Ecotourism project eyed in Susupe Lake

A property owner right in the front of the main entrance to Susupe Lake is looking to develop an ecotourism business in the area that will benefit not only the community but tourists as well.

Along with his family, Jesse Leon Guerrero owns the property and wants to transform the lake into an ecotourism destination that will complement the growing tourism industry of the CNMI. The road into Lake Susupe is also privately owned by Guerrero’s family.

Guerrero said he is working with Small Business Administration director Perry Inos Jr. to raise $40,000 for the project. According to him, he has been seeking funds from the government for a while, but with little to no help at all.

A manmade pagoda sits at the edge of the Susupe Lake. When standing at the pagoda, the whole lake can be seen as well as the scenery of the mountains and lands behind the lake area. (Jayson Camacho)

According to him, the money from the business will primarily go to the maintenance of the eco-tourism infrastructure that will be built on the property as well as for education.

“My intentions is to share it with the public so kids can come over and play and also have tourists come over and relax,” he said.

Guerrero plans to build a small hut 10 feet above the ground and a small snack bar for visitors.

“We have 12 Yamaha boats that cost $6,000 each, along with life jackets and paddles ready,” Guerrero said.

He also said that kayaks and rowboats would be ordered later after funding is found.

Economic impact

Ecotourism has the potential to bring in much needed influx of capital and revenue into a local economy, according to the International Ecotourism Society.

Well-planned and managed ecotourism sites reinvest some of the profits in local conservation efforts—a positive business practice that recognizes sustainability.

Guerrero said the business will help the community utilize Saipan’s natural resources and that Lake Susupe “is a natural resource in itself.”

A modest tourist industry requires some infrastructure, but building roads, hotels, and restaurants can have a negative impact on local ecosystems. Guerrero said his business wouldn’t harm the ecosystem of the lake.

For travelers, one of the major benefits of ecotourism is the opportunity to experience and interact with people of diverse cultural backgrounds.

“In my experience, tourists from Japan don’t want to come here and see the same thing as they see in their home place but also experience the culture and the area they are visiting,” Guerrero said.

Destination enhancement

Ed Arriola, vice chair of the Marianas Visitors Authority Destination Enhancement Committee, said he has been trying to get funding for the project.

“I have been trying to see if there was a way to get some sort of funding to build a dock, viewing area, and other recreational sections for local and tourists but planning takes time,” he said.

According to Arriola, the Capital Improvement Project office presented the project years ago but there were various regulations that would not allow the construction of a dock.

“Jesse [Guerrero] is a great guy and only wants to build something so that the children of the CNMI can come and visit this place,” Arriola said.

“Tourists find their way to the lake via the Saipan map, but they also want more to do. They also want to swim, fish, and go rowing,” he added.

Lake experience

Saipan Tribune had the opportunity to get on a rowboat with Guerrero for a tour of the lake and venture into its swampy areas.

The lake is filled with life and sounds of nature. Cranes and birds consider Lake Susupe their home, and in the evening a vast number of birds of different sizes settle down for the night along the lake’s environs. Larger birds live among the bushes that cover the lake’s edges and use it for nesting grounds.

Turtles of various sizes pop their heads out of the water once in a while. Fish swim just under the lake’s surface, either hunting for lingering insects or just swimming around.

The woods around the lake are filled with more than seven smaller ponds that is another food source for animals in the area. The forest floor is carpeted with undisturbed needles from ironwood trees.

When asked if he has a plan for those who want to venture into the outskirts of the lake, Guerrero said: “We will have a jungle safari and I will be getting help from the Division of Fish and Wildlife and Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality for guide books to be used for everyone.”

Guerrero said that ecotourism is above all tourism and that travelers who participate want to have a positive impact on the environment and are looking for a great vacation.

“Opening this ecotourism site would not only be a benefit for the community but also a new experience for tourists. They want to experience the island itself and Lake Susupe plays an important role in that,” he said.