アレハンドロ・デ・フンボルト国立公園（7,680ヘクタール）は、2001年にユネスコ世界遺産に登録された。しかし、その動物保全レベルは総じて高いものの、公園を棲み家とする動物には、地球上で最も絶滅の危機に瀕する数種（ハシジロキツツキ、キューバトキ、キューバソレノドンなど）が含まれている。1996年の公園設立により、公園内および周辺のコミュニティは、伝統的でありながら、持続可能でない場合もある自然資源の利用のあり方を制限され、ネガティブな影響を受けている。しかし、最近公園を訪れた日本人研究者主体のキューバソレノドン調査隊は、過去50年間に発見された数より多くの動物を捕獲することに成功し、しかもこの歴史的な快挙は、地元の伝統的な狩猟技術を活用して成し遂げられた。本プロジェクトでは、絶滅危惧動物の保全に寄与する伝統的な生活様式の普及をめざし、キューバソレノドンをはじめとする絶滅危惧動物の研究や保全活動に地元住民を巻き込み、また公園における職員教育のレベルの向上を図る。具体的には、以下の3点を実施する。(1) 地元のコミュニティを巻き込み、主要な調査を進める。(2) 地元のコミュニティにおいて、環境教育を実践する。(3) 公園職員を対象に、絶滅危惧動物の保全方法およびその普及活動に関するトレーニングを行う。

  Alejandro de Humboldt National Park (7680 ha), is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. However, despite its high conservation degree, the park is home to some of the most endangered species on earth (e.g. the Ivory-billed woodpecker, the Cuban Kite, and the Cuban Solenodon). Local communities within and around the park have been affected in negative ways since the park formation in 1996 due to limitations to their traditional and sometimes unsustainable way of using natural resources. However, a recent Japanese-led expedition to study the Cuban Solenodon made history by capturing more animals than those sighted in the last 50 years, and this was achieved with the use of local traditional hunting techniques. Here we aim at promoting the use of traditional lifestyles that enhance conservation success by engaging local people in the research and management of endangered species such as the Cuban Solenodon, and by strengthening the national park's educational capacity. Three modules have been conceived: (1) Core research involving local communities, (2) Environmental education in local communities, (3) Conservation and outreach training for the park staff.

Alejandro de Humboldt National Park (70680 ha), is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. However, despite its high conservation degree, the park is home to some of the most endangered species on earth (e.g. the Cuban Solenodon), and has been since its foundation threatened by mining, illegal logging, illegal hunting, and a shortage of management resources. Local communities within and around the park have been affected in negative ways since the park formation due to limitations to their traditional and sometimes unsustainable way of using natural resources. However, the rediscover in 2012 of the Cuban Solenodon, achieved with the use of local hunting techniques, changed this perception by pointing out the potential for involving traditional people's knowledge into conservation action as a way to reduce the park's perils, and the conflict it implies with its residents. An important issue to address under this new opportunity was how to strengthen the relationship between local communities and the national park, in such a way that conservation issues could be resolved while local needs are addressed, particularly the monitoring and conservation of endangered species such as the Cuban Solenodon, and the acceptance and promotion of traditional lives style of local residents living within the park's border. Our approach involved engaging local people in the research and management of endangered species, strengthening the national park's educational capacity, and promoting traditional lifestyles that enhance conservation success. This methodology was conceived within three modules: 1‐ Core research involving local communities, 2‐ Environmental education in local communities, 3‐ Conservation and outreach training for the park staff. In total 3 visits to the national park involving Japanese and Cuban researchers, and 4 including only Cuban members of the project were carried out. In our module 1, it was found a strong disposition by local people to learn traditional hunting techniques that have been almost forgotten, and that with modifications, can be used in the study of the endangered Cuban Solenodon, Similarly, important acoustic, ecological and genetic data collected for the Cuban Solenodon with the help of local residents is now the basis for defining a long term monitoring program for the species. It was found that local people have the knowledge and disposition to carry out basic research, and that with training, they can be a great asset that reduces management costs to the park while at the same time, enhance its conservation goals. Moreover, local residents' knowledge of local medicinal plants allowed the collection of plant extracts of which at least 2 have potential pharmaceutical use. Local residents also highlighted their frustrations due to conflicts with the national park while at the same time, recognizing its importance. We also found potential solutions to many of these conflicts as proposed by local residents, such as alternative hunting techniques, gathering fruits from introduced trees to feed their pigs, modifying their traditional cooking techniques to energy-efficient woodfire kitchens, and captive breeding of otherwise illegally hunted wild hutias (a kind of large rodent).