By Jennifer Orrange of Utila Guide
In an effort to create positive information aimed at tourists arriving in Utila, a collaboration of Conservation organizations resulted in the creation of informative posters that were distributed to places of business throughout the island during the first week of June.
The project, funded by the UCF (The Utila Conservation Fund) ,which is a partnership between the Utila Municipality, Coral Reef Alliance, BICA (Bay Islands Conservation Association), the Iguana Station and the WSORC (Whale Shark Oceanic and Research Center), was to design and distribute a method for providing positive advice on responsible tourism practices.
The Utila project was inspired by the banners which greet visitors to the island of Roatan which inform people that they are entering a unique and special place and that they need to be aware of and responsible for their actions and their impact on the surrounding environment.
The collaborative group (UCF), hopes that the Utila poster campaign will also generate a perception of ownership and create a sense of empowerment within the local community- by encouraging locals and residents to identify themselves as belonging to and coming from a protected area and instilling a passion to protect what they have and what people from around the world are coming to see.
“Not everybody who visits the Bay Islands is a marine biologist. They may not be aware that a coral reefs is alive and that by touching it you are causing damage.” explained Lucie Brown, the Director of WSORC. “We are also trying to educate tourists about eco-friendly practices such as not taking plastic bags from the shops, reusing or refusing plastic cups from the bar and not buying any products that have been made from endangered species.” This kind of education is beneficial to Utila, the Bay Islands and elsewhere people may travel to.
The initial launching of the posters which were designed by Naomi Gittoes, was met with positive reaction around Utila town. Every business that had been approached welcomed the information and placed it at their establishment with pride.
Many shop owners also took the opportunity to speak about the content of the posters such as how they would like to stop using plastic bags in their shops. It seems as though the island is gearing up for this kind of change – a movement toward more eco-friendly practices. People seem to be aware of the problems and according to Brown, the feedback received when distributing the posters was “inspirational and motivational and I am excited to re-evaluate progress a year from now as I believe there are positive changes to come.”
The use of plastic bags, take out containers, cups and cutlery is an epidemic on Utila. Steps were taken in the past to control the use of plastic bags in the Bay Islands and a protocol was initiated. However, this has had no effect on Utila and the use of plastic has continued to grow with the number of visitors to the island. This type of protocol is not enforced and businesses here need to have an alternative form of function. As well, the use of plastic is habitual and in order to change human behavior there needs to be preparation including education.
Tourists who come from countries where the practice of using plastic bags has been nearly eradicated, can and should refuse plastic bags and continue to use reusable bags, boxes or backpacks as they would in their home countries. Many visitors and residents are disgusted by the amount of plastic waste thrown away daily on Utila, but do little to help the situation.
The posters provide guidelines and advice on how people should act when diving on the coral reef, how to act when encountering whale sharks, how to best protect the nesting grounds of sea turtles and mangrove habitats that are home and protection to many endemic species. It also suggests that tourists use as little plastic as possible and to use the proper forms for disposal and recycling available on the island. It urges tourists to take responsibility for their actions and the impact their actions have on Utila’s environment.
The posters are not law and there is no way to enforce what is being suggested on them, but it is the hope of the Conservation Partnership that people visiting Utila will read them and be reminded to use their common sense and instill a desire to protect the environment while they are guests on Utila.
This project proved to be a successful partnership between the environmental organizations at work on Utila who have for the past year, been forming strong collaborations working together on projects, supporting each other, sharing resources and combining efforts which ultimately achieves more for the conservation of the natural environment of Utila, which is in effect what the goal they are all working toward.
