2016_12_12_CIE_olavarria
"The Master's Degree in Biodiversity, Landscapes and Sustainable management has allowed me to make my way into the environmental area "
Heber Olavarría (MBPGS 15) in Peru inventoried the heritage of the Yarabamba region for its tourism development
PHOTO: Courtesy
In Yarabamba, a district in the province of Arequipa (Peru), Heber Olavarría carries out an inventory of the region's tourism resources to gain an in-depth knowledge of its heritage and offer this analysis to public and private organizations to develop programs for development tourism. In his opinion, the knowledge acquired in the Master's Degree in Biodiversity, Landscapes and Sustainable management of the University of Navarra has served him "to propose ideas for sustainable tourism projects for the district, of which one has already been approved and its implementation could begin in the coming months with the report of project, whose cost would be approximately three million euros (10 million soles in Peru)".
The Master also gave him access to a wide network of contacts of professionals working in the field of biodiversity, landscape studies or sustainable management . In fact, it was after contacting another former student of Master's Degree that he met the project of Yarabamba: "This graduate, also Peruvian, recommended me for this work. Besides, I already had experience in the elaboration of tourism inventories before doing the postgraduate program".
About the training received at the University of Navarra, Heber emphasizes the integral vision he now has of the environmental area : "After the Master's Degree I have understood that in my country, in the process of economic growth, not everything should be done taking into account only the economic needs, but it is necessary to assume that we are not the only inhabitants of the planet, that there are animals and plants and that our activity has an impact on the environment that is impossible to ignore". "In short, I have learned so much that I will always be grateful to my classmates and teachers for the great experience I have lived", assures graduate of the class of 15-16.
Regarding the contribution of the Program to his curriculum, Heber considers that the high prestige of the University of Navarra is added to "the fact that it is a Master's Degree multidisciplinary which, in my case, has helped me to make my way in the environmental area ".