Tayrona National Park will reopen its doors to ecotourism

Natural National Parks of Colombia reported that on November 18 the Tayrona National Park will reopen its doors to ecotourism, after eight months of ordering the closure to the public due to the covid-19 pandemic.

This announcement is presented within the agreements for the environmental and cultural protection of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Tayrona Natural Parks, National Natural Parks and the four indigenous peoples that inhabit this area: arhuacos, koguis, kankuamos and wiwas, represented in the Territorial Council of Cabildos and their organizations.

Tayrona Park will reopen its doors to visitors under the biosafety recommendations, guidelines and guidelines established by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, the provisions of the Department of Magdalena, the District of Santa Marta and the measures of the park rangers.

In addition to the above, visitors must comply with the provisions of the four indigenous peoples of the Sierra Nevada, established in the Law of Origin and which are mandatory for both tourists and ecotourism service providers in this protected area.

Likewise, the entity highlighted that Natural Parks established an internal biosecurity protocol with a “Differential approach” for the reopening of this emblematic Colombian park. This protocol was built through the analysis of cultural and environmental management measures, compliance with environmental guidelines and guidelines, and health emergencies established in the country.

In turn, the entity mentioned that it was important to establish an articulation with the different social and economic actors in the region, to create joint responsibility for the protection of the protected area, not only during the visitors’ stay, but also in actions to mitigate the impact in the permitted areas.

The above, in order to “To achieve a positive and harmonious relationship with nature, in a biosecure way for all and respectful of the fundamental principles of the territory”, says Natural Parks in a statement.

On the other hand, the entity took into account the recommendations made by the four peoples of the Sierra on the reopening process, as well as the calls for economic reactivation and the socioeconomic context of the region.

Finally, Parques Nacionales Naturales made a call to ecotourism service providers in the country, in which it reminded them that they must have the biosecurity protocols required for permitted activities, approved by the Mayor’s Office of Santa Marta in “Concordance with the guidelines established in the biosecurity opening program of ecotourism with a differential approach to the Protected Area and the norms dictated by the National Government and articulated to the regulations of National Parks”.

A few days ago, the park rangers on their tours of the territory of the protected area sighted several species such as alligators, dolphins, paujiles, sloths, howler monkeys, macaws, ñeques and paujiles, among others.

“This era of pandemic has helped to think that conservation and ecotourism require working alliances with service providers, park rangers and other actors. Establishing alliances with the diving schools of the city of Santa Marta for the conservation of marine ecosystems is part of what we are working on and it is a path that we must follow with all providers and tour operators and with the communities “said the head of Tayrona Park, Jefferson Rojas.

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