Bunaken voted global winner of 2003 British Airways award
Bunaken voted global winner of 2003 British Airways award
The Bunaken National Marine Park in South Sulawesi has been voted
the global winner of this year's British Airways Tourism for
Tomorrow awards.
The assessment was based on how projects benefit the local
community, protect the natural and cultural heritage, control
energy and water use, educate local people and visitors and
contribute toward a better life for future generations, British
Airways cited in a statement made available to The Jakarta Post.
The world-renowned diving site beat more than 70 other
entrants in the worldwide competition.
Bunaken management was cited as having been successful in
bringing an end to damaging practices in the park such as coral
mining, the destruction of mangroves, and dynamite and cyanide
fishing.
At the same time, it has helped improve livelihood
opportunities for more than 30,000 local residents living in the
park vicinity and made education a priority, through scholarship
programs and links with schools and universities.
The marine park's beaches have been cleaned and a patrol of
villagers, rangers and local police officers has been formed to
safeguard its valuable natural resources. In the last two years
live coral cover has increased in the park by more than 11
percent.
Almost a third of the park's entrance fees are used to fund
conservation and development projects which are proposed and
implemented by the community. The local community has a strong
input in the park's management initiative, as five of its fifteen
board members are local residents.
Chairman of the panel of judges, Prof. David Bellamy
commented, "Bunaken is what natural parks and nature-based
tourism are all about. It is a biodiverse area of great beauty
and importance to its nation and the world.
"The park is sustainably managed by the local community,
safeguarding their own heritage, a rich living resource which
they can pass on to their children. This global winner is a
perfect mix of national pride and tourism that doesn't cost the
earth more than it can afford," Bellamy said in the statement.
-- JP