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About you and the property
NAME OF PROPERTY |
Piedra Blanca Ecolodge |
RESPONSIBLE PERSON FOR THIS APPLICATION |
Chris Hardyment |
POSITION |
Volunteer Ecotourism Consultant |
ADDRESS OF PROPERTY
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Piedra Blanca, Near San Luis
de Pambil, Bolivar Province, Ecuador. |
COUNTRY |
Ecuador |
PHONE NUMBER
inc. area code |
00593-32656216 |
WEBSITE |
http://www.piedrablanca.org |
E-MAIL |
community@piedrablanca.org |
TYPE OF PROPERTY |
Cabana / Ecolodge |
NUMBER OF ROOMS |
4 |
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF GUESTS |
18 |
ECO-CERTIFICATION(s) |
|
ECO AWARDS |
Coming soon we hope…. |
GENERAL ECO INFO
- Do you have an environmental and/or social sustainability policy YES
See http://www.piedrablanca.org/eco-guidelines.htm
- Do you have an environmental Management System NO
If yes, please attach.
- Brief Description of property – aim, size, facilities
(150 words max)
A simple yet beautifully set, peaceful, traditional design ecolodge
/ cabana with 4 rooms in the tiny hamlet of Piedra Blanca. Restaurant,
showers and toilets located in separate buildings.
- Brief description of location (100 words max)
Piedra Blanca is at an altitude of approximately 600 metres
above sea level at the Western foot of the Andes, a 75 minute
walk from the town of San Luis de Pambil, Bolivar Province, Ecuador.
ENERGY CONSUMPTION / CONSERVATION
ENERGY
- Do you use any renewable energy? NO (not yet at least)
If yes, what approximate percentage
and please describe
- Please describe any energy saving devices in use, and energy
saving programmes you have, and how can guests/visitors participate
GARDENS – ORGANIC FOOD – RECYCLING-CHEMICALS
- If you have gardens, please describe any organic or chemical
farming practices.
n/a… again there are plans for a small organic farm in
the future though.
- Do you have a purchasing policy - local/organic/good practice/fair
trade or any other? NO
If yes, please describe or attach?
- Please describe any composting or recycling programmes, and
how, if possible, guests/visitors are encouraged to participate.
A recycling programme is in development along with the local
NGO CRACYP, though currently no recycling takes place.
CHEMICALS AND CLEANING PRODUCTS
- Approximately, what percentage of cleaning products used are
chemical, and what percentage bio degradable; please describe
WATER
- Please describe your water supply, and any water conservation
programmes, and how, if possible, guests/visitors are encouraged
to participate.
The forest of Piedra Blanca is the source of water for the nearby
regions lower in altitude, including San Luis de Pambil, and
as such the local preservation of the forest helps keep that
water clean.
- Please describe your water purification and waste water treatment
systems.
None – again the project lacks funding to implement such
procedures at this early stage.
FLORA AND FAUNA CONSERVATION / PRESERVATION
- Describe any flora or fauna conservation/projects you are involved
in and how you encourage your guests to participate?
Locals are taught the importance of conserving the rainforest,
much of which is privately owned land, as it attracts the tourists.
Small scale reforestation and regeneration projects have been
ongoing for 4 years.
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS
- Please describe what you feel is your single most important
eco achievement? (200 words max).
To build excellent community owned tourism infrastructure with
almost impossibly small levels of external funding.
MONITORING / FEEDBACK / TRAINING
- Please describe any staff and customer eco training/education
programmes
There are plans for the local community to visit similar community
ecotourism projects in Ecuador, and learn from the experience.
Again this has not been undertaken as of yet due to a lack of
funding.
- Please describe any materials you have to educate your guests
(brochures, posters, pamphlets, etc.)?
Currently none – again this is one for the future!
- Please describe how you monitor, maintain, and/or minimise
your environmental impact?
Group numbers are controlled; minimal impact style tourism encouraged.
The project is more about benefiting the environment rather than
minimising impact from tourism – there will always be some
type of environmental impact on behalf of any visitor.
- Do you get customer feedback? NO
If yes, please describe how you collect the feedback, and what
you do with it.
No – again this is something I’m working towards
with the community.
LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
- What percentage of your staff are local nationals? 100%
- Please describe what you do to minimise your negative impacts
on the local community, and any cultural awareness, community
activities or local sponsorships programmes, and any other ways
you try to ensure the local community benefit from your
business.
The entire project is run and owned by the local community as
a whole. All decisions are taken by them, attempting to accommodate
as wide a range of opinions as possible in a democratic fashion.
- If you have a green / eco certification label, please give
details and explain:
- your reasons for joining the scheme
- The benefits you feel you receive
- Any other positive or negative points
If you do not have a green certification / label,
please explain
- Your reasons for NOT joining any schemes,
- Any benefits you feel you are missing,
- Anything else.
The project is too young for such eco certification. The tourism
experience must be improved, through time, before such certification
can be achieved.
- Anything else you feel is relevant or important.
All tourists up until this point have either camped or stayed
with a local family. The ecolodge is set to receive it’s
first visitors by the end of August. From the answers above it
may sound like ecotourism credentials that can be noted are lacking,
but for such a young project there is literally no alternative.
The local community is, however, aware of what needs to be done
and which issued addressed in the near future.
Please provide as much documentary evidence as possible.
Please provide 2 references, preferably one from the local or national
government tourist authority or a registered NGO (Non-profit
Non Governmental Organization) locally, and the other from your
certification scheme if you are in one.
- Carlos Cabrera, CRACYP presidente - balsas28@hotmail.com - www.progresoverde.org/ -
CRACYP is a local NGO involved in sustainable development throughout
Ecuador. He speaks a little English, though not much.
2. Getting a reference from the local government in this part
of Ecuador would take months if not years – sorry!
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