Mainstreaming biodiversity conservation in the tourism sector of the protected areas and strategic ecosystems of San Andres, Old Providence, and Santa Catalina islands

The project aims to address the degradation of coastal marine ecosystems in the Archipelago of San Andrés, Old Providence, and Santa Catalina caused by unplanned mass tourism. It focuses on strengthening institutional capacities, generating reliable data on tourism impacts, and supporting small-scale local tourism businesses to adopt sustainable, biodiversity-friendly models. The intervention includes developing a Sustainable Tourism Plan, conducting carrying capacity assessments, and implementing monitoring programs for critical ecosystems and sensitive species.

• The Seaflower Marine Protected Area (MPA) is one of the largest in the world and the largest in the Caribbean, covering 10% of the Caribbean Sea and containing approximately 78% of Colombia's coral areas (142,000 ha).
• Tourism-related degradation is impacting the functionality of coastal marine ecosystems, specifically rocky shores, sandy beaches, mangrove forests, seagrass, wetlands, and coral reefs.
• Primary threats to the archipelago's ecosystems include unplanned development of small-scale local tourism lodging, unplanned mass tourism infrastructure in coastal areas, and the physical presence of tourists exceeding the carrying capacity of ecosystems.
• Four critical barriers hinder biodiversity conservation in the region: weak local institutional capacities for tourism planning, a lack of sound data on tourism's effects on biodiversity, a weak legal framework for enforcement, and limited capacity within local tourism businesses to mainstream conservation.
• The project will implement a monitoring program for four critical ecosystems (mangroves, seagrass, corals, and sandy beaches) and four sensitive species (rays, sharks, black crab, and parrot fish).
• The project aims to improve the management of approximately 11,925 hectares of protected areas, including the Seaflower MPA and the regional parks of Jhonny Cay, Old Point, and The Peak.
• The project will support the transformation of at least five local tourism businesses into biodiversity-friendly models through action plans, technical assistance, and marketing support.
• The Raizal people, an ethnic minority with a distinct Afro-Anglo-Antillean culture, are central to the project area and face marginalization and threats to their traditional land and resource rights.
• Climate change poses significant risks to the region, including sea-level rise, saltwater intrusion into aquifers, and an increase in the frequency and intensity of category 4 and 5 storms.

APA

WWF International (2022). Mainstreaming biodiversity conservation in the tourism sector of the protected areas and strategic ecosystems of San Andres, Old Providence, and Santa Catalina islands. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1022/kdm4zrkfz_Agencyprojectdocument_10578WWF_GEF_SeaflowerProject_Documentfinal051722.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Mainstreaming biodiversity conservation in the tourism sector of the protected areas and strategic ecosystems of San Andres, Old Providence, and Santa Catalina islands. 2022. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1022/kdm4zrkfz_Agencyprojectdocument_10578WWF_GEF_SeaflowerProject_Documentfinal051722.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Mainstreaming biodiversity conservation in the tourism sector of the protected areas and strategic ecosystems of San Andres, Old Providence, and Santa Catalina islands |date=17 May 2022 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1022/kdm4zrkfz_Agencyprojectdocument_10578WWF_GEF_SeaflowerProject_Documentfinal051722.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2022mainstreaming, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Mainstreaming biodiversity conservation in the tourism sector of the protected areas and strategic ecosystems of San Andres, Old Providence, and Santa Catalina islands}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2022}, month = may, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1022/kdm4zrkfz_Agencyprojectdocument_10578WWF_GEF_SeaflowerProject_Documentfinal051722.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }