We walked into school bright and early Thursday morning, at 8:15 am. Mr. Wetmore, leader of the Chesapeake Bay Fellows and director of the BCGLP, greeted us and gave a brief summary of the day before us. After a brief leadership simulation, surviving the zombie apocalypse, we went through a case study of how ecotourism is affecting the civilians in the Pacific Region of Costa Rica. Our case presented a family and activist fighting both sides for the industrialization of the Costa Rican rainforest. We were tasked to come up with a resolution that would satisfy everyone and would benefit the family. We came up with a 5 year plan, which gave all the people time to relocate to the provided area, which gave them better opportunities. For the family who lived there, stayed and the 18 year-old girl stayed with them to satisfy the family’s traditional customs. She worked at the resort being installed right next to her house. The group of 21 realized the big effect ecotourism has and how it can impact a community and split it apart. Many countries need ecotourism because it is their main income. This does end up affecting families who live there as the resorts and other facilities keep expanding. In the end people will have to relocate and end up with some people not for ecotourism which is sustaining their country.
~ Sophie Watson (’21)
