Local community involvement in conservation - the use of mini-guides in a programme for sea turtles in Brazil

The Brazilian Sea Turtle Conservation Programme (TAMAR) was established in 1980 to protect sea turtles in Brazil and to re-establish their natural Lif e cycle, which had been disrupted by humans. The programme is based on gras sroots involvement by the coastal communities, and provides jobs and genera tes alternative sources of income. Within this framework, the mini-guides p rogramme was created. It consists of a summer training course in which loca l children between 8 and 13 years old learn basic information about marine ecosystems and sea turtles, strategies to promote their conservation, and s kills to interact effectively with tourists. After the course, children are given onsite experience by working as interns at the TAMAR visitor centre at Praia do Forte, on schedules designed to avoid conflicts with their stud ies at school. The children work closely with tourists, informing them abou t sea turtles and TAMAR's work; they also help the biologists in field acti vities. In this way, they enhance their own awareness, and by extension the ir families' and the community's concern about environmental conservation. Their involvement provides them not only with valuable skills, but also an extra source of income, thereby providing economic benefits to their famili es. The success of this programme is indicated by the excellent approval ra tings given by the tourists visiting the area.