Be careful with that bonfire!

Torres del Paine National Park.

© Hernán Torres

by Marcela Torres

All over the world there are protected areas of great natural beauty and we need to be careful not to damage them when we visit so that they can be enjoyed by future generations. Fire out of control is one of the greatest risk factors, particularly in forests and grasslands.

In February, 2005 a forest fire that lasted 10 days in Torres del Paine National Park destroyed more than 13,000 hectares (32,000 acres), approximately 7% of its area. The cause was the inflammation of a gas stove a Czech tourist used in a grassland area where camping was not authorized. The disaster was such that the Czech Republic quickly offered help to restore the damaged sectors and sent Czech experts. The forest cooperation project “Assistance to renew Torres del Paine National Park ecosystems damaged by the fire” ended in December, 2010. It ran for five years and included forestation with 180,000 Lenga (Nothofagus pumilio) plants.

Torres del Paine National Park is one of the nature tourism icons in Chile. Located in the Chilean Patagonia, it covers a total of 181,414 hectares (448,284 acres) and is among the preferred worldwide destinations for trekking, particularly for its famous W circuit. In 1978 it was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, because it is among the most representative regions of the different ecosystems in the world that also provide opportunities to measure human impacts on the environment.

The rock formations known as the “towers of Paine”, the Grey and Dickson glaciers, the numerous waterfalls and lakes and its abundant wildlife, that includes endangered species such as the Condor, the Puma and the Huemul deer, are among the main attractions of this protected area. After the 2005 fire, it was believed that tourists would have learned about the importance of staying in the areas set aside for visitors.

However, in February, 2011 a new fire was again cause for grief. An Israeli tourist that lit a bonfire in an unauthorized area initiated another fire that did not have the same catastrophic consequences as the previous one because the rain that was falling helped control the flames. The tourist was expelled from the National Park and declared an unwelcome visitor because of his irresponsibility.

The National Forestry Corporation (CONAF), the government agency in charge of managing protected areas in Chile, has clear regulations for visitors available on the website in Spanish and English. It seems worthwhile to be reminded of some of them to make sure that we act as responsible tourists when visiting a natural area:

• Follow the instructions given by the park rangers, including times for visiting, signs and maintenance of facilities in the Protected Wilderness Area.
• Follow rules for safety. Walk only along marked trails and roads. In case you are planning a long hike, do not go alone, and take the appropriate equipment and clothes. Inform the park rangers about the route and time of return of your trip.
• Make fires only in the places provided for doing so. After making a fire, put it out using large amounts of water. Wildfires and people with a careless attitude are always a potential danger to nature.

Now that the high season for tourism in Chile is approaching, we hope we will not have to witness a new fire in Torres del Paine National Park. Conserving our wonderful natural heritage for future generations is a task for all of us.

This entry was originally posted by the author on September 20, 2011.

Easter Island, the most interesting place in the world

Moais in various conditions at Rapa Nui National Park, in Easter Island, Chile.
© Hernán Torres

by Marcela Torres

A couple of weeks ago, the travel blog of the prestigious Forbes business magazine highlighted Easter Island, in Chile, as “the most interesting place in the world”. According to blogger Larry Olmstead, he is surprised that people do not hear more about the island, considering that –in his opinion- it is much more compelling than other remote and exotic destinations such as Machu Picchu, the Maya ruins or the pyramids in Egypt.

What makes Easter Island so special? Olmstead says it’s the mystery and enigma surrounding the Moai statues. The author states that although the Machu Picchu buildings and the pyramids are impressive, we know quite a lot about who built them and for what purpose. This is not the case of Easter Island.

In his blog, Olmstead also mentions that in the island you do not see the big crowds of tourists that take away attraction to many other destinations that are overcrowded. We have already commented on the importance of avoiding excessive use of tourist attractions previously in this blog.

The good news is that in Easter Island, although tourism is the main source of income, both the local population and the government authorities have shown interest in promoting the development of sustainable tourism.

Proof of this is the Sustainable Visitor Center that opened in May this year within Rapa Nui National Park, which covers a large part of the island. This is the second of its kind –the first was built in 2006 in Los Flamencos National Reserve, in northern Chile- and a great step forward towards responsible tourism.

With technology such as solar panels to provide electricity and reinforced safety measures for people visiting the place, the total cost of this infrastructure was 468,000 U.S. dollars that were contributed by the Valparaíso Regional Government, American Express –through the World Monuments Fund (WMF)- and the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF), the government agency in charge of managing protected areas in Chile.

This is part of the Chilean Government’s strategy to promote sustainable tourism in Easter Island, with initiatives that include an ecotourism training program carried out in 2009 jointly with UNESCO and the National Tourism Service’s (Sernatur) current campaign to provide a sustainability distinction, a kind of certification that will be applied as a pilot project in the island with the intention of replicating it in other destinations within Chile.

All of these improvements and the well-deserved acknowledgement of Easter Island in Forbes magazine’s travel blog are, no doubt, important to promote responsible tourism in this magical place so that it can continue to be enjoyed by future generations.

This entry was originally posted by the author on August 17, 2011.

100 years of Machu Picchu and the impact of tourism

Panoramic view of Machu Picchu, in Peru.
© Marcela Torres

by Marcela Torres

Today is the celebration of 100 years of the rediscovery of Machu Picchu, a place to which many visitors are attracted because of its mystery and its imposing buildings. But the truth is that this World Heritage Site is in grave danger due to excessive tourism.

During a visit this past February, the General Director of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, warned that the Inca city of Machu Picchu is a “victim of its own success” since it suffers from a tourism pressure that is not adequate for its preservation. The international organization, which manages the World Heritage Sites list, decided not to include the site in the list of endangered cultural heritage, but recommended restricting the activities planned for the place’s centennial in order to protect it. The UNESCO’s recommendations included limiting the number of people accessing the sanctuary during the festivities and holding most activities in the city of Cusco.

For several years, the UNESCO has promoted that visits to Machu Picchu be limited. Following the organization’s suggestions, Peru reduced allowed numbers from 2,500 to 1,800 people per day in the site’s Management Plan. This measure, however, has been adamantly opposed by many tourism companies arguing that these restrictions will only harm the sector.

The question is, however, what will the tourism industry do if Machu Picchu is destroyed? Or, as Bokova expressed during her visit, “how can we balance the pressure for tourism, the success and acknowledgement of the site with its protection and authenticity?”

Overtourism in Machu Picchu brings about several specific problems, such as: 1) crowdedness, which diminishes the quality of the experience for the visitors; 2) increase of garbage, particularly in the Inca Trail; 3) an intensive use of a historical site with a limited carrying capacity. I’ve been lucky enough to visit the place twice and the last time I was there the guide told us how the mythical sun clock was broken by a crane used by a production company that was filming a television spot.

Although nobody likes restrictions, a solution must be found among all stakeholders involved. This is important in order to ensure that Machu Picchu can be enjoyed by future generations as well.

This entry was originally posted by the author on July 7, 2011.