Environmental Leadership

The Cuban Environmental Leadership Project works to develop independent conservation leadership and organizations in Cuba. The objective is to equip Cuban naturalists, climbers, cavers, and other recreationists with the vision and skills necessary to protect Cuba's natural resources. Throughout the world, even under repressive regimes, citizens have created organizations to protect the natural environment. Cuba has almost no independent organizations of any kind. The opportunity exist to build independent organizations that provide environmental education and outdoor training and experiences, which could become building blocks of environmental protection and a civil society. In the first year of the three-phased project, three Cubans who are training as naturalist-guides will come to the United States to learn about American conservation organizations and for training in teaching outdoor skills, modeled on well established programs in the U.S. For the last three years, the Project has worked in Cuba under a specific license from the U.S. Treasury Department. The Project has distributed equipment donated by American companies that include ACG/Nike, Boreal USA, La Sportiva, Mammut, Marmot, Misty Mountain Treadworks, PrAna, and Sterling Rope. The Project is part of Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs (SEE), a U.S. non-profit that provides low cost administration and fiscal sponsorship to 120 social justice and environmental projects. The Project relies primarily on donated services and support of American citizens and companies. For out-of-pocket expenses, the Project has received grants from the American Alpine Club, Scott Opler Foundation, Christopher Reynolds Foundation, and individuals. The Project contact is Armando Menocal, (307) 734-6034, ArmandoMenocal@wyoming.com, and the SEE website, www.saveourplanet.org. The Cuban trainees are the founders of Lapiaz, a part of the Sociedad Espeleológica de Cuba (the Speleological Society of Cuba) which has existed since 1940 as an independent organization of naturalists and recreationists.