Galibi Nature Reserve
EXCHANGE OF NATIONAL EXPERIENCES IN THE SPHERE OF
DEVELOPMENT OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE
COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM IN PROTECTED NATURAL AREAS
(ANPS) AMONG THE MEMBER COUNTRIES OF ACTO
1) The Territorial Management, which runs the experience of development of
community-based tourism in Galibi.
There is a formal and legal framework for nature conservation in Suriname. The existing
conservation and nature management have always been done by Indigenous communities.
These communities have very successfully conserved nature, biodiversity and other natural
resources.
All natural resources are the property of the Government and people of Suriname, according
to the Constitution of Suriname. The responsibility for environmental policies, including
biodiversity, is entrusted to the Ministry of Labor, Technology Development and
Environment ((ATM), by its abbreviation in Dutch). The management of the forested areas
falls under the Ministry of Physical Planning, Land and Forestry Management (RGB). With
Nature Reserves such as Galibi, they are strict in terms of conservation and limitations of
human activities, whereas in MUMAs provide some livelihood and/or economic activities are
be allowed.
Galibi Nature Reserve is one of the largest indigenous villages on the northeast coast of
Suriname. The Galibi Nature Reserve covers an area of 4,000 ha. Galibi is home to four
important sea turtle species, and attracts a continuous stream of tourists from the United
States of America, Netherlands, Caribbean Region and many local residents. Galibi is also
an essential part of the ancestral territory of the Lower Marowijne River Kalinya people. A
population of approximately 800 people live in Christiaankondre and Langamankondre.
Tourism has made a positive contribution to the stature of women in Galibi. The women sell
their handmade necklaces and bracelets. The majority of the locals live off of fishery selling
their catch to French Guyana and others also participate in the tourism sector. Galibi is the
only Carib village with tourist accommodations within its borders.
2) How to sign up the experience in the Plan of Management of Protected Natural Areas?
Suriname has three types of protected areas: Nature Parks, Nature Reserves, and Multiple
Use Management Areas (MUMAs). Since 1966 eleven Nature Reserves have been
established, including Galibi which was established in 1969 in the District of Marowijne.
Nature Reserves are places with substantial biodiversity and/or geological attributes. They
are managed as high value natural areas with some restricted use. For instance, the Nature
Conservation Law (1954) forbids persons “to either deliberately, or through negligence,
damage the soil conditions, the natural beauty, the flora and fauna, or to perform any action
which destroys the value of the reserve.” Hunting, fishing, camping and several other
recreational uses are to be conducted only with written permission from the Forest Service.
Nature Parks are relatively low-level conservation areas. Suriname has only one Nature
Park (Brownsberg).
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The Galibi Nature Reserve was established in 1969 when indigenous villagers were
removed from their ancestral lands. The co-management of the authorities and local
communities’ arrangement for the Galibi Nature Reserve is examined as an alternative
approach. The Galibi co-management arrangement is effective at integrating conservation
and development through the use of nature tourism. Local tourism developments are
dependent on the successful conservation of the sea turtle. The co- management
arrangement is also effective at involving local populations in development and sea turtle
conservation. It is proposed that the co-management arrangement be strengthened by
granting greater local control over conservation and development to local organizations,
under the supervision of the government agency responsible for protected area
management.
3) With what resources? Personal, financial, and other resources.
At present there is a Consultation Commission for the Galibi Nature Reserve with two
representatives of two nearby villages, one representative of the Districts Commissioner of
District Marowijne, the Head of the Fisheries Service, the Director STINASU (The
Foundation for Nature Conservation in Suriname) and the Head of the Nature Conservation
Division.
Revenues generated from the Nature Reserves, Nature Park and MUMAs are generally
invested into improving the same entities. International organization such as the Global
Environment Facility (GEF) have provided grants for projects, including three projects in
biodiversity. The Suriname Coastal Protected Area Management will promote the
conservation of biodiversity through improved management of protected areas along the
western coast of Suriname. One project aims to operationalize protected area management
in two globally important and representative sites, namely the Central Suriname Nature
Reserve (CSNR), the single largest tropical forest reserve in the Guyana Shield, and the
Sipaliwini Nature Reserve (SNR) in South Suriname.
