Ecotourism Daily Dose
Go Green on St Patrick’s Day
Today’s the day when the world and his wife want to be Irish. For something that started out as a Holy Day of Obligation for Irish Catholics (they are obliged to attend mass to honour their patron saint) it’s ironic the day has evolved into a global day of unholy madness and mayhem for anyone who has a speck of Irish blood in them, who once visited Ireland or one day touched someone who knew an Irish person. With much of the original meaning lost or forgotten around the world, Paddy’s Day …
Date: March 17th, 2008 |
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Snow Leopard Vodka Fund New Conservation Projects
The boutique Snow Leopard Vodka has announced it will be funding two new conservation projects in conjunction with the International Snow Leopard Trust of Seattle, USA.
The first project intends to teach the children of Kyrgyzstan in an eco-camp to educate them about their mountain’s fragile ecosystem and how their input is needed in the future to ensure the long-term survival of the snow leopard. If the children understand more about the snow leopard they are less likely to kill it in the future.
The second project will take place in Mongolia where locals will be taught the importance of protecting the snow leopard instead of seeing it as a threat. This is key to the animal’s survival.
Snow Leopard Vodka have provided enough money to recruit and train a village about economic enhancement enterprise which will work by adding value to the community’s main resource, wool. The Snow Leopard Trust will also buy their raw wool and handicarfts directly and make sure they are sold to speciality traders around the world which will increase the villager’s incomes quite considerably enabling them to send the kids to school and buy more food and medicene. In return the families protect the snow leopards
Sue Brodie, Chair of Trustees of the Snow Leopard Trust UK says, “A big thank you to Snow Leopard vodka who not only share our beliefs and passion for community based conservation being the key to the survival of one of the world’s most beautiful creatures, but who are materially contributing to the cat’s survival. This funding from Snow Leopard vodka is allowing us to start conservation projects we simply would not be able to do without their help”.
Date: February 22nd, 2008 |
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Galápagos Islands on Unesco Danger List due to Mass Tourism
News that the Galápagos Islands, the world’s first World Heritage Site, are under threat has again put mass tourism in the spotlight.
The Galápagos are a cluster of volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean sitting just west of Ecuador, South America. They are best known for their wealth of unique native species and are thought to have instigated Darwin’s theories on evolution and natural selection.
Recent Number of Visitors To the Islands
Visitor numbers to the islands have grown from 40,000 in 1990 to 145,000 in 2006, that’s a 250% rise and as a result Unesco has added the archipelago to its ‘in danger list’, specifically citing the fragile ecosystem and the negative effects of a sizable growth in tourism.
“Unless we start to make fundamental changes right now, in the next 10 to 15 years we will see the Galápagos suffer from both economic and environmental degradation,” said Dr Graham Watkins, Executive Director of the Charles Darwin Foundation, whose mission is to conserve the Galápagos through scientific research.
Date: February 13th, 2008 |
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Ecotourism is Growing Up
I bet if you were asked how long the term ‘ecotourism’ has been around, you’d never guess 25 years. Well, this month, the ever-changing travel concept turns a quarter of a century and like a good wine it only gets better with age.
Since 1983, when Hector Ceballos-Lascurain, a Mexican architect, environmentalist and ecotourism consultant, first coined the phrase ‘ecotourism’, almost every country in the world has made efforts to cater towards the growing number of travellers looking for something more than kitsch souvenirs and a tan.
But even after all these years a clear definition of ecotourism is hard to …
Date: February 8th, 2008 |
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Rancho La Puerta, Eco Spa Resort Since 1940
The world’s very first destination spa in Tecate, on the Mexico/California border, was lovingly created and designed by two people who firmly believed in habitat conservation, organic farming and sustainable living.
Today, the family-run Rancho La Puerta has developed into one of the best examples of an Eco Spa in North America.
Humble Beginnings
Almost 70 years ago Edmond and Deborah Szekely had great plans to start a retreat for those desperate to escape the everyday rigors of modern life. So, they moved to the sparsely populated village of Tecate, rented a little hut that sat in the middle of a vineyard, which once housed meal for livestock, and started an organic veggie patch out front. The vineyard was called Rancho La Puerta.
