COMMUNITY PROSPERITY
UNEARTHING ECOTOURISM BENEFITS IN THE CARIBBEAN’S HIDDEN CAVES
MOROVIS, PUERTO RICO
Every visit to a fragile natural site affects the location and surrounding communities. Proyecto Cabachuelas in Morovis, Puerto Rico, uses ecotourism as a means to support education, conservation and research, all while keeping tourism revenue local.
What's
changing
A 2014 report from the UN World Tourism Organization found that up to 80% of tourism revenue in the Caribbean is earned by businesses based outside the region. Known as tourism leakage, this circumstance leaves communities that host visitors without most of the financial benefits of tourism, despite bearing most of the impact. Approaches to managing sensitive sites should ensure that the money brought into an area provides employment opportunities, preserves cultural heritage and supports local education.
What's already
possible
Proyecto Cabachuelas is a community-based education and ecotourism project that aids in conserving the Las Cabachuelas Natural Reserve. The reserve is known for its karst cave systems, which are fragile limestone features that have been home to a vast array of wildlife and human cultures for thousands of years.
Seizing
the opportunity
Visitors who join a Proyecto Cabachuelas tour not only explore the area's natural and cultural heritage but also support the work of the Cabachuelas Workers' Cooperative (CABACOOP). This community-based cooperative was established to manage the natural reserve for the lasting benefit of the local community. Run by six worker-members, including certified environmental interpretive guides, a social worker and educators, CABACOOP leads key initiatives, like environmental education for schoolchildren that uses the reserve as an outdoor classroom. The cooperative also partners with universities on research programs and engages in community outreach projects that empower nearby communities to increase food production, connect with nature and advocate for their needs.
Standout
tactic
After the 2017 hurricane season, the group adopted a middle school. They built a water purification tower for the school and designed an academic program to teach students about the caves and cultural heritage of the area. Students and teachers took field trips to key sites and enjoyed the same experience as tourists.
How
it helps
Community efforts to conserve Las Cabachuelas have strengthened social cohesion in Morovis and fostered a sense of belonging and pride. Since 2016, 500,000 U.S. dollars have been reinvested in the community through tours, research programs and educational initiatives. More than 5,000 tourists have visited the area, supporting local communities. Proyecto Cabachuelas wants to build a sustainable EcoMuseum for archaeological artifacts and offer visitors a virtual reality exploration of the caves.
Diving
deeper
What strategies could organizations like Proyecto Cabachuelas implement to ensure that higher volumes of visitors do not negatively affect fragile ecosystems and still support the local economy?
Increasing
impact
Setting up similar conservation and educational projects in other regions of Puerto Rico could help ecotourism become a more widespread tool for keeping tourism revenue local.
Traveling
better
Travel is inherently carbon intensive. Whether you are taking a mini-break or an annual vacation, consider ways to minimize your impact by staying longer in one place, reconsidering how you travel to the destination, and supporting businesses that are working to make their community and the world a better place.
