{"id":10447,"date":"2023-02-03T13:17:23","date_gmt":"2023-02-03T21:17:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/?p=10447"},"modified":"2023-02-03T13:17:23","modified_gmt":"2023-02-03T21:17:23","slug":"birds-change-lives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/culture\/birds-change-lives\/?lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Birds Change Lives"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Marlon Calderon<\/b><\/p>\n

Shapes, colors, songs, curious behaviors and ways of flying are avian characteristics that captivate a growing number of people world-wide.\u00a0 They are the birdwatchers who participate in bird-watching tourism.\u00a0 This recreational activity is also an opportunity in communities for economic development as well as a way to preserve our natural resources.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Avian-tourism serves as a driver for protection of the natural areas which are part of the Guatemalan System of Protected Areas.\u00a0 In the early days of this type of tourism only private enterprise and international guides were available.\u00a0 In the 1990’s there were very few national guides who were skilled in leading bird-watching tours.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first formal effort to train guides did not occur until 2015 in the region of Lake Atitlan’s watershed and in the Department of Peten.\u00a0 Thanks to an initiative by the Association Vivamos Mejor (Let’s Live Better) the collective Birdzone Atitlan was born. \u00a0 Now joined together, a re-invigorated group of guides, specializing in avian-tourism has courageously taken a purposeful stance.\u00a0 And at the same time regional-municipal parks, private natural reserves and community reserves in the region have been promoted.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet, avian tourism presents dangers:\u00a0 pollution, deforestation and degradation of ecosystems, not to mention hunting, its economic unreliability, lack of or deterioration of existing infrastructure, and the effects of climate change.\u00a0 It was determined that in order to face these challenges, a broader vision would be necessary so that activities would be sustainable.\u00a0 The following were identified as steps to strengthen the approach:\u00a0 continue to train guides, promote tourism and put together a list of destinations that allow for competitiveness, adapt to the changes in the tourism industry especially post-pandemic.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

One of the most important discoveries was that guides can get involved in other areas in order to impact the community and the region. \u00a0 The Birdzone Atitlan Collective involved itself in environmental education and reforestation using native species and capitalizing on the knowledge of local citizens. The\u00a0 annual Christmas bird census is one of the most helpful activities.\u00a0 These annual counts taken by local volunteers yield solid scientific information.\u00a0 This end-of-the-year census of birds occurs world-wide.\u00a0 The inititive began in the USA some 123 years ago and is encouraged by the National Audubon Society.\u00a0 Its objective is to generate information through scientific means about the richness and abundance of bird species.<\/span><\/p>\n

This year the Association Vivamos Mejor and Birdzone Atitlan organized their fifth Christmas bird count in the Semetabaj-Tecpan sector and the Utatlan-Solola area.\u00a0 Included in this event was the Second Community Forum on Avian-tourism.\u00a0 These events brought together more than 50 bird-watching enthusiasts interested in the birds of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.\u00a0 There were national and international presenters who reported on studies about species necessary for our country as well as other initiatives.<\/span><\/p>\n

The event served as a means to gather together avian <\/span>aficionados <\/span><\/i>and to seek out their common goals for the promotion of avian-tourism in the region.\u00a0 A regional project referred to as the Mesoamerican Path for Birds is viewed as valuable.\u00a0 It is being constructed as a way to create a bond between community associations and principal organizations for conservation purposes rather than leaving that to governmental agencies.<\/span><\/p>\n

The event’s closure included a platform promoting a ten member collective from Birdzone Atitlan to serve as \u00abavian-tourism educators\u00bb and a new group of 52 community guides for basic bird-watching tourism from Huehuetenango, Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Solola, Chimaltenange, and Sacatepequez.\u00a0 This process was supported by the Interamerican Foundation, Audubon and INTECAP (The Technical Institute for Training and Productivity).<\/span><\/p>\n

The beauty of birds inspires a love for environmentalism and protecting ecosystems and it helps us to understand the great effort and work necessary to maintain balance in nature.\u00a0 Birds also change lives:\u00a0 they play a major role in our mental health and the development of local communities that welcome tourists from all over the world each year.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are you waiting for?\u00a0 Go out and enjoy the birds, get involved in conservation activities in your community and join our bird-watchers community.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marlon is the director of the avian-tourism at the Vivamos Mejor Association<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Marlon Calderon Shapes, colors, songs, curious behaviors and ways of flying are avian characteristics that captivate a growing number of people world-wide.\u00a0 They are the birdwatchers who participate in bird-watching tourism.\u00a0 This recreational activity is also an opportunity in communities for economic development as well as a way to preserve our natural resources.\u00a0\u00a0 Avian-tourism […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10445,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[418,425,409,410,415,417,453,1605,435],"tags":[4125,4123,964,3699,1833,770,4126,4124,497,1603],"class_list":["post-10447","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-climate-change","category-community-action-en-2","category-culture","category-economy","category-environment","category-forests","category-frontpage-en","category-transportandtravel","category-xela-en","tag-birds","tag-birdwatching","tag-communities","tag-communities-in-resistance","tag-community-development","tag-desarrollo","tag-ecological-routes","tag-ecological-tourism","tag-turismo-comunitario","tag-walks"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/273439814_1215820125608253_5220026504848658551_n.jpg?fit=1095%2C1460&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7ljt7-2Iv","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":10770,"url":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/uncategorized\/community-based-tourism-for-nature-and-bird-lovers-2\/?lang=en","url_meta":{"origin":10447,"position":0},"title":"Community-based tourism for nature and bird lovers","author":"EntreMundos","date":"22 mayo, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Lourdes Aguilar Sibinal is a mountain destination, that offers spaces for bird watching and hiking through its forests and mountains, as well as ascents to the Tacana and Tajumulco volcanoes, so it is recognized as one of the main tourist destinations in the highlands of San Marcos Guatemala. 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