Title – Name
Chalalán Eco-lodge
Scope / Sector / Industry
Community-Based Ecotourism Lodge
Country / Region
Bolivia, Chalalán region
Why is it good practice?
The eco-lodge Chalalán represents a comprehensive ecotourism initiative developed on the shores of the eponymous lake within Bolivia’s Madidi National Park in the Amazon. The initiative aims to improve the quality of life for the indigenous families of San José de Uchupiamonas and ensure the sustainability of the region and the culture of the Quechua-Tacana people for future generations.
The initiative was created by the indigenous community, which sought its local development through the provision of competitive ecotourism services that sustainably utilize the natural resources of the Chalalán area.
How is it applied?
Since the late 1980s, the indigenous community of San José de Uchupiamonas began facing development and subsequent migration issues due to poverty and lack of education and health services. The local community initiated the Chalalán Eco-lodge initiative on its own, without state assistance, and a few years later received support from donations from the Inter-American Development Bank and the NGO Conservation International.
The development of the project in terms of sustainability was achieved in several ways. Specifically, within the framework of the project implementation:
- Traditional rustic accommodations were built using local and sustainable materials.
- Their construction was based on traditional techniques and designed to have a low impact on the forests of the Chalalán area.
- New environmentally responsible waste and energy management systems (solar energy) were implemented.
- The lodge is owned and operated entirely by the indigenous community.
• Staff receives training in various subjects (business administration, accounting, marketing, sales, service, cooking, and guiding). - The lodge can accommodate up to 30 people at a time.
- Each visitor pays an entrance fee for the protection of the area.
- The lodge offers hiking trails on thematic paths extending through the region’s forest.
- The guided tours provide information on:
- The fauna and flora of the area
- The natural history and medicinal plants
- Conservation interventions in the area
- The myths of the region’s ancestors
- Hunting is prohibited in the area, and continuous monitoring is conducted to detect poaching and resource extraction activities.
- Canoes are used for transportation to and from the lodge, as well as for paddling routes on Lake Chalalán.
- The lodge offers food based on local gastronomy and tradition.
Where is it applied?
The project has benefited all the communities in the area and is aimed at visitors seeking an experiential, sustainable, and responsible outdoor tourism experience close to nature, the local community, and the culture of the Chalalán region.
When did it applied?
The Chalalán Eco-lodge project started in 1992.
Results
The Chalalán Eco-lodge has become internationally renowned as a successful model of sustainable and responsible ecotourism, significantly benefiting the conservation and development of the area and its permanent population. The results from the implementation of the project are summarized below:
- Continuous increase in the lodge’s visitors up to the present day.
- Increase in revenue and reinvestment in new projects benefiting the community and indigenous people (e.g., potable water facilities, health centers, health loans, and school construction).
- Increase in job positions, wages, and stimulation of the local market.
- Development of more external collaborations.
- Return of part of the population that had migrated before the project began.
- Increase in species that were disappearing in the Madidi National Park.
In 2002, National Geographic Traveler ranked the Chalalán Eco-lodge as one of the top 20 tourist destinations in the world, while in 2008, it received the EQUATOR award (an initiative of the United Nations Development Programme recognizing communities’ efforts to reduce poverty through conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity).
Other Information
The Chalalán Eco-lodge operates as a joint-stock company. 50% of the company is owned by the 100 families of the community, while the remaining 50% belongs to the Tierra Comunitaria de Origen San José de Uchupiamonas (a form of community association in the area). Within the framework of this partnership, there is a partners’ assembly responsible for decision-making and a board of representatives responsible for supervision and monitoring of the project.
The Tierra Comunitaria de Origen San José de Uchupiamonas, as a partner of the company, invests its earnings in community development projects. Investment choices are based on the needs and are achieved through consensus among the community families. Additionally, it has developed a long-term plan outlining the project’s strategic priorities and guiding management decisions. A representative of the Tierra Comunitaria de Origen San José de Uchupiamonas is appointed from among the community members.
Official website of Chalalán Eco-lodge: https://chalalan.com/
