessed the current status of this project in terms of community awareness, dependency, involvement and perceptions, using a household survey and semi-structured interviews with key informants. We also compared some of our findings with those of previous studies at the site, finding that the project has fewer dependents, primary livelihood activities have shifted towards tourism and hospitality, and respondents are more aware about environmental conservation and stewardship. We map outcomes of the project with the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, and suggest that further capacity building for research and tourism could contribute towards sustaining the turtle population, local livelihoods, and the community-based conservation institution.

scholarly journals Chelonicola and Poulinea, two new gomphonemoid diatom genera (Bacillariophyta) living on marine turtles from Costa Rica

Phytotaxa ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 233 (3) ◽  
pp. 236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roksana Majewska ◽  
J. P. Kociolek ◽  
Evan W. Thomas ◽  
Mario De Stefano ◽  
Mario Santoro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
New Genera ◽  
Olive Ridley ◽  
Lepidochelys Olivacea ◽  
Marine Turtles ◽  
The Family ◽  
Long Time

Marine mammals such as whales and dolphins have been known for a long time to host a very specific epizoic community on their skin. Less known however is the presence of a similar community on the carapaces of sea turtles. The present study is the first describing new taxa inhabiting sea turtle carapaces. Samples, collected from nesting olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) on Ostional Beach (Costa Rica), were studied using light and scanning electron microscopy. Two unknown small-celled gomphonemoid taxa were analysed in more detail and are described as two new genera, closely related to other gomphonemoid genera with septate girdle bands, such as Tripterion, Cuneolus and Gomphoseptatum. Chelonicola Majewska, De Stefano & Van de Vijver gen. nov. has a flat valve face, uniseriate striae composed of more than three areolae, simple external raphe endings, internally a siliceous flap over the proximal raphe endings and lives on mucilaginous stalks. Poulinea Majewska, De Stefano & Van de Vijver gen. nov. has at least one concave valve, uniseriate striae composed of only two elongated areolae, external distal raphe endings covered by thickened siliceous flaps and lives attached to the substrate by a mucilaginous pad. Chelonicola costaricensis Majewska, De Stefano & Van de Vijver sp. nov. and Poulinea lepidochelicola Majewska, De Stefano & Van de Vijver sp. nov. can be separated based on stria structure, girdle structure composed of more than 10 copulae, raphe structure and general valve outline. A cladistics analysis of putative members of the Rhoicospheniaceae indicates that the family is polyphyletic. Chelonicola and Poulinea are sister taxa, and form a monophyletic group with Cuneolus and Tripterion, but are not closely related to Rhoicosphenia, or other genera previously assigned to this family. Features used to help diagnose the family such as symmetry and presence of septa and pseudosepta are homoplastic across the raphid diatom tree of life.

Local community perceptions of sea turtle egg use in Tortuguero, Costa Rica

2020 ◽  
pp. 105423
Author(s):  
Carmen Mejías-Balsalobre ◽  
Jaime Restrepo ◽  
Gilberto Borges ◽  
Raúl García ◽  
Daniela Rojas-Cañizales ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Community Perceptions

scholarly journals The Olive Ridley Project (ORP): A successful example of how to engage researchers, conservation practitioners and civil society

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Stelfox ◽  
Mercedes Martin-Cereceda ◽  
Karim Vahed ◽  
Jillian Hudgins ◽  
Stephanie Köhnk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Ecology ◽  
Community Education ◽  
Knowledge Exchange ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Olive Ridley ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Research Engagement ◽  
The Uk

