Envisioning the El Pilar Archaeological Reserve: Towards on Integrated Management Plan

by Tina Gurucharri and Don P. Horton
 
 

Introduction

The Management Plan Team was responsible for evaluating El Pilar to identify areas that require professional and community involvement. The interdisciplinary team began by establishing goals and critical concerns as a guide for the research and development components, determining key steps necessary to accomplish initiatives. Goals and concerns of the Management Plan Team were developed to help guide the planning process and are identified as follows:

Goals:

• To consider sustainable management and development strategies for El Pilar and surrounding community.
• To expand the traditional scope creating a Management Plan that is not just a government instrument, but also a community instrument.
• To design a Management Plan that can be implemented feasibly and efficiently by two countries.

• Economic development needs of the area are multidimensional, and tourism should not be the sole focus. Multi-strategy designs are required to address economic development initiatives.
• Tourism should not negatively affect the community. The Management Plan should include efforts to mitigate any negative impact on local communities resulting from tourism development.
• The community should participate in determining the type of tourism they would like and what kind of impact is acceptable.
• The interpretive program should include archaeological and environmental attractions. These aspects are interdependent and should be so presented for the program to be successful.
• The El Pilar Archaeological Reserve is one resource owned by two countries. The Management Plan should address a co-management strategy.

The management team recognizes the diverse interests associated with developing the El Pilar Archaeological Reserve as a major cultural and natural tourism destination in Belize and Guatemala. To guide the decision-making process, a written vision statement has been developed to assist in meeting planning demands. The "vision" is a hypothetical statement used to establish standards and goals for the El Pilar Archaeological Reserve and is as follows:

• The plan represents two sister nations, Belize and Guatemala, working together to manage a single cultural and natural resource.
• El Pilar will serve as an example of multi-disciplinary efforts to incorporate the needs of visitors, villagers, tourism, and research communities.
• El Pilar will be a community development program that will foster tourism initiatives while sustaining local economic development.
• El Pilar management will support sustainable development strategies for surrounding villages.
• El Pilar managers will promote cultural and natural conservation.
• Social development will be the center focus, guided and presented by the community.
• The interpretive program will be comprehensive and represent an understanding of people within the region, both past and present.
• Presentation of the education program will be accessible and employ adequate visual and other aids to be useful to those without or with literacy skills.
• The Management Plan will represent a unique and holistic approach to planning, interweaving relevant social and environmental issues.
• El Pilar archeologists will break away from traditional research strategies by considering critical input from local stakeholders and by highlighting the diverse cultures of the surrounding villages.
• The model plan relies on the substantive participation of the community in land use decisions as well as the establishment of development incentives.
• The final Management Plan will serve as a model that can be used by other agencies and officials, regionally and beyond, for successful implementation of multi-disciplinary management ambitions.

THE PLANNING & MANAGEMENT PANEL PRESENT THEIR RESULTS

Management Plan Component

The Management Plan Team understands the diverse research and development themes of the El Pilar "vision." Integrated management of El Pilar as ashared resource is unique and provides an opportunity for the plan to serve as an example in managing research, development, and interpretive programs. This management objective is highly critical to the future of the El Pilar Archaeological Reserve development in the region. The Management Plan should consider community development implications and promote stakeholders participation. The plan should also be a living and legally-binding document used by the governments of Belize and Guatemala and the participating managing agency as an ongoing guide in decisions affecting the reserve. The list of concerns that the Management Plan Team believe should be addressed revolve around the following subjects: culture, archeology, archaeological conservation, natural resources, economy, education, site planning, political and legal issues, research. These are treated individually below.
 
 

I Culture

The cultural make-up of the surrounding community is one reason tourists visit the region. Decisions affecting the development of El Pilar take into account of the local communities and support the revitalization of traditional cultural activities, such as arts and crafts. Development issues should be addressed in community meetings where local populations have an appropriate forum to address their concerns. Cultural issues identified by the Management Plan Team include:

1. Use of census studies from Belize and Guatemala to identify basic demographic characteristics of surrounding villages.
2. Conduct diagnostic demographic studies (economic, physical and political) to be used in the planning process.
3. Document the multi-cultural aspects of the communities history (oral, photographically, and written) to help the revival of their history.
4. Identify community place names along the river, roads, and trails.
5. Update historical studies of the local area.
6. Maintain visitor statistics to determine visitation trends.
7. Information at the AdEP community visitor center should include El Pilar (such as a model of the monuments), community history, local medicinal plants and agro-forestry uses, and examples of community arts and crafts.
8. Design an extractive use program for forestry and agricultural resources that will compliment sustainable agriculture methods demonstrated at El Pilar Archaeological Reserve.

