BARA DI KARTA TRAIL Tourist Route As a Catalyst for Rural Development, the Case of Washikemba, Bonaire
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BARA DI KARTA TRAIL Tourist route as a catalyst for rural development, the case of Washikemba, Bonaire 1 Andrea Hulsebosch BARA DI KARTA TRAIL Tourist route as a catalyst for rural development, the case of Washikemba, Bonaire 2016 Wageningen University Andrea Hulsebosch MSc Thesis Landscape Architecture LAR-80439 Washikemba, Bonaire – Wageningen, the Netherlands Routing as a catalyst for development, the case of Washikemba, Bonaire Supervisor/ examiner: © Wageningen University, 2016 Dr. Ir. Ingrid Duchhart Assistant Professor Landscape Architecture A.C.M Hulsebosch Wageningen University [email protected] Registration number: 890516375060 ...................................................................... ............................. Illustrations displayed are created by the author unless indicated otherwise. Signature Date All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written Supervisor: permission of either the authors or the Wageningen University Landscape Architecture Chairgroup. This publication is written as a final master thesis in Dr. ir. Klaas Metselaar landscape architecture by order of the Chair Group of Landscape Architecture at Assistant Professor Soil physics, ecohydrology and groundwater department Wageningen University. Wageningen University Landscape Architecture Chairgroup Phone: +31 317 484 056 ...................................................................... ............................. Fax: +31 317 482 166 Signature Date E-mail: [email protected] www.lar.wur.nl Reviewer: Postal address Ir. Annet Kempenaar Postbus 47 Assistant Professor Landscape Architecture 6700 AA, Wageningen Wageningen University The Netherlands Visiting address ...................................................................... ............................. Gaia (building no. 101) Signature Date Droevendaalsesteeg 3 6708 BP, Wageningen Examiner: The Netherlands Prof. Dr. Ir. Adri van den Brink In collaboration with and supported by: Chair Landscape Architecture Wageningen University ...................................................................... ............................. Signature Date This research was made possible through the funding of Stichting NH Bos Commisioner: Jan Jaap van Almenkerk in cooperation with DRO Bonaire Wayaka advies Printed by printservice Ede, Ede, The Netherlands Acknowledgement 7i In this report I present you the results of my thesis. I, Andrea Hulsebosch, a landscape architect student at the Wageningen University, worked on this project to finish my master program. This thesis, which is focused on the rural area of Washikemba, in Bonaire, began with a newspaper article in combination with my fascination for the Caribbean and, in particular, Bonaire, as a result of family members that have settled there or have other links with the Caribbean. Furthermore, touristic developments in rural areas always interested me because I, as a provincial and landscape architect, see that many functions can reinforce each other. The rural area is a place with the potential for ‘smart’ developments between different sectors for a ‘healthy’ and balanced environment. In here I refer mainly to the multi functionality that the landscape needs to possess in order to serve everyone and everybody. People have helped and motivated me during this thesis and I would like to thank them. First of all: Dr. Ir. Ingrid Duchhart, supervisor of this thesis, I would like to thank you for your enthusiasm, advice, patience and faith in my ability to fulfill this thesis on my own. Further, I would like to that Dr. Ir. Klaas Metselaar for his enthusiasm, support and effort that he put into this research. Further, I would like to thank Jan Jaap van Almenkerk who gave me the opportunity to come to Bonaire and his introduction to the ‘right’ persons. Also, I want to thank Kris Kats for sharing his vision and knowledge during my three months stay (and after I left the island), for showing me around on Bonaire and his commitment to further develop the route after I left the island. Last, but certainly not least, I want to thank my housemates, friends and family who kept on motivating and helping me however they could. Summary 9iii Bonaire, a small island located in the southern Caribbean Sea has an economy that is highly dependent upon diving tourism. Due to climate changes, the quality of the coral is declining. Therefore the politicians of Bonaire have decided to take action and differentiate the tourist product from tourism focused on diving and water related activities towards tourism in the hinter land, in order to maintain the flow of tourists in the future. This diversification needs to be found in new tourist products that fit the culture of the island and contribute to sustainable development. Improving the accessibility of the rural outback is one of the projects that was appointed to steer this sustainable rural development. The DRO has asked me to design a route in the rural area of Washikemba, Bonaire that is supported by local entrepreneurs and inhabitants. In this thesis the dimension of sustainable rural development by ecotourism will be elaborated, in which landscape interventions contribute to environmental, economic and social development of the rural area. I state that knowledge of a landscape is required to steer sustainable development. The research question relating to this statement is the following: what are the crucial issues to consider in designing a route that stimulates ecotourism development and contributes to the improvement of the landscape qualities in the Washikemba area, Bonaire? Different methods were used and executed partly in the Netherlands and partly in Bonaire in order to answer this question. Landscape analysis, Google Earth photo analysis, literature research, fieldtrips and interviews were organized, with the help of the landscape based design approach or the adapted Duchhart model. With a thorough landscape analysis a full understanding of the landscape processes of the study area was generated. The Google Earth was used in order to find locations that have the interest of people (mostly tourists). Interviews were conducted to gain insight about what living on Bonaire entailed, and to include the opinion (and initiatives) value of an area, therefore understanding the landscape is crucial of the interviewees. Also, Dutch travel agencies and the local in order to obtain sustainability. The overall methodology should hotel and tourism association where interviewed to get their be replicable for similar islands that focus upon sustainable rural perspective regarding the development of ecotourism. The development with the help of ecotourism. Google Earth analysis, together with many fieldtrips, interviews and map analysis, has given an overview of the interesting 11vi points, sceneries and activities in the project area. The route connects many of these culture-social and natural qualities and points of improvement, as the aim of the route is to contribute to cultural, economic and environmental development to create a sustainable landscape. The trail has been discussed and tested with stakeholders throughout the process. After fieldwork, the trails have been implemented in the field, together with the creation of a website and a documentary. There are locations along the route that can be improved to make the area more accessible, workable and open for experience as revealed after analyzing the route with a theoretical lens. Some of the challenges can be overcome with suitable equipment, others need political interventions, cultural changes and sustainable landscape designs. A hike trail in the Washikemba Valley has been further elaborated, resulting in interventions that steer (culture-social and natural) development both for short term and long term. The interventions involve a parking lot, a viewpoint and dam that are integrated in a landscape plan. The landscape plan provides recommendations for environmental, economic and social development. Also, an extension of the current route network and integral implementation of interventions by phasing is provided. The final result and answer to the research question are several actions – methodological and physical- to improve the cultural- social and natural qualities of the rural area of Washikemba in a sustainable manner. For the development of a (touristic) route it is essential to know the location of landscape elements that are interesting for both tourists and locals, and to guide users along these attractions and points of interest (with routing). Furthermore is offering facilities and settings to improve the accessibility and workability of a route and landscape seen as major condition as well. Design interventions at strategic points can be used to overcome challenges and to enlarge the economic Contents 13viii Acknowledgement Summary Fascination 1- 14 1.0 Introduction 3- 14 1.1 Rural Development Plan, Bonaire 4- 6 1.2 Changing role of the rural landscape 6- 7 1.3 Introduction of Bonaire 8- 9 1.4 Problem statement 10 1.5 Projects within the POP 11 1.6 Outline of the report 12- 14 Research structure 15- 50 2.0 Research design 18- 38 2.1 Knowledge gap 18- 19 2.2 Aim 19- 20 2.3 Research questions 21 2.4 Strategy of inquiry 21- 23 2.5 Landscape Architecture lens 23- 25 2.6 Strategy and methods 25- 36 2.7 Significance 36- 38 3.0 Theoretical framework