Their idea was simple, to provide a haven for those seeking a tranquil place to help rebalance mind and body without causing any harm to the natural habitat around them.
Date: February 6th, 2008 |
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National Geographic Launch New Green Guide Magazine
Having started as a newsletter in the early nineties, the environmentally-conscious Green Guide didn’t make online until 2002 and has only now become popular enough to cut it with the big boys in publishing, not that it will have too many problems with National Geographic being it’s big brother.
The first issue discusses more than travel issues, the Green Guide offers advice on living green, how to save money while saving the planet and tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint.
In keeping with the ethos of the guide, the magazine …
Date: March 6th, 2008 |
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The Return of the Wolf to Yellowstone National Park
A few nights ago a programme called Strange Days, televised by Planet Earth TV, discussed what happens to an environment when predators are removed. The documentary makers found that when natural predators are left to flourish so too does an ecosystem.
Hunters Become the Hunted
A problem was highlighted in Yellowstone National Park. Local researchers studying the native aspen trees, which once densely populated the area, found there had been no new growth for around 70 years. On further investigation they thought it was something to do with the mass cull of over 100,000 native wolves, killed because they were taking livestock and getting too close too humans.
Without professing to be an expert on the matter, surely if people decide to build a ranch on the edge of a thriving National Park it means that they will no doubt be visited by its inhabitants at some point, especially if they have a fondness for flesh, after all, they know no boundaries. But for people to complain and cull because native predators do what is only natural to them in their habitat is quite astonishing. It’s akin to pitching a tent in your neighbours lawn and then shooting them when they get too close because they’re on your land. Doesn’t really make sense, but I digress.
The Yellowstone wolves were hunted almost to extinction, like so many species that get in the way of human progression and expansion.
Date: February 18th, 2008 |
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New Ecological Travel Guides by VERY Publications
Just when you thought you’d found your favourite travel guides another lot pops on to the market to cause confusion but these aren’t any old tourist guides, no, eco travellers, the VERYstyleguide Ecological focuses specifically on the various aspects enviro tourists get excited about like, green restaurants, ethical businesses or alternative travel in the city ie, pedicab tours and bike rental. And the new guides are causing quite a stir.Published by UP&CO, these mini mags and shopping directories are the brainchild of designer, editor and publisher, Uscha Pohl. A long-time fan of all things ethical, especially clothing, Uscha has created a range of city guides that combine eco style and culture in an easy-to-use flip-over booklet.
VERY Eco says, “… the ecological guide offers new options to everyone who seeks to inject ecological and ethical principles into their daily life. These will permit the reader to live and shop in accordance to their convictions and to discover lesser known ecological domains like ethical banks, high-end fashion labels which rely on truly ecological and/or ethical production and sourcing procedures, as well as ‘ecologically correct’ information centres.”
Date: February 12th, 2008 |
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New Look Ecotourism Travel Guide at EcoTravelLogue.com
Well, whaddya think of our new home? Eco Travel Logue has been given a wonderful face lift to take us skipping and dancing through the rest of 2008 and beyond. And, to complete the fancy makeover, we’ve been given the new name of Ecotourism Travel Guide. Like it? I do.
Navigating the site is a bit different from the old one but all previous articles are still listed here. If you’re looking for an old article, scroll down to just below where it says ‘Ecotourism News’ and you’ll find the archives which date back to 2006; you …
Date: February 6th, 2008 |
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Responsible Travel Matters to UK Holidaymakers
An exclusive survey carried out by The Times newspaper in the UK has revealed up to 78% of Britons take into account whether the holiday they’re booking is eco-friendly or responsible.
This is great news for those who have ploughed their time and efforts into providing environmentally sound tours, resorts and packages. And, wonderful news, too, for the Eco Travel and Tourism Guide, where I’m hoping all these holiday hounds will find some great advice and ideas.
Almost 90% of those surveyed feel that the impact their holiday will have on the local community is important and more than 80% of those surveyed feel holiday companies should be doing more to tackle social and environmental concerns.
Date: February 4th, 2008 |
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