Archaeological monuments at El Pilar will be the primary research instrument and the main attraction for tourism. Development of the archaeology should continue to be guided by the professional archaeologists of the El Pilar Program, under the direction of Dr. Anabel Ford, in collaboration with other professionals who join in the research efforts. The Management Plan Team suggests an archaeological strategy be included in the Management Plan and offers the following for consideration:

1. Develop a plan to determine the nature of the archaeological monuments at El Pilar, an agenda of excavation priorities, and a sequence of relevant conservation criteria.
2. Identify available funds to support excavation (research sources), conservation (national and international sources), and maintenance (government and community sources).
3. Develop a policy for the clearing of vegetation in relation to the monuments.
4. Develop policy for the protecting of cultural resources from the impact of tourism.
5. Explore the possibility of restoring the Maya pyramid and plaza located in Bullet Tree Falls at the AdEP community visitor center. This ancient temple has the opportunity to become the focal point for the community and tourists who travel through Bullet Tree Falls on the way to El Pilar.

Archaeological conservation has a direct correlation with long-term operational costs of reserve management. The more ancient architectural structures that are uncovered and stabilized, the greater costs will be to maintain those structures. The concept we want to promote is to expose structures that will lend a benefit to the interpretation of the site and can be maintained at a reasonable cost. The Management Plan should include policies on governing this principle. The Management Plan Team offers the following considerations in this area:

1. Evaluate existing and monitor changing conditions in order to develop an archeological plan of action.
2. Design a strategy for conservation that incorporates exposed and unexposed monuments.
3. Define methodology and approach to determine which structures should be exposed and stabilized and which should be covered.
4. Determine the practical maintenance scheme of the architectural and agro-forestry exhibits.
5. Articulate the maintenance program for the Maya monuments within the forest context.
6. Design a review process for completed work.

The natural environment is another important resource for research and interpretation which contributes to the entire project. El Pilar has a continuum of natural environments from high stand forest, largely found in the Reserva de la Biosfera Maya (RBM) in Guatemala, to the cleared agricultural and pasture lands, dominant around the El Pilar Archaeological Reserve in Belize. The opportunity for agro-forestry research aimed at how the Maya maintained a sustainable forest in highly populated regions is viable at El Pilar. Project managers should capitalize upon the varied agriculture opportunities offered by the site to maximize research opportunities. The Management Plan Team also realizes that there is a delicate balance between current agricultural methods and sustainable ecology. Appropriate policies must be established that will control these agricultural methods to insure environmental conservation. The Management Plan Team supports this concept and suggests the plan outline research strategy in this area. Research of the natural environment should include the following:

1. Consider the movements of animals and the amount of land required to sustain the protected plant and animal species.
2. Recognize a buffer zone around the core of El Pilar should be designated to encompass the reserve and surrounding areas as part of the Multi Use Zone of the RBM and as a Special Development Area (SDA) in Belize.
3. Incorporate a policy on forest management for the buffer zone and for forest clearance along the roadway between the villages and El Pilar.
4. Consider the involvement of extension offices from the Belize Department of Agriculture to help with the management of agro-forestry land within and surrounding El Pilar. Have them assist in designing a policy on the use of exotic and native plants and sustainable extraction of forestry or agro-forestry products.
5. Inventory current and historic community use of natural resources, geographic locations, and local names.
6. Document the number of farmers, types of crops, and schedule of crop use and rotation.
7. Develop a community program for the protection and restoration of the natural resources and habitats.
8. Determine a policy for tree clearing at the site with regard to archaeology and public safety.
9. Promote a policy on sustainable hunting in the buffer zone.
10. Monitor the contemporary human/environmental relationships with reference to sustainable practices.
11. Implement on-going assessment of human interventions and influences on the environment to inform policy on level of allowable visitation impact and carrying capacity.

Short-term and long-term economic strategies should be prepared with community development in mind. Strategies have the potential to greatly assist local villagers in their community development initiatives and all villages that will benefit from the development of El Pilar should be involved in the decision making process. This community-based approach to economic development and site planning will strengthen local commitment and allow communities to grow at their own pace. Community-based planning will also instill a sense of stewardship and investment of the community in El Pilar. This sense of pride will carry over into other economic development issues guided by local leaders. Ideas that will strengthen the project and assist local villagers are:

1. Development of a marketing study using comparable situations and emphasizing the unique aspects of El Pilar.
2. Use models of monuments as an interpretive exhibit.
3. Develop a cost-benefit study for the reserve and the region. That is, the reserve may not be self-supporting, but its development will have economic benefit at the local and regional levels. These need to be appreciated.
4. Design mechanisms to increase benefits from the Ruta Maya and Mundo Maya tourism programs that can be invested back into archaeological sites.
5. Include security and vigilance in budgets.

