Mesa Redonda 1998

A. Vision Statement
El Pilar Maya Landscape: Gateway Between Two Nations
El Pilar Archaeological Reserve represents an innovative example of cultural resource conservation in relationship to the natural environment and to contemporary peoples.
As the largest Maya archaeological site in the Belize River area, El Pilar is unique in its presentation of ancient daily life through household structures and forest gardens, located in the shadows of monumental Maya architecture.
This shared resource serves as a symbol of cooperation between Belize and Guatemala, and as a model of collaboration between the reserve and local communities and between the cultural and natural resource researchers and conservators.
Involvement in reserve planning and management links the communities to their cultural heritage, encourages their social and economic development.
Documentation and evaluation of this holistic approach to resource conservation will allow El Pilar to serve as a model for other important sites of world heritage.

Paisaje El Pilar: Puerta Entre Dos Naciones
El parque arqueológico El Pilar representa una nueva estrategia de concervación del patrimonio cultural y natural y su relación con la población.
El sitio arqueológico más grande en el area del Rio Belice, El Pilar es único en su presentación de la antigua vida cotidiana a través de estructuras domesticas y la huerta agro-forestal, bajo la sombra de la arquitectura Maya monumental.
Este patrimonio compartido sirve como simbolo de cooperación entre Belice y Guatemala y como ejemplo de colaboración entre el parque y las comunidades locales y los investigadores y conservadores del patrimonio cultural y natural.
El involucramiento de la comunidad en el planeamiento y manejo del reserva lo relacionará con su herencia cultural y estimulará el desarrollo socio-económico actual.
La documentación y evaluación de este acercamiento a la conservación del patrimonio permitirá que El Pilar sirva como modelo para otros sitios de importancia del herencia mundial.

B. Goals
1. Overall Reserve Goals
(a) To preserve in perpetuity the EP reserve to maintain cultural and natural setting
(b) To conserve and maintain the integrity of the EP reserve in a manner that benefits local communities through tourism and education
(c) To promote sustainable models for using the Maya forest at the EP reserve
(d) To provide visitor access, research and education opportunities for national and international visitors in a manner compatible with the cultural/natural environment
2. El Pilar International Management Goals:
(a) To develop the reserve in a regional context
(b) To establish a Technical Advisory Team (TAT)
(c) To promote joint cooperation between TATs
(d) Periodic monitoring of joint efforts
(e) Foster Interagency management possibilities within and between countries

C. Significant Management Issues
1. Administration
(a) Cross-border issues
(b) Lands resolutions
(c) Extraction activities
(d) Boundary management
2. Infrastructure
(a) External access roads
(b) Internal concessions
3. Management Guidelines
(a) Community participation
(i) institutional capacity building
(ii) Consolidation of adjacent areas into reserve (Chorro site, Yaloch, Manantial, wetlands)
(b) Presentation of Maya landscape past, present and future
(c) Carrying capacity for visitors at reserve
(d) Adoption and evaluation of management plan process
4. Funding
(a) Funding mechanisms
(i) develop finance program
(ii) seed monies
(iii) departmental commitments
(iv) others – innovative
(b) National sources (e.g. PACT in Belize)
(c) External sources
(i) donor from private sector (e.g. Ford, Getty, MacArthur)
(ii) international agencies (e.g. USAID, EU, GTZ, UK, UNESCO, UNDP/GEF, WB, IDB)
(d) Government revenues generated through visitation

D. Communication Plan for El Pilar Archaeological Reserve for Maya Flora & Fauna
1. Definitions
(a) “Communications” is:
(i) Public/community relations
(ii) Site identity materials (e.g. design elements, consistency of information content, etc.)
(iii) Interaction with news media (especially with respect to responsiveness to inquiries)
(iv) Interaction with professional communities
(b) “Public Relations” is communicating your story as you want it to be communicated
2. Objectives
To develop, implement, evaluate and maintain an effective communication plan which will
(a) Achieve a uniform identity in all communications products to market the EP reserve as a unique eco-tourist destination and research
(b) Maintenance of positive relations with educational outreach, government, media, the tourist industry, local communities and external organizations
(c) Ensure continuity of public/community relations
3. Activities
(a) Short Term
(i) Design a communications plan
• determine overall message desired to be sent
• identify key audiences locally, regionally and internationally
– local communities and schools
– government administrators
– tourism officials
– visitors to site
– interested scientists and academia
– news media
• identify supplemental audience(s)
• tailor messages to the needs, interests and knowledge-level of audience(s)
• determine methods to be used to communicate messages
– brochures
– posters
– signs
– corporate identity materials (logos, etc.)
– newsletter
– video
– world-wide web
– fact sheets
– open houses
– events (fiestas, fundraisers, Mesa Redonda)
– publications library
– internet list-serves
– reports and research summaries (perhaps an annual report of site activities, aimed at the interested public)
– media and trade tours
– speakers’ bureau
– press releases, newspaper articles
• identify key internal communicators/spokespeople for specific topics and external community leaders, government officials, tourism professionals, etc. through whom messages and information may be disseminated or reinforced
• develop an action plan for crises and conflict management
– accommodate news media in times of adverse events (natural disasters, thefts, cultural resources, international tensions, crime, funding emergencies)
– determine spokespersons (the EP reserve administration, EP Program, tourism industry)
• determine methods of receiving or eliciting information from targeted audiences (evaluation methods, surveys, informal elicitation of comment)
• evaluate feedback and determine how that information will be analyzed and incorporated (or responded to)
• amend communication plan as appropriate/necessary
(ii) Implement the communications plan
(b) Medium Term
(i) Maintain the communications plan
(ii) Further evaluate the communications plan
(iii) Determine further/future potential audiences
(iv) Amend plan as appropriate/necessary
(c) Long Term
(i) Maintain the communications plan
(ii) Further evaluate the communications plan
(iii) Determine further/future potential markets
(iv) Amend plan as appropriate/necessary
 

Index | Introduction | Background | Management Considerations |Management Program
Administration | Implementation Schedule | Budget