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Rancho Santana’s Commitment to Ecotourism and Sustainable Development
As we come upon our 25th anniversary, we can’t help but reflect on how far we’ve come from the days of a single Clubhouse at Playa Santana to the expansive resort and residential community that is Rancho Santana today. Although we’ve grown exponentially here at The Ranch, many things have remained ingrained in our vision and way of life.
Almost from the moment our founders first stepped foot on The Ranch, they knew they had stumbled upon something special. Back then this was just a Ranch, remote, with limited access to utilities and daily necessities. It became clear that to make our vision of Rancho Santana come to fruition, we would need to find innovative solutions. For The Ranch, self-sufficiency has been of the utmost importance, as is being able to contribute to the growth and development of local communities.
We learned to work with nature instead of taming it out of necessity. Over time, this way of developing has become a part of our company ethos, so much so that twenty-five years from now, we hope you will still see deer and monkeys on your morning hike or bike ride.
What is ecotourism?
Ecotourism is responsible travel to natural areas of ecological interest that helps conserve the environment, improves the well-being of local people, and educates visitors about the local culture.
What is sustainable development?
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs*1.
How are ecotourism and sustainable development connected?
Ecotourism is pivotal in advancing sustainable development, primarily by adhering to the principle of nature conservation. At its core, the foremost principle of ecotourism is to “minimize negative impacts on nature and culture that could harm the destination.” This aligns seamlessly with key sustainable development goals. Moreover, ecotourism strongly emphasizes enlightening travelers about the importance of preserving natural resources.
Ecotourism at Rancho Santana
Rancho Santana integrates ecotourism and conservation into its accommodations, services, and experiences. Rancho Santana was designed to complement its local surroundings so guests can immerse themselves in the natural beauty of the Emerald Coast of Nicaragua. Other ecotourism principles utilized by Rancho include:
– Biodiversity: The resort protects habitats and participates in restoration efforts to support the region’s diverse flora and fauna.
– Community engagement: Rancho uses local workers, buys local works, and supports local businesses to provide its luxury beach accommodations.
– Educational experiences: Rancho Santana provides guided tours to provide information about the local region and its incredible culture. Some of these tours highlight the history and resilience of the local population, while others explore unique natural features, like its volcanoes and beaches.
Our sustainability practices support ecotourism
We found that turtles came here regularly to lay eggs and developed a program to help protect them from poachers and predators. Year-long sunlight is one of the main features of life in the tropics, one we make the best of by generating clean solar energy to power The Inn and The Clubhouse amenities.
As our amenities have grown, so has our community, which is comprised not only of our guests and residents but the people that have contributed to making The Ranch what it is today. Rancho Santana is the largest employer in the city of Tola and the second largest in the department of Rivas. Over the years, we’ve become familiar with entire families who have worked in some capacity at The Ranch.Aside from employment, we provide resources and support to nearby communities that are often affected during the rainy season. Building homes and water solutions to improve the living conditions of local families so that they can withstand heavy rains in the future.
Services for our ecotourism guests
So how do we service 2,700 acres of property, 17 rooms and 21 Residences at The Inn, and a growing community of residents and guests daily?
We lean on our Farm and Garden. The Santana Farms have been an integral part of our growth, supplementing the majority of the ingredients used in all four of our restaurants and sold in La Tienda. The farm and garden program has allowed us to grow sustainably and responsibly, and monitor the handling of ingredients before they even get to the plate.
The benefits are twofold: for our guests, because they know exactly where their food comes from, and for the environment, because we use small-scale sustainable processes. Currently, we grow herbs, fruits, and vegetables.
We source lamb, pork, beef, and milk from our farm to produce everything from various cheeses to yogurt and ice cream right on-site. We source locally with trusted co-ops and fishermen for anything we can’t grow at our Farm & Gardens.
Recycling and use of biodegradable materials
With such a vast property and so many ventures, we consider the life cycle of everything we use; promoting recyclable and biodegradable materials in our restaurants and kitchens, composting organic waste and using it as fertilizer for our farm and garden, and going so far as to grow our own feed for our farm animals.
Rancho Santana continues to develop creative ecotourism solutions
As we look to the future, we are excited to develop even more creative solutions that will honor this community and our natural environment and continue to make a positive impact on this earth.
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*1 https://www.iisd.org/mission-and-goals/sustainable-development