An Environmental and Social Study of Saboga Island in the Face of Development and Tourism Bianca Maritz and Sophine Johnsson McGill School of Environment, McGill University Submitted to Professor Rafael Samudio and Professor Roberto Ibanez, Smithsonian Tropical Institute April 26th, 2010 A Special Thanks To Dr. Francisco Herrera Apartado Postal / PO Box 0824-00052 Panamá, Rep. De Panamá Vía Argentina, Edificio 78, Apto. 2 Telephone and fax: (507) 223-9170 Email: [email protected] Grupo del Sol Armel Gonzalez Muhs Grupo del Sol Developments Trump Plaza Obarrios, Modulo 1 Panama City, Panama Telephone: (507) 265-4845 Dr. Richard Cooke Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Box 0843-03092 Balboa, Ancon, Republic of Panama Telephone: (507)212-8747 Email: [email protected] Dr. Hector Guzmán Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute MRC 0580-08 Apartado 0843-03092 Panama City, Republic of Panama Telephone: (507) 212-8733 Email: [email protected] The Community of Saboga 2 Key Words: Saboga Island, social changes, environmental changes, tourism, development, social problems, environmental problems, archaeological sites TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. HOST INSTITUTION 1.1 Host Supervisor and Host Institution Information……………...……......5 1.2 Other Affiliations…………………………………………………………6 1.2.1 Almanaque Azul…………………………………………………………6 1.2.2 Grupo del Sol…………………………………………………………….6 1.2.3 Dr. Richard Cooke……………………………………………………….6 2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES…………………………………………..............7 2.1 Executive Summary………………………………………………………...7 2.2 Resumen Ejecutivo…………………………………………………………9 2.3 Number of Days Spent on Internship…………………………………........11 3. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND……………………………………..11 3.1 History.................................................................................................... 11 3.2 Demographic History.............................................................................. 11 3.3 Socio-Economic State of Saboga............................................................. 12 3.4 Environment........................................................................................... 13 3.5 Current Development on Saboga............................................................. 13 3.6 Objectives............................................................................................... 14 3.6.1 Final Objectives...........................................................................................14 3.6.2 Justification.................................................................................................15 3.7 Study Area.............................................................................................. 16 4. METHODOLOGY………………………………………………………………17 4.1 Preparatory Work...................................................................................... 17 4.2 Field Work............................................................................................. 19 4.3 Mapping and Data Processing................................................................ 20 RESULTS………………………………………………………………………..21 5.1 Interview Results...................................................................................... 21 5.1.1 Family and History……………………………………………………... 21 5.1.2 Social…………………………………………………………………….22 5.1.2.1 Population and Occupations………………………………………….22 5.1.2.2 Education………………………………………………………..........23 5.1.2.3 Amenities…………………………………………………………. …..23 5.1.2.4 Religion……………………………………………………………………….25 5.1.3 Environment…………………………………………………………..…25 5.1.4 Fishing………………………………………………………………..….26 5.1.5 Hunting………………………………………………………….…….…27 5.1.6 Use of Forest Plants……………………………………………………..28 5.1.7 Tourism and Development……………………………………………....28 5.2 Sites Identified from Observations, Interviews, and Tours...................... 30 5.2.1 Socio-Cultural Locations Identified............................................................30 5.2.2 Important Environmental Sites Identified.................................................32 5.2.3 Ongoing Development Projects...................................................................33 5. DISCUSSION……………………………………………………………...…...34 6.1 The Town…………………………………………………………………..34 6.2 Employment and Education…………………………………………..….. 35 3 6.2.1 Employment……………………………………………………………. 35 6.2.2 Education………………………………………………………………. 36 6.3 The Culture...............................................................................................36 6.3.1 The Church.................................................................................................. 36 6.3.2 Way of Life………………………………………………………………. 37 6.4 Social Issues………………………………………………………………... 40 6.4.1 Water…………………………………………………………………….. 