In the article titled, ‘An explanation of a mini-guide programme: training local children in sea turtle conservation and ecotourism in Brazil,’ in vol. 11, no. 1, pp.48-55 of the Journal of Ecotourism in 2012, Pegas, Coghlan and Rocha explore a mini-guide program that was designed to train local children in Brazil in the conservation of turtles as well as ecotourism. The purpose of the study upon which the authors based the article was to elaborate on the features of the mini-guide program and explore how the community members in the locality where the program was implemented perceived the program. The article also evaluates the effect that the mini-guide program had on the participants who were enrolled in the program in the past. In discussing the success of the program, the authors also highlight the context to which the success of the program is attributed (Pegas, Coghlan, & Rocha, 2012, p.49).
The importance of ecotourism is predicted by its self-sustaining attributes. For instance, the conservation of sea turtles has gained significance as a form of ecotourism because, in addition to preserving this endangered species by deterring the factors that lead to its depletion such as illegal harvesting and resource degradation, it also caters to the needs of the members in the localities where ecotourism is practiced. These needs are met through improved socio-economic activity, the education of the community members, and also training opportunities for the people enrolled to participate in the programs.
The significance of the protection of sea turtles is evident in the long and checkered history. The conservation efforts have received backing from the federal government through the creation of the Brazilian Sea Turtle Conservation Program in 1980. This program was mandated with overseeing the protection conservation of sea turtles. The program has operations in nine states in the country through which the coastal beaches are monitored as they serve as the nesting sites. The conservation efforts also benefit from many research stations and visitor centers which encourage ecotourism.
The approach to the conservation of sea turtles by the program has been to change behavior and the values of the local communities through environmental education, the enforcement of laws designed to support conservation efforts, and also embedding sustainability through economic benefits. The evolution of the program over time has also seen the development of education courses and activities that are designed for the youth for the continuity of the conservation initiatives.
The content of the mini-guide program is mainly education. The children who are selected to participate in the program are taken through skills training and environmental education so that they can participate effectively in the conservation efforts. The selection of the children into this program is performed through a competitive process. When the children submit the applications that register their interest in participating in the program, forty children out of the one hundred and fifty local children are chosen to take part in the program. From this forty, the program administrators then select fifteen students who show the best promise. The criteria include communication skills, the workmanship at TAMAR and the knowledge of sea turtles. The program hopes to prepare the children adequately through improved knowledge, communication skills, and the ability to guide and interact with tourists. In addition to the monthly stipend they are given, the mini-guides also benefit from the opportunities to champion the conservation efforts, the exposure to new things, the skills training and environmental education.
The community members in the localities where these programs have been implemented had positive reviews of the programs. It is their opinion that the mini-guide program was of help to their children by giving them an opportunity to participate in something meaningful and of importance ecologically. Additionally, the community members think that the mini-guide program is effective in instilling the discipline in the children. This is important because in addition to ensuring the continuity of the conservation efforts, the skills learned in the mini-guides program can help the children in other spheres of their life.
The previous participants of the program also gave glorious reviews of the program. Given that many of them had served with TAMAR and the mini-guide program for long periods, they had enriched experiences, most of which were positive. For instance, they exhibited an increased understanding of concepts of turtle conservation and the laws available to support the conservation efforts. With regards to benefits drawn from the program, the former mini-guides reported that they gained discipline, knowledge and skills which in turn helped improve their self-esteem. Additionally, the former mini-guides reported that the skills and competencies developed through the program were not just limited to the activities of the program but also helped enrich their other spheres of life.
In exploring the mini-guides program, the authors used a qualitative interpretivism approach. The specific methodology used by the authors was the case study methodology. The qualitative aspect of the research methods entails the collection of subjective and continuous data from the participants of the study. The authors were not concerned with the qualitative aspects that described the success of the program but rather the perceptions of the immediate communities and the former mini-guides. The case study methodology enabled the authors to get in-depth information for the study. The choice of the case study methodology is also influenced by the Flyvberg’s ideas on the valued that a case study brings to a qualitative study. Based on these ideas, the authors the work done under the TAMAR program constituted a case study. By operationally defining the work done under TAMAR as a case study, the authors could then use the mini-guide program as the point of reference through which they can determine the success of the program. This is more the case because the program is unusual in the sense that it relies on children to champion its conservation efforts.
In conclusion, the architecture of the program, as well as its implementation, has enjoyed the support of its participants and the local communities. The training and education have helped enhance a change in behavior. Future research should be done to determine how the perceptions of the conservation of turtles vary among the children who are not engaged with TAMAR.
Reference
Pegas, F., Coghlan, A. and Rocha, V. 2012. An exploration of a mini-guide programme: Training local children in sea turtle conservation and ecotourism in Brazil. Journal of Ecotourism, 11(1): 48-55.