There are some local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that are
active in Suriname, mainly in the areas of environmental management and/or conservation
and human rights. These are Green Heritage Fund Suriname (GHFS), Suriname
Environmental Advisory Services (SEAS), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Guianas and
Conservation International Suriname (CI). Galibi is also supported by various stakeholders
inter alia, boatmen, Kandalu (held by teachers from Galibi), Women of Galibi (making
souvenirs, primarily for to tourists), Fishermen, the local community, tourists, researchers,
Ministry of Regional Development Ministry of Transport, Communication and Tourism (TCT),
STINASU and Foundation for Sustainable Nature Management in Alusiaka (STIDUNAL),
WWF-Guianas, and tour operators.
4) What are the levels of sustainability of the experience?
The Constitution of the Republic of Suriname provides the legal basis for a sustainable
environmental policy in Article 6g: “The common objective of the State is to focus on the
establishment of and encourage conditions required for the preservation of nature and to
safeguard the ecological balance.” Adherence to these principles is seen through
involvement in the key environmental policies.
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Travelers to Suriname not only learn about the destination, they learn how to help sustain its
character while deepening their own travel experiences. Local residents learn that the
ordinary and familiar may be of interest and value to outsiders.
Sustainable Tourism is a form of tourism that calls travelers to a higher standard in all
belongings. In order to minimize the negative impacts of the growth in tourism industry,
sustainability should translate from words to facts, and be an imperative for all tourism
stakeholders. According to the UNWTO (2004) “Sustainable tourism development requires
the informed participation of all relevant stakeholders. It requires constant monitoring of
impacts, a meaningful experience to the tourists, raising awareness about sustainability
issues and promoting sustainable tourism practices amongst them.” The principles of
sustainability can also be applied to all sectors of the tourist industry in Suriname and
particularly with Galibi. These sectors include lodging, tours, agencies, ground operators,
guiding, and transport.
Since 1980, much effort has been placed on research into the integration of conservation
and development initiatives. The Association of Indigenous Village Leaders in Suriname
(VIDS) has taken on the initiative of leading this important assessment process in Suriname.
VIDS was founded in 1992 by indigenous village leaders. One of the original objectives was
to rebuild traditional indigenous governance structures after the Interior War, during which
many indigenous villages suffered damage, and traditional governance was negatively
affected. Since its inception, VIDS has taken a leading role in advancing the rights of
indigenous peoples, sustainable development and environmental protection in Suriname.
The Ecological Zones of Suriname are its Natural resources, biodiversity and human
resources. Suriname is home to many species of flora and vertebrate. There are over •
5,800 species of flora of which 200 endemic species and 790 fish, 668 birds, 185 mammals,
152 reptiles and 95 amphibians.
5) What degree of support and participation of the community of the management of the
tourism activities? Identification of the community.
Galibi is one of the largest indigenous villages in Suriname and the Kalinya people lives
there. The Kalinya people subsist mainly by fishing and the women work selling handicrafts
and tending the land. For centuries-the indigenous communities in Galibi have had a close
relationship with their lands and generally with the environment in which they live. With
sustainable management the indigenous peoples have preserved the biodiversity and
nature. The indigenous people say that if they would have “developed” the land as did the
Western countries, then they would be living now in a big, dry desert.
The indigenous communities in the Galibi areas have traditions and structures that must be
respected by government. These communities are aware of the impacts of protected areas
and other initiatives undertaken in the name of environmental protection.
In the 1990s the STINASU made agreements with the indigenous people of Galibi regarding
cultivating existing agricultural plots, hunting and fishing, plant collection for personal use
and building temporary camps and shelters. There is a community organization for
environmental protection, the Foundation for Sustainable Nature Management in Alusiaka
(STIDUNAL), which will manage the Galibi protected area in cooperation with STINASU.
The protection of the sea turtles is seen as an integral part in the overall development plan
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for the community.
6) Who are the internal and external key stakeholders in the development of the tourism
activity?
Governance of tourism in Suriname is the responsibility of the Ministry of Transport,
Communication and Tourism (TCT). The Tourism Department is responsible for planning
and monitoring of tourism in the area. The National Legislation of Suriname encompasses
the Constitution (1987), the Agrarian Law (1937), the Nature Preservation Law (1954), the
Game Resolution (1954), the Law on Sea Fisheries (1980), the Law on Allocation of StateOwned Land (1982) and the Forest Law (1992).
The Suriname Tourism Foundation (STF) was established in 1996 by the Ministry of
Transport, Communication and Tourism and the Chamber of Commerce and currently has
31 employees. The foundation is a semi-government organization and overseen by TCT.
