Timna Varela Sanchez, Roatan Marine Park, Honduras
Latin America
Back in the 1970s and 1980s, turtle nests were found all around Roatan, Bay Islands, with Greens, Hawksbills and Loggerheads choosing the island’s uninhabited beaches to lay their eggs. Unfortunately, the last decades have witnessed one of a depletion of turtle nests around the Bay Islands (Carr et al. 1982, Meylan 1999).
In 2015 the Environment Department of Honduras approved the National Strategy for Turtle Conservation, that encourages ecological viability of the five turtle species found in Honduras, restoring populations in those habitats and the welfare of communities.
Last quarter of 2018, Roatan Marine Park, a non-profit organization leader in conservation within the Bay Islands, began promoting the $200 reward for reporting findings of turtle nests. That year ended with three nests reported in different communities. The following year, in order to develop more effective turtle conservation efforts, the implementation of a community approach and environmental education strategies cause to increase reports of turtle nests by community members.
Empowering communities through a sea turtle conservation program, including schools and groups within a community, will enable them to take responsibility on these endangered species. The long-term species viability can be achieved by education and community participation.
Speaker Biography
Education and Outreach Coordinator of Roatan Marine Park, working across with coastal communities within Roatan. She is an emerging conservation leader and fellow from the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR) Leadership Program 2018 cohort. Born in Tegucigalpa where she studied to become a teacher and working in the Bay Islands of Honduras since 2012. She has held different positions in management, accreditation, assessment and curriculum development. Her eclectic personality draws her to practice different hobbies, such as photography, scuba and free diving. Her life on the islands has inspired her to promote environmental education with regard to the protection of marine resources.