40 6.4.2 Land Title………………………………………………………………… 41 6.4.3 Archaeological Sites……………………………………………………… 42 6.4.4 Alcohol and Drugs……………………………………………………….. 43 6.4.5 Perception of Saboga……………………………………………………. 43 6.5 Environment………………………………………………………………. 43 6.6 Tourism and Development………………………………………………… 44 6. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS……………………………….. 45 7. REFERENCES………………………………………………………………….. 48 8. APPENDIX……………………………………………………………………… 49 9.1 Interview Questions………………………………………………………... 49 9.2 Results Tables……………………………………………………………… 54 Table 1: Family and History………………………………………………….. 54 Table 2: Social………………………………………………………………… 54 Table 3: Environment………………………………………………………… 56 Table 4: Fishing……………………………………………………………….. 57 Table 5: Hunting……………………………………………………………… 58 Table 6: Forest Plants……………………………………………………….… 58 Table 7: Tourism……………………………………………………….….. 59 9.3 Final Products for Host Institution and Affiliations……………………….. 60 9.3.1 Maps............................................................................................................ 60 Figure 1: Map of Saboga with all Identified Important Sites............................ 60 Figure 2: Social Map.......................................................................................... 61 Figure 3: Environment Map............................................................................... 62 Figure 4: Development Map............................................................................... 63 Figure 5: Saboga‘s Town Map........................................................................... 64 9.3.2 Pamphlet...................................................................................................... 65 9.4 Photographs......................................................................................... 66 Figure 6…………………………………………………………………………. 66 Figure 7…………………………………………………………………………. 66 Figure 8…………………………………………………………………………. 66 Figure 9…………………………………………………………………………. 66 Figure 10………………………………………………………………………... 66 Figure 11………………………………………………………………………... 66 Figure 12………………………………………………………………………... 67 Figure 13………………………………………………………………………... 67 Figure 14………………………………………………………………………... 67 9.5 Spanish Summary for Institutions …………………………………….. 68 4 1. HOST INSTITUTION 1.1 Host Supervisor and Information on Institution Host Supervisor: Dr. Francisco Herrera Apartado Postal / PO Box 0824-00052 Panamá, Rep. De Panamá Vía Argentina, Edificio 78, Apto. 2 Telephone and fax: (507) 223-9170 Email: [email protected] Organization: Alianza para la Conservación y el Desarrollo (ACD) Our host institute is Alianza para la Conservación y el Desarrollo (ACD). ACD is a Panamanian non-governmental organization (NGO) that aims to promote conservation and alternative development through the defence and empowerment of Panamanian communities. Their mission is to ultimately make development more just and environmentally responsible (ACD, 2009). ACD works in communities in Bocas del Toro, La Amistad International Park, Coiba Natinal Park, the Pearl Islands Archipelago, and Cuenca del Lago Bayano. Their objectives surround investigating natural areas, addressing, and educating people about socio- environmental issues to better prepare and involve communities (ACD, 2009). They work politically to designate protected areas, achieve sustainable energy, climate, and community development plans (ACD, 2009). ACD has done work on Saboga Island in the past. They have conducted socio-economical surveys on Saboga, Pedro Gonzalez, and San Miguel Islands. In addition, they have also assessed the state of the environment on these three islands, which includes identifying environmental problems and providing possible solutions for the observed problems. 5 1.2 Other Affiliations 1.2.1 Almanaque Azul Almanaque Azul (2010) is an organization that promotes sustainable tourism on the beaches and coasts of Panama. They believe tourisms should benefit local communities the most. Like ACD, they work with communities to help integrate them in the tourism process. By providing communities, like Saboga, with information on tourism and how to be part of it is beneficial in helping empower the community (Almanaque Azul, 2010). 1.2.2 Grupo del Sol Grupo del Sol is the Central American development company that has bought the beaches of Saboga Island and is currently developing on it. Many of the men on Saboga work for this company, mostly in construction. The company is promoting its development on Saboga as ―sustainable‖ and encouraging ―Eco-tourism.‖ Grupo del Sol was very supportive of our project, and financed and provided accommodation for one of our trips, and paid for our food during both of our trips to Saboga. 1.2.3 Dr. Richard Cooke Dr. Cooke is an archaeologist who is associated with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. He is very interested in the archaeology and achaeozoology