The current annual budget is SRD 3 million (US$ 1 million). The Tourism Union of the
Republic of Suriname (TOURS) was established in 2001 and is the representative
organization for the hospitality and tourism industry in Suriname. Members include hotels,
guesthouses, restaurants, bars tour operators and other tourism related companies.
Suriname Hospitality and Tourism Training Centre (SHTTC) was established in
2006 and provides vocational training and courses for the tourism sector. The Suriname
government and the European government fund the center. Suriname is a member of the
Combined Amazon Tourism Product (CATP), cooperation between Suriname, French
Guyana, and the Brazilian states Para, Amapa and Amazonas. The Amazon Caribbean
Tourism Trail (ACTT) is cooperation between Suriname, Guyana and the Brazilian State of
Roraima. Suriname is also a member of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization
(ACTO).
There have been a number of international NGO’s active in researching and supporting
tourism in Suriname. Conservational International Suriname (CI) has been most prominent
and completed marketing study for overseas tour operators and developed a lodge with the
Maroon community in the South of Suriname. CI is also supporting the government in
developing tourism in the Central Suriname Nature Reserve.
According to the Suriname Tourism Foundation, a semi-autonomous governmental
organization the number of tourists arriving in Suriname in 2003 was approximately 91,000
and increased to 240, 000 in 2012. Most tourists arriving in Suriname are from the
Netherlands and France, via French Guiana. Large numbers of tourists from French Guiana
visit Suriname for shopping. Many expatriates from Holland are part of this number but there
are an increasing number of Dutch tourists with no family ties to Suriname. As well, many
Dutch of European and Surinamese background have been investing in the tourism sector.
The public and private sector partnership (PPP) approach to the development of tourism in
Suriname has been successful. The tourism industry in Suriname has made a significant
contribution to the national economy. STF strives to be the leading tourism authority in
Suriname, on the development and promotion of the tourism sector. Suriname was included
by 2010 issue of Lonely Planet’s Top Ten Best Travel Destinations. Suriname’s natural
geographical riches range from Africa-like savannahs to beaches raided by endangered sea
turtles, to some of the world’s largest protected stands of tropical rainforest and is fast
becoming a prime ecotourism and sport-fishing destination place.
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7) How the benefits of all business transactions that are raised from the tourism activity
are shared?
Movement of Ecotourism in Suriname (METS) currently is putting together a report on
tourism and its impact on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Suriname. METS hopes this
will motivate the Government to offer more support to the industry. METS is convinced that
tourism has been a significant factor in boosting the economy of Suriname, 5% of GDP in
2012.
The Integrated Tourism Development Program (ITDP) has shown that the tourism industry
has the potential to further grow as can be seen from the 60% growth from 2003 to 2012.
However, Suriname has no tourism master plan. The Development Plan (2012-16) includes
a chapter on tourism development. Its goal is to increase the economic contribution of
tourism to the economy. The focus will be on developing special interest tourism especially
nature-based tourism as is offered by Galibi. In addition to the development of Tourism
Laws, focus can correspondingly be on opening a tourism training center and developing
tourism zones. Community-based tourism does address the need to develop special interest
tourism.
Taking this development into consideration it is important to try to link up the tour operators
of Galibi to the existing network of guides for gaining skills. Currently there are about 7,500
formal and informal jobs created in tourism sector. There is need for regulations in this
sector, taking into account the drivers of economic activity. There are other institutions that
offer tourism programs in Suriname.
The tourism industry is made up of a large number of small to medium sized enterprises
(SMEs). It is important for local governments to have a clear understanding of who is
already active in tourism in the region. Sustainable destinations are those where all
stakeholders, including local governments, tourism operators and suppliers, work in
partnership toward common goals. While local governments are a key partner, they need to
work closely with a range of inter-related organizations such as tourism operators and
suppliers, Local Government, Local Tourism Organizations, Regional Tourism
Organizations, State / Territory Tourism Industry Councils, State Tourism Organizations and
National Tourism Organizations.
8) The traditions, local and ancestral customs and practices of the community are
respected? How?
Suriname has a very diverse ethnic heritage, consisting of native indigenous people,
Maroons, mixed Afro Surinamese, descendants of immigrants from India, China, Indonesia,
Europe and all possible mixes of these groups, and an increasing number of immigrants
from China and Brazil. Suriname is emerging as a prime ecotourism and sport-fishing
destination. Suriname is a multiethnic, multicultural, multilingual, and multi-religious country.
