Bird-based tourism capacity building course

This initiative is an Audubon® (The National Audubon Society) program, adapted for Chile thanks to Fundación Legado Chile and BirdsChile.

The objective of this course is for participants to acquire theoretical and practical tools that will enable them to undertake sustainable birdwatching projects with territorial relevance from a naturalistic perspective.

Birdwatching is one of the most dynamic sectors of the national economy and one with high growth potential in Chile. The challenge is to move towards sustainable tourism, with trained operators who contribute to the conservation of the natural and cultural heritage and promote local economic development.

The course will consist of four modules:

- Introduction to sustainable bird-based tourism
- Ecology and conservation of birdlife
- Identifying y guiding,
- Tools for building a business model.

“Nature-based tourism, conducted in a responsible manner, can not only be a tangible support to conservation in the country, but also a tremendous opportunity to foster sustainable economic development at a national, regional and local scale.”

Tomás Altamirano,
Coordinador de la Estrategia Nacional de Conservación de Aves de Chile

SPEAKERS

Jorge Tomasevic

Forestry Engineer, PhD. Wildlife Sciences, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle. He works as Scientific Coordinator of the Río Cruces Wetlands Center of the Austral University of Chile. He currently supports as scientific advisor of the course.

Evarist March Sarlat

Biologist and Nature Guide. He has worked as a researcher and botanist in different universities and research centers. CEO of Naturalwalks, Gastrobotanist and consultant, at "El Celler de Can Roca". He coordinates the Ecotourism and Nature guiding postgraduate program at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, the only one of its kind in Europe.

Horacio Matarasso

Biologist. Specialist in ecology and birdlife. Trainer of bird-based tourist guides in South America. President of the International Committee of the South American Bird Fair, member of the Executive Committee of the World Birdfairs Council, Vice President of the Argentine Bird Guides Association and member of the Board of Wetlands International for Latin America.

Raffaele Di Biase

Recognized naturalist guide in Chile and South America, Co-founder of BirdsChile, a tourism B Corporation.. Ambassador for Chile of the Adventure Travel Trade Association ATTA, Former President of the integrated territorial program "Patagonia Parks Route". Co-author of the Adventure Travel Guide Standard (ATGS) He currently supports the course as a tourism advisor.

Carolina Yañez

Marine biologist and experienced bird guide. Responsible for the Education Symposiums of the South American Bird Fair. Environmental Educator and Professor of Marine Biology at the University of Valparaíso.

Juan Salazar

Biologist, Professor and Doctor in Sciences (University of Chile). Specialist in ornithology and education, as well as research in sensory biology of nocturnal birds. Coordinator of the Conservation Education Program of the Chilean Bird and Wildlife Observers Network (ROC)