El Pilar planners realize the importance education will play in the overall program at El Pilar and in community development issues. To facilitate the education efforts, the Management Plan Team recommends that an interpretive manual be developed that will assist reserve rangers, managers, tour guides and other personnel in delivering educational services to visitors and the villages surrounding El Pilar. Through education, El Pilar will be able to promote well trained personnel facilitating a visitor experience that will be lasting. The Management Plan Team recommends the following be considered when preparing the education plan:

1. Design a strategy for the El Pilar educational program which will serve as the foundation for the development of a comprehensive interpretive program.
2. Participate with governmental agencies and non-governmental agencies (NGOs) to educate the local community on the benefits and shortfalls of tourism.
3. Promote the education of reserve administrators, hotel operators, guides, and other service providers to establish the foundation for the development of a comprehensive interpretive program.
4. Encourage community involvement in small-scale tourism related businesses (bed & breakfast, restaurants, transportation, and other public service establishments).
5. Participate in environmental and cultural community education (including community history).
6. Develop a regional pilot training program for politicians and governmental officials through the effective use of the media.

Site planning will ultimately prepare the site for visitors. Planning techniques should be environmentally considerate, using local materials whenever possible. The site's characteristics should depict the image portrayed in the interpretive plan for El Pilar and be constructed in an energy efficient manner. Professional site planning will lend to circulation efficiency and the enhancement of the overall character of the site. Through appropriate design, the El Pilar Archaeological Reserve will be laid out in a manner that places emphasis on conservation of the environment, the principles of human use, as well as park carrying capacity. The Management Plan Team recommends the following be considered:

1. Information gathering should include all relative site analysis information, cataloged in map form either through traditional site analysis methodology or through Geographical Information Systems format. This material should include forest conditions, topography, soils, archaeology and historical information, land use, pedestrian and vehicular traffic patterns, and other information relative to site development.
2. NGOs, such as Belize Enterprise for Sustainable Technology (BEST) and Centro Maya, should help to solicit stakeholder concerns in areas such as land use zoning, development of arts and crafts trades, and community training in the benefits of tourism and professional development.
3. There needs to be a Master Development Plan for visitor facilities (rest rooms, rest pavilions, parking, vendors, trash, and concession locations, etc.).
4. A program for service areas and maintenance facilities must be developed.
5. Appropriate concession sites within the reserve and community need to be provided.
6. Strategies need to be promoted to prevent development along the entry road to the reserve. These should be incorporated into the buffer zone plans.
7. Signage and circulation plan needs to be designed for the reserve.
8. A policy needs to be designed on vehicles in the reserve. Ideally, all vehicles should be located outside of the area except service and research vehicles.
9. Plans should be made to direct through traffic around the conservation area. In the meantime, controlled access may be needed at entrances to the reserve while the road remains as public access.
10. Plan considerations should allow for expansion of facilities such as museum needs, parking, public facilities, administrative and maintenance services.
11. A phasing plan needs to be devised that will consider funding needs for development, facility operations, and maintenance.

Political and legal components of the Management Plan should concentrate on the relationships of Belize and Guatemala. Since the reserve is recommended to be managed as one resource located between two nations, extra effort will be needed to assure compliance with both countries governing laws and regulations. The Management Plan Team has relied upon the Political/Legal Team to address and determine how to reconcile the differences between the two nations political governance. The following is offered as an overview of the area of need:

1. Co-management of the site needs to be addressed. It is recommended that both governments consider oversight/management by a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO).
2. Concession Policies should be developed for the local community and the reserve. These policies will assist in controlling sustainable development principals.

Research is one of the primary reasons for designating El Pilar as a protected area. The research possibilities are continually evolving, being defined, and modified. The possibility of expanding the research to include agriculture, agro-forestry, botany and other natural sciences is phenomenal. It is encouraged that the research be expanded to more comprehensively include all relevant areas. Recommendations in this area are:

1. Coordinate the permitting process for researchers in Belize and Guatemala through a reciprocal agreement and/or advisory committee.
2. Promote a comprehensive system for collecting, documenting, and archiving research information and make it available through a central location or facility, such as a library.
3. Continue research on Maya agro-forestry.
4. Develop research on the sustainable use of renewable construction materials (e.g. corozo fronds, the subsidy from nature, used as roofing material).