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Unique, surviving Classic Maya-era wooden structures to be developed for tourism.

  Paynes Creek National Park in the Toledo District of southern Belize, is home to the only known Classic Maya wooden structures – whilst wood and other organic materials don’t usually survive, the waterlogged environment at Paynes Creek created unique preservation conditions, giving a rare glimpse of how the ancient Maya used timber.   A three‐year project, led by Louisiana State University Professor, Heather McKillop, will see the construction of an observational platform in Paynes Creek National Park. Visitors will be able to observe the underwater archaeological site through a window in the platform without any risk of damaging the remains.   As part of the project two exhibits were opened – one at the Tourism Information Centre on Front Street, which includes a Maya canoe paddle, and the second at the TIDE Ranger Station in Paynes Creek.   These exhibits, in conjunction with a series of workshops and talks, are designed to raise awareness of this unique Maya site, and will be expanded periodically, A website for archaeological tourism is also planned.   When and where? Visit the exhibit at the Toledo Tourism Information Centre during opening hours, Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm, or visit Paynes Creek National Park through http://www.TIDEtours.org, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 722‐2129   Article first posted in the October 2012 issue of the Toledo Howler, republished by permission. 

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Mano Cambiada, Chocó, Colombia

From 15-18 September, 2012, I accompanied a group of tour operators from Ecuador, the UK and the US who visited Colombia’s Pacific coast in the Chocó region. We had been invited to assess the work of a Colombian NGO, Mano Cambiada (http://nuquipacifico.com). The project is based in the town of Nuquí, which can reached only by air from Medellín (1¼ hours) or Quibdó (about 20 minutes; Quibdó is 8-9 hours by bus from Medellín), or by boat from Buenaventura (18-20 hours). The population of the Chocó region is largely Afro-Colombian.   The following is a summary of a presentation to our group by Mano Cambiada and BioRedd+ (www.bioredd.org, the Colombian agency working with Mano Cambiada to implement a grant from USAID) on 17 September 2012.   Mano Cambiada has been operating for six years. Its primary aim is to make the people of Chocó proud of what they have and of their culture. For a long time the people on the coast have lived “in paradise” (it is a beautiful part of the country, with tropical forest and mangroves on the shores of the Pacific), but most of the time those people have been complaining about their poor lot. Mano Cambiada...

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