La Tatacoa is home to numerous fossil deposits, some of which date to the pre-Cambrian period. It is also considered one of the best destinations for astrotourism due to its dark skies, excellent weather and landscapes. The number of visitors during the last decade has been growing, reaching almost 50000 since 2019 when Tatacoa was certified as a starlight destination. However, the majority of the local population remains unknown and indifferent to the richness of their territory in part due to those have remained absent in curricula of schools. This may explain why tourism offers are limited to a few private entrepreneurs that have colonized this depressed rural area under the guise of sustainable scientific tourism. This project is an initiative for unifying natural, heritage and cultural resources of the region with basic sciences in a strategy that can assist the local community in a path towards the recovery of the public observatory (hereafter OATA).
Our goal is the creation of a astrotourism laboratory vinculated to local fauna and flora, astronomy and paleontology. Science clubs of the “Gabriel-Plazas” local school and local authorities work together with the aim to improve the current OATA`s tourist offer and services. We start with a Teacher Training Program (TTP) in basic Astronomy, Paleontology and Biology of Tatacoa to 16 teachers and 9 local entrepreneurs. TTP is aimed to the creation of science clubs with almost 100 scholars that will help in tourist attendance. Entrepreneurs, trained in financial management and marketing by CAM and SENA will be part of administration. We plan to transform a small house close to OATA in the “Small Corner of the Stars”, a point of information and services with paid tourist packages and astro-camping as the main source of income. A committee formed by entrepreneurs, the parent school association, local authorities and CAM will decide the income distribution ensuring science clubs survival.
Activities
A1. Presentation of the project to local community
We presented the main goals of the project to academic and local community of Tatacoa. We tried innovative method for reaching local people. With the support of National Observatory , National University of Colombia, we bring with us the inflatable planetarium dome with a capacity for 40 people.
A2. Teacher Training Program (TTP)
This activity was conducted during March 2023 at Gabriel Plazas school. A total of 23 teachers attended the sessions that we divided as follows: (1) Territory appropiation and (2) Science clubs conformation tools
TTP is structured as follows:
Day 1. Part 1. This we are and we have (2h). Main goal : To recognize together with participants the main potentialities of Tatacoa for astrotourism. Methodology : Construction of a map with participants based on elements of social cartography.
Part 2. Walking our steps (2h) Main goal : Identify previous attempts and current entrepreneurships. Careful review of previous science clubs, classroom activities related to tourism and astro-tourism. Methodology : In collaboration with participants, identify at least four previous attempts of astrotourism entrepreneruships. Strengths and problematic points for the development of such ideas.
Part3. Looking at the neighbor (2h) Main goal : Share experiences on astrotourism around world with teachers. Methodology : Presentation on astrotourism activities in
arkSkyAlqueva, La Palma and Antofagasta.
Day 2. Part 1. Tourism and basic sciences (6h) Main goal: Share with teachers, activities that make use of basic sciences for improving tourist attention. Tips for science clubs creation. Methodology: Module 1 (2h): Tropical forests in Colombia, flora and fauna at Tatacoa, The care of Magdalena river. Module 2 (2h). Stories from the desert. The pre-Cambrian period and the richness. Module 3 (2h). The marvelous skies of Tatacoa, a starlight destination for preserving dark skies. Part 2. Science clubs (2h). Main goal: Guidelines for the creation of science clubs at Gabriel-Plazas Methodology: Presentation that includes didactic material which can be used by teachers with future students.
A3. A walk through the solar system
In this project we create a scale model of the solar system with the clubs, by learning how to
calculate scale distances and the relative sizes of the planets. The diameter of the Sun is 55cm. In this scale, we obtain the following eleven points onto a map of our region of interest
A4. The light pollution station
Small station in plastic wood showing the impact of luminic pollution on the sky observation. This station is inspired in astropark (OAD). Our design consists in showing differences between two images of the starry night one of them taken with a high level of ligh pollution. The station includes the sentence : “The light that we see from celestial objects has travelled during thousand million years before it reaches our eyes, don`t lose it during the last fraction of second of their whole travel.”
A5. The history of an universe
A set of 11 pictures (light boxes) telling the story of an universe. The history starts with a sunset in Tatacoa and ends with the history of this tropical forrest including fauna and flora.
Outcomes
Increased student engagement in science through the “Nature and Sky Keepers” clubs.
Empowered local entrepreneurs to create sustainable tourism businesses.
Enhanced educational resources with the scale solar system and light boxes.
Attracted more visitors to Tatacoa, boosting the local economy and raising awareness of its natural and scientific heritage.
