I’m an avid soccer fan who
religiously followed the World Cup four years ago, even waking up at 7am during
my summer vacation to watch games live from my living room in Ohio. As such,
given that the 2014 FIFA World Cup will be held in Brazil a month or so before
our seminar in the Pantanal, I was curious to learn more about the inevitable
influence of the World Cup on the area, and to see if the organizers had kept
the Pantanal in mind at all in planning this massive event.
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| http://blogs.courier-journal.com/ulbeat/2013/12/06/ a-look-at-the-uss-chances-at-the-2014-world-cup/ |
Doing some cursory research I found
out that the city closest to the Pantanal, Cuiaba, will actually be a host city
during the tournament, guaranteeing a large influx of tourists into the area.
Looking on an ESPN guide to the different host cities, the article on Cuiaba suggests
that fans interested in sightseeing should visit the Pantanal, or at least take
a helicopter ride over the area. I’m interested to see what consequences the
arrival of these soccer fans, who normally would not have a reason to visit the
area, will have on the Pantanal. It’s possible that the visitors will increase
awareness for the Pantanal, maybe even reducing the number of blank stares one
gets when mentioning the region.
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| Cuiaba (http://www.olhardireto.com.br/noticias/exibir.asp?id=348560) |
However, more tourists may also
raise the question of conservation. Will the influx of people affect wildlife?
Will more people inadvertently lead to more trash and litter defacing the
beauty of the Pantanal? I truly hope not. I’m optimistic in the power of the
World Cup to help bring more prosperity and awareness for the area, but even
so, the images of other natural wonders spoiled by the good intentions of
people reminds me that we should not be naïve.
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| http://www.ecoll.ee/webfiles/DVD/mod%202/en/tourism%20impact.htm |
But luckily there’s some hope! The
$240 million new football arena being constructed in Cuiaba will be aptly named
the Arena Pantanal, and FIFA states that “sustainability has been a central
theme of the construction” of the stadium. It has even been nicknamed “O Verdão”or
“The Big Green”, and the construction has followed sustainable practices such
as recycling and using wood from certified sources.
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| http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/destination/stadiums/stadium=5025112/ |
So if this summer you find yourself
in need of a short Pantanal fix before going on the trip, be sure to watch the
Arena Pantanal make its debut on June 13 in the Chile versus Australia match!
- Sarah Espaldon
Sources:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/destination/stadiums/stadium=5025112/
I love watching the world cup as well and had no idea that the arena in Cuiaba is named Arena Pantanal, that makes me so happy!
ReplyDeleteAlso an interesting side note about the world cup, because Brazil is so large some teams have to take 4 hour plane rides in between games which really makes you appreciate the immensity of this country. Lets hope that the large size allows them to keep vital ecological areas like the Amazon and the Pantanal as pristine as possible.
I can't help but feel apprehensive about Cuiaba being a host city because of the certain ecological impacts it will have on the Pantanal. I sincerely hope that the immense increase in tourism and human exposure doesn't disrupt this biodiversity hotspot and have long term detrimental effects on the ecosystem.
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