Compost, Conservation, Community and Comfort from Ecuador – GeoTourism Challenge Spotlight

In this first spotlight, we focus on the Black Sheep Inn – Ecuador

Black Sheep Inn is a small eco-lodge and permaculture demonstration site in Chugchilán Ecuador. Its unique location in the middle of the Quilotoa Circuit boasts four distinct climates in a ten kilometer radius: high alpine paramó, Andean Humid cloud forest, semi-tropical in the canyon’s lower elevations and patchwork sierra fields.

Black Sheep Inn guest facilities are in harmony with the land, contributing to its biodiversity and sustainability. Property has nine adobe buildings, ten composting toilets, gray-water recycling, organic gardens, ponds, a wood-fired sauna/hot-tub, greenhouse, treehouse, zipline cable-swing, solar-powered waterslide and Frisbee golf course. Animals include: llamas, pigs, ducks, rabbits, chickens, dog, cat, and of course a Flock of Black Sheep. Guests learn about ecotourism, enjoy fantastic scenery and experience intercultural exchanges while day hiking, horseback riding or cycling in the area.

Says Eco-Tourism Inspector, Arnold Rodriguez, [email protected]
“Black Sheep Inn (BSI) is one of the most honest, grassroot lodges I’ve seen in Latin-America. A true example of sustainable tourism: environmentally-sound practices and installations, composting toilets, gray-water recycling, garbage separation and rain-catchments.”

“BSI shares business opportunities with locals, for instance advising visitors to use local guides, horses, transportation and bicycles, instead of having their own. Oddly enough, BSI encouraged locals to build their own lodges, even under the risk of competition. Owners of these lodges acknowledged that BSI was inspirational and always willing to share expertise.”

“Community-based ecotourism projects in Ecuador have failed because initiatives didn’t start in the communities, but were created by NGO’s or development agencies, which normally lack experience in tourism management. These initiatives focused efforts on building infrastructure and then left communities on their own, without further training. In Chugchilán the model is different, because locals have the opportunity to learn from BSI’s experiences, developing products well designed for the target client, and most importantly, learning first-hand how to provide good service. I’ve been related with community-based tourism for several years and I can assure that Mama-Hilda and Cloud-Forest are amongst the best locally owned lodges in Ecuador, both in terms of infrastructure and service.”

Andres Hammerman and Michelle Kirby, founders of BSI, first visited Chugchilán in 1993 as backpackers. “We loved to travel and explore ‘off-the-beaten-track’. There was no hotel in town, so we knocked on a few doors looking for a bed and ended up staying with a local family. We fell in love with the area: dramatic sierra landscape, great hiking, canyons, cloud forest, Laguna Quilotoa, excellent cheeses and most of all the friendly people. We spent two weeks in Chugchilán and did not want to leave. Previously we had looked for work outside of the United States, but had never considered buying land until a family offered it to us.”

“If you like this place so much, why don’t you buy our land?” They said.

“We had to ask ourselves, Was this a dream come true? An opportunity we could not pass by?” Here in the heart of the Andes, we could tread lightly and live sustainably. We could create a home and realize our ideals: organic gardens, friendly animals, ecological toilets, recycling waste, wastewater systems, caring for the earth and fostering our talents. Here we could live in community and have the freedom to be creative, experiment, and learn from our mistakes.”

“The idea of the BSI was born in 1993. The name was created before the place. We chose: “Black Sheep Inn & La Posada Oveja Negra,” because everybody recognizes the symbol of the Black Sheep, because it sounds great in every language, because there are many white sheep in the area and because many travelers are ‘Black Sheep’ that have strayed far from the flock.”

“After discovering Chugchilán in 1993, we returned to the USA and each worked three jobs, saving money to invest in our future. We were sure that Chugchilán was the place to put down roots, and we were determined to build a sustainable tourist destination. We moved to Chugchilán in October 1994, purchased the land in April 1995, and have been receiving guests since 1996.”

“None of this would have been nor could continue to be possible without the support of the community and our guests. We share our home and lives with visitors from around the world in order to create an example for visitors, as well as the community of ecologically sound practices, and to encourage everyone to follow their dreams.”

“BSI is a work in progress. We strive to improve the facility and nurture the land. We’ve designed buildings and property using Permaculture ideas. We have built with natural and renewable resources such as adobe and straw and local labor. We harvest rainwater and humanure (abono turistico). We have reforested with native trees in terraced rows called swales and we involve ourselves with the community in the most positive ways we think possible. Everyday we learn more from the land, the neighbors, the animals and the guests. Life is a learning experience. We strive to live in harmony with and respect our surroundings.”

“Creativity in design/management gives tourists a unique experience with the benefits of mainstream tourism but at affordable prices. Individual service and sustainability are at the forefront. Guests have direct contact with community during activities. Guests learn experientially about sustainable living by using composting-toilets, water and energy conservation and recycling programs.”

“Composting toilets may seem ordinary in ecotourism. While the developed world thinks it normal to defecate in a toilet filled with clean water, many third world populations still ‘poop’ in the fields. In order to bridge the gap between two very distinct norms, BSI built composting-toilets that are attractive, educational and productive. All toilets take advantage of a spectacular view across the canyon. Inside the bathrooms are flower/vegetable gardens fertilized with finished compost from the toilet with beneficial plants. Roofs are made of a transparent material providing natural light for bathroom and gardens. Roofs also funnel rainwater to small tanks, which are used for hand-washing. Using biodegradable handsoap, wastewater from the sink irrigates interior gardens. The book, The Toilet Papers by Sim Van-der-Ryn explains the design and process of the composter. Often guests take photos inside the composting-toilets and the community is impressed with the finished fertilizer.”

BSI offers best-practice examples: composting toilets, water conservation, organic vegetarian food, building with local materials, reforesting with native-trees and community participation.

Best-practices are copied by other hostels in Chugchilán. Both have built with homemade adobe blocks, planted native-trees, purchase or grow organic produce, offer vegetarian options, have improved water installations and employ local labor and guides.

BSI sponsored several workshops including: knitting, family-planning, first-aid, natural history, guiding etiquette, animal care, soap making, health and nutrition. Cloud-Forest-Hostel hosted lunches for workshops. A Peace Corp Volunteer started native-tree nurseries at the BSI and Hostel-Mama-Hilda.

In 1994 only one guidebook described Chugchilán, "a very poor village in one of the most scenic areas of Ecuador" no accommodations listed. Now there are positive reviews in every Ecuador guidebook.

Guests return from hikes or horseback excursions exhilarated by the amazing scenery and because they have had direct contact with local people and one of their first conversations in Spanish. Guided activities are with local natives who don’t speak English, but know how to communicate with tourists slowly, changing words and offering explanations, instead of simply repeating the same words louder. Guides profit directly.

Guests leave the BSI feeling inspired to address ecological problems at home. We have received messages from guests saying they have become ‘Eco-Warriors’ after their experiences in Chugchilán.

Valere Tjolle