Persian Gulf - Iran - page 435

(well) that has been used by shepherds for centuries. The visitors centre was under con-
struction when this topic was being researched, but was expected to open in late 2012.
The onshore preservation of the hawksbill turtle through community participation is
one of the many environmental projects overseen by the geopark team. Between 180 and
240 of these turtles lay their eggs on the beach at Shibderaz village near the airport
between March and May each year; hatchings occur between April and July. Residents of
Shibderaz work in shifts to protect the eggs from predators (including other locals, who
have traditionally eaten them).
Other projects include the responsible aquaculture of pearls by the people of Berkeh
Khalaf village and the propagation of native plants and mangroves by the people of Shib-
deraz and Dayrestan villages.

Island and Geopark Tours
(full-day tour per person US$100, 2-day tour per person US$180) If you don't have your
own transport, the best way to explore the island is on a private 4WD tour organised by
the Avaye Tabiate Paydar Institute ( Click here ) . You can tailor your tour to see the island's
main sites, or concentrate on exploring the geopark. A full-day tour includes lunch, a
guide and all transport. The two-day tour includes transport, all meals and accommodation
in a local homestay. The prices we have cited are based on a group of four people travel-
ling; prices are higher for smaller groups.

ECOTOUR

ART FOR CONSERVATION

The women of Qeshm Island are known throughout Iran for their expertise in golabtoun douzi, the sewing of col-
ourful designs onto fabric, sometimes as embroidery and sometimes as an appliqué of sequins and/or hand-woven
piping. These designs often incorporate images of flowers or local marine life such as turtles and starfish.

Traditionally, women have worked on golabtoun douzi at home and rarely left their houses, leading to their social
isolation and total economic dependence on males. All this changed in 2003, when a group of women from Shibde-
raz and Berkeh Khalaf villages were given assistance from the Small Grants Program of the United Nations and a
Tehran-based ecotourism outfit, the Avaye Tabiate Paydar Institute, to gather together and produce clothing and ac-
cessories featuring golabtoun douzi. The project was called 'Art for Conservation' and the products were sold to
tourists, with the profits shared between the women and local conservation projects.

The program has been so successful that the women have now opened three shops and significantly contributed to
the funding of conservation efforts on the island. They now have the opportunity to become financially independent
(with the collapse of the local fishing and boat-building industries many have become the main breadwinners in
their households) and they also leave their homes for part of each day to work with other women and operate the