tory paez

Background: The trail project was identified as a "high priority" in our initial Tourism Collective meetings. Isla de Chira’s road system used to be simple walking paths that connected the six primary communities to one another. Wide enough to walk single file, these trails were the veins of Chira, connecting its citizens and pumping life into the entire island. The Isla de Chira Tourism Cooperative wanted to harness the history trails have had in our community, as well as promote the natural wildlife, to build a shared-use trail network with common infrastructure. For community members, the trail system would be a way to enjoy the natural wildlife for exercise, serve as an educational place for schools, and be a source of community pride. For visitors, this trail system would serve as an attraction to bring more tourism to the island, as well as to enhance the experience of nature enthusiasts and travellers. 

 

For each trail, we completed the following action steps: 

1. Walked the route to identify most noteworthy and scenic points, as well as potential hazards.

2. Planned the trail route (“walk scheme”) on paper taking into account the land’s natural features.

3. Cleared the trail route responsibly, including utilizing any cleared materials to incorporate in trail infrastructure. Based on research, we plan to ensure each trail is 36 to 60 inches wide to accommodate for both hikers and bike riders.

4. Built simple, but appropriate, bridges, walkways and steps to ensure safety.

5. Implemented trail signage including welcome entrance sign, trash cans, as well as trail markers for general information, for direction and distance, for specific flora species, for potential hazards, and for scenic spots

 

We identified the following features and characteristics of our future trails:

• Sustainable (long-term)

• Exist harmoniously with nature

• Utilized for various recreational activities

• Ensure simple and “doable” maintenance

• Advocate and practice “leave no trace” to minimize detrimental effects of trails on the local environment

• Educational

• Safe 

 

Purpose: The primary objectives of the trail network included: 

• Showcase the beautiful natural wildlife that already exists on the island

• Incorporate trails into natural surroundings and minimize impact to local ecosystems

• Develop a tourist attraction to increase visitorship and tourist satisfaction with the island

• Encourage outdoor activities, healthy lifestyle practices, and physical recreation for community members and visitors

 

Audience: Four hiking trail owners; Partnerships with World Connect ($700 grant funding), Parque Nacional Barra Honda (Approx. 250 tree donation), and the University of Costa Rica - Puntarenas (trail creation best practices). 

 

Materials:

•  List of materials and associated costs (link) 

 

Documents: 

• Workplan (link)  

• Trail description form (link)

• All project photos (link)

• Promotional one-page flyer (link)

• Brochure - Spanish (link)

• Brochure - English (link)

• "Red de Senderos" Facebook page (link)

 

Lesson Learned: We started this project out with six trail owners originally; however, over the course of the projects, two decided to leave the project because they were unable to make the commitment to the creation and maintenance of the trails that the team agreed to. It was an important lesson to us to develop and communicate clear expectations as a team up front.

 

Testimonials: 

 

“The trails network project has been of great impact for us, not only on a personal level, but also for the island because previously there were no trails. Now tourists have more options on the island and that could mean more time spent in total and greater income overall across the island. It is also an opportunity to train a guide and work hard to provide a better tourist experience. Additionally, it is an opportunity for other local guides on the island, because that they can develop as professionals and have a safe space to practice. The most beautiful thing about this project is being able to work as a team and that the island's entrepreneurs can rely on one another face the growth of tourism. It has also been great to explore the trails because every day we find new things. Our goals are to help counteract climate change so we have many trees to reforest the trail and protect it. We also want to take advantage of the trail for environmental education with the children of Chira Island in the future. And being able to give a first level tour will create unforgettable experiences for the visitors.” – Joaquin, Project Leader

“Through the process of constructing this trail, we all learned how to share with nature. I also had the privilege of working with Peace Corps volunteers. The reality is that this project is a benefit for us as Chireanos, the people of the island, as well as for visitors who come here. I think it was a really great project.” – Giovanny, Project Participant
 

“From this project, I have new goals for my trail and property. At some point I plan to build a rancho, so visitors can stay the night at the lookout point. Thank you to Daniel and Tory for helping us form this trail.” – Rigoberto, Project Participant

“We are really happy with our trail. We already had a trail, but it was a great help to develop the beautiful signs and change the name (Sendero Toledo). We are really grateful for this project.” – Dora, Project Participant

“We wanted to build a trail for four main reasons. One, to create awareness in our community. For many years, community members have used the land as a waste dump. We wanted to raise awareness among all of us because we believe in a pollution-free community. Two, to create a safe, clean, and natural trail for children to learn about environmental education and have a space for healthy coexistence with nature without damaging the environment. Three, to develop a space for tourists to visit during their stay on the island and learn a little about the nature and culture of the area. And four, to show the beauty of the area. Throughout the year, the trails change depending on whether there is rain or a lot of sun. Sometimes there are flowers, sometimes it's all green or all brown.” 

– Karen, Project Participant

 

More information can be found on the project at World Connect's website (link).

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