Galibi desires co-management of protected areas. Environmental protection of the protected
area management must be an integrated approach that includes environment, development,
and recognition of and respect for the rights of the indigenous peoples, including their
ownership rights over our traditional lands, territories, and resources, and their knowledge
systems. It can be stated that the indigenous peoples, are willing to cooperate on basis of
mutual respect and equality.
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In Galibi the youth comprising 26% of the population (SOURCE: ABS SEPTEMBER 2013)
are active in the tourism area they participate in many activities. It is home to a lovely beach
and there is even a zoo having about 20 different species that live in the surrounding area.
During the nesting season from February to July there are many tourists who are especially
interested in the sea turtles.
The Government of Suriname through the semi-governmental agency strengthens the
capacity of the tourism sector to apply and expand the sustainable development of tourism
infrastructure and services that support sustainable land use and nature conservation.
Further to develop and implement guidelines and codes of conduct for ecotourism operators
and in promoting ecologically sustainable tourism in the region, including developing
regional codes of conduct for tour operators, and convening appropriate training courses.
The Vision Statement of Suriname’s Biodiversity Strategy speaks to valuing and protecting
the rich biological diversity, including all natural and cultural resources through equitable and
sustainable use for present and future generations. A national commitment to Suriname’s
biological wealth integrating all sectors of society will allow people to experience the full
benefits of sustainable management and wise use while maintaining and enhancing the
diversity of the country’s cultural and natural heritage. Traditional territory is managed by
communities in a holistic manner, and spirituality and sustainability considerations play
major roles in management rules and traditions.
9) Development of an inventory of tourism products.
Tourist products are the means to satisfy primary and secondary needs. Primary tourist
needs are those that urge a person to make a tourist trip in order to satisfy them. While,
secondary or derived tourist needs are those arising from the decision to make a tourist trip.
Primary tourist supply, include natural attractions and historic sites in Galibi. Components
created especially for satisfying tourist needs are classified as secondary tourist supply and
these are hotels and theme parks.
Tourism products in Suriname include, accommodation, transport, attractions and other
facilities. Sub-categories are tour operators and travel agencies, NGOs and non-for-profitorganizations, private business, local communities, indigenous, communities, museums,
galleries, cultural heritage sites.
Nature attractions such as Galibi offer activities, amenities and both are easily accessible.
The tourism industry of Suriname realizes that tourists want to see things, to experience
things, to buy things, to learn about exotic places, to be conscious about preserving the
nature, to enjoy life and to contribute to the others' Life enjoyment (sustainable tourism).
Galibi Nature Reserve is accessible by a 90 minute boat ride from Albina. There are many
tour operators taking travelers from Paramaribo to Albina. While local villagers may hunt and
fish in the Reserve, tourists are not allowed. There’s a lot to see in Galibi. Salt water from
the sea mixes with freshwater from the Marowijne River, creating a wide variety of
environments in this small region. While turtles are the main purpose of the Reserve, all
natural resources are considered protected as well. Further inland is a collection of
mangroves, swamp, sand ridges and lagoons, which shelter a variety of seabirds including
herons and the scarlet ibis. This coastline provides something for everyone. Animals and
humans find ample food here from its various vegetation, while the ever-shifting coast
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provides shelter for breeding turtles.
10)
The identified experience has allowed the creation of a community vision of the
future of tourism in the community?
Thanks to sustainable management by the indigenous peoples we still have biodiversity and
nature today. Establishing protected areas is paramount in protecting nature. Galibi is an
example of this working well in Suriname.
Suriname’s virgin rainforest of exotic fauna and flora, its multi-ethnic capital, Paramaribo, a
UNESCO World Heritage site of grand colonial architecture, and blessed with peace and
little crime, all are attracting tourists to Suriname.
With continuous political and economic stability and a more serious approach to tourism that
addresses the concerns of the private sector by the government, Suriname can very much
become a tourist destination for many people around the globe.
Co-management should be part of the national development principle. New legislation on
land use and co-management are needed to expand the categories of protected areas and
buffer zones in Suriname. Thereby, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources
and the conservation of the biological diversity are managed in a sustainable way, with
equitable sharing of costs and benefits.
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