The Olive Ridley Project (ORP) was set up to protect sea turtles and their habitats. The project was formed in 2013, and it became a registered charity in the UK in 2016. From its inception, ORP took a multidisciplinary approach to achieve its goals. Part of its objectives, and the reason why the charity came to fruition, are related to the issue of olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) entanglement in abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (also known as ‘ghost gear’ or ‘ghost nets’), and the search for ghost gear and turtle entanglement ‘hot spots’ throughout the Indian Ocean. The initial ORP research questions were soon challenged by societal interests to develop inclusive educational programmes in local communities and tourist resorts that could raise awareness about the need for conservation of all sea turtle species. In February 2017, ORP opened the first veterinarian-run, fully equipped Marine Turtle Rescue Centre in the Maldives, bringing together the work of researchers, citizen scientists, volunteers, environmentalists, marine biologists and veterinarians. The present work of ORP sits on a strong and scientifically robust collaborative plan. Current ORP research projects range from sea turtle population analyses, spatial ecology, rehabilitation of injured and sick individuals, epibiont parasite analyses, precise turtle identification through photo-ID research, linking ghost gear to responsible fisheries, and analyses of ghost gear drift patterns. The programme enhances community education and outreach by engaging schoolchildren, organizing workshops, promoting sustainable use of ghost gear waste, and training citizen scientists and local fishing communities. The ORP programme encompasses many principles of research engagement, effectively combining scientific knowledge, education and action. This article explores all stages of the process (from research planning and design, to knowledge exchange and inter- and trans-disciplinary impact assessments), describing the active engagement originated by the ORP initiative. A reflective insight into the learning, enrichment and challenges of engaging researchers and community actors is also included, considering the current social and scientific framework.

scholarly journals Incidental capture of sea turtles by industrial bottom trawl fishery in the Tropical South-western Atlantic

2017 ◽  
Vol 98 (6) ◽  
pp. 1525-1531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzana Machado Guimarães ◽  
Davi Castro Tavares ◽  
Cassiano Monteiro-Neto
Keyword(s):  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Bottom Trawl ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Olive Ridley ◽  
Western Atlantic ◽  
Turtle Species

The five sea turtle species occurring in Brazilian waters are susceptible to threats, including incidental catches by fisheries. Studies on incidental captures in fishing gears are the main focus of several conservation actions due to high sea turtle fishery mortality worldwide. This study provides the first evaluation of incidental sea turtle catches by industrial bottom trawl fisheries operating in Brazilian waters. Four twin-trawler vessels were monitored between July 2010 and December 2011 by captains who voluntarily completed logbooks. Forty-four turtles were captured during the 1996 tows (8313 fishing hours), resulting in a catch of 5.3 ± 0.8 turtles per 1000 h per unit effort. Captured species included the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta, 22 individuals), olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea, 21 individuals) and one green turtle (Chelonia mydas). Water depth was the only variable that significantly affected sea turtle captures according to Generalized Linear Models. The capture rates reported in this study ranked sixth in relation to other published studies of similar fisheries occurring worldwide. Considering the importance of this region for sea turtles, the increasing evidence of sea turtle mortality and the goals of the National Action Plan for Conservation of Sea Turtles in Brazil, it is essential to identify the main threats towards these animals and propose mitigating solutions to reduce sea turtle mortality induced by fishing activities. This study provides results that may guide future research and goals in meeting sea turtle conservation strategies.

scholarly journals Pantai Taman-Pacitan ecotourism development: Conservation and community empowerment orientation

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wahyu Prihanta ◽  
Ach. Muhib Zainuri ◽  
Rahayu Hartini ◽  
Amir Syarifuddin ◽  
Tundung Subali Patma
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Sea Water ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Community Empowerment ◽  
Marine Biota ◽  
Conservation Areas ◽  
Turtle Conservation

Ecotourism is a form of tourism that is closely linked to the principle of conservation. Thus, ecotourism is right and beneficial in maintaining the integrity and authenticity of ecosystems in natural areas, particularly turtle conservation areas. Ecotourism is synergized to turtle conservation as it has such features: (1) Conservation, the use of biodiversity does not damage the natural source, also it does not cause negative impact whereas it is very environmentally friendly, (2) Education, by improving community’s awareness and changing their behavior about the need for conservation of living natural resources and their conservation, (3) Economy, ecotourism provides economic benefits and spur regional development; and (4) Active role of community, this is done by building partnership with local communities for the development of ecotourism. Based on the issues, “IbW Conservation and Ecotourism Ngadirojo  District Pacitan Region” was done by (1) Making a model of tourism activities that is environmentally, ecologically, socially, and economically beneficial to local communities and to the sustainability of natural resources, (2) Assessing the object of tourist attraction in flora and fauna conservation areas, in this case sea turtles and their ecosystems, so that can synergize with ecotourism activities, and (3) Making a model of local community-based tourist institution. The method implemented to achieve the objectives was “Community Empowerment through Ecotourism” which is described as follow: (1) Land Conservation, value and travel product, (2) Creation of an ecotourism atmosphere that all people who live in the area will gain the benefit, (3) The development of tourism activities that carry the excellence of the physical, economic, socio-cultural aspects of the local, (4) The solid image of ecotourism activities in the region that is supported by the readiness of all stakeholders, and (5) Integration of turtle theme conservation and ecotourism area with other supporting tourism products in the Regency. Pacitan Construction of facilities that have been carried out are: (1) developing the forest of eternity, (2) ecological restoration of coastal forests, (3) making sea water wells for turtle ponds, (4) nursery of coastal forest vegetation, (5) construction of marine biota ponds and sanitation facilities, (6) construction of shelters and gazebos, (7) construction of parking lot, and (8) widening of the ecotourism ring road. The next stage plans are: (1) ecotourism community empowerment, (2) strengthening the ecotourism area, and (3) revitalization of marine biota ponds.

scholarly journals Quantifying Illegal Extraction of Sea Turtles in Costa Rica

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Pheasey ◽  
George Glen ◽  
Nicole L. Allison ◽  
Luis G. Fonseca ◽  
Didiher Chacón ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Wildlife Trade ◽  
Caribbean Coast ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Illegal Wildlife Trade ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
The Impact

Estimates of illegal wildlife trade vary significantly and are often based on incomplete datasets, inferences from CITES permits or customs seizures. As a result, annual global estimates of illegal wildlife trade can vary by several billions of US dollars. Translating these figures into species extraction rates is equally challenging, and estimating illegal take accurately is not achievable for many species. Due to their nesting strategies that allow for census data collection, sea turtles offer an exception. On the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, three sea turtle species (leatherback, Dermochelys coriacea; green, Chelonia mydas; and hawksbill, Eretmochelys imbricata) are exploited by poachers. Despite the consumption of turtle eggs and meat being illegal, they are consumed as a cultural food source and seasonal treat. Conservation programmes monitor nesting beaches, collect abundance data and record poaching events. Despite the availability of robust long-term datasets, quantifying the rate of poaching has yet to be undertaken. Using data from the globally important nesting beach, Tortuguero, as well as beaches Playa Norte and Pacuare on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, we modelled the spatial and temporal distribution of poaching of the three sea turtle species. Here, we present data from 2006 to 2019 on a stretch of coastline covering c.37 km. We identified poaching hotspots that correlated with populated areas. While the poaching hotspots persisted over time, we found poaching is declining at each of our sites. However, we urge caution when interpreting this result as the impact of poaching varies between species. Given their low abundance on these beaches, the poaching pressure on leatherback and hawksbill turtles is far greater than the impact on the abundant green turtles. We attribute the decline in poaching to supply-side conservation interventions in place at these beaches. Finally, we highlight the value of data sharing and collaborations between conservation NGOs.

BREAKING STUDENTS’ COMFORT ZONE: LEARNING FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS, A STRATEGY WITHIN THE AEC EDUCATION

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrique Vinicio Villacis Tapia ◽  
India Luxton ◽  
Rodolfo Valdes Vasquez ◽  
Mehmet Egemen Ozbek ◽  
Cynthia Ayarza
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Comfort Zone ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Colorado State University ◽  
Neighboring Building ◽  
New Perspective

In order to address pressing issues such as climate change, energy crises, and economic disparity, it is pertinent to include local community members within AEC education. In this paper, we explore how breaking the comfort zone of students can facilitate a broader perspective on sustainability. This new perspective can cultivate innovative and creative solutions to 21st century problems. This paper documents the experience and impacts of student participation in an education abroad program focused on sustainable buildings and infrastructure. The program took place in January 2019 in Costa Rica with the collaboration of Colorado State University (USA) and EARTH University (Costa Rica). In this program, students directly communicate with low-income community members who worked with a local developer during the construction of a new neighboring building. Qualitative interviews with students, as well as ethnographic observations of class discussions, illustrates that this partnership helped students see a new perspective on how to deal with the life cycle of construction projects. The preliminary results indicate that the collaboration between the community members and the developer was a key component of expanding students’ perspectives. This research illustrates the importance of building community collaborations that are mutually beneficial in the classroom and beyond. In particular, the results suggest that educational experiences which integrate community concerns into solutions are key to expanding students’ worldviews.

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