A Systems Approach to Ecotourism, Leisure and Education in Panamá: A Case Study

Abstract

Batipa Field Institute (BFI) is the 2000 ha multifunctional farm of Oteima Technological University (OTU), which is nestled within the forested hills of the Batipa peninsula in Chiriquí, the western province of Panamá. Since 2014, BFI has been striving to become a hub and a destination for ecotourism in the country. The purpose of this work was two-fold: (1) Demonstrate how a coexistence of farming and habitat preservation in a tropical environment benefits agriculture and makes the latter resilient to the challenges posed by global climate change, and (2) Present the experience gained by Oteima Technological University and Batipa Field Institute in serving students to develop knowledge, skills and values about stewardship and conservation through residential, study experiences at the farm. The first objective considered how biodiversity benefitted cattle raising and teak tree (Tectona grandis) cultivation, whereas the second objective evaluated how the ecotourism programs designed by Oteima Technological University (OTU) at BFI can integrate farming with ecology, leisure and sustainable living, and thus contribute to transformative learning. Leisure and ecological learning are embedded in the education philosophy at OTU, whereas BFI remains the ‘ad-hoc’ site for enhancing an understanding of sustainability among students, while strengthening teamwork and community living, in a distinctive, tropical